Caveat: Philosophical Cake

"Optimism and pessimism are buddies sitting together on the same sofa."
– John McCrea, lead singer of the band Cake, overheard in an interview on NPR.

Cake is a very eclectic band.  They can make songs I really like and others I abhor.  But they're always rather cerebral, in a funky, alterna way.  I'd never heard the lead singer interviewed before.  He's an interesting guy.

Caveat: 38) 내 눈으로 본 것만 옳다고 생각한 어리석음을 참회하며 절합니다

“I bow in repentance of all the stupidity that I believe in my own eyes to be right.”
This is #38 out of a series of [broken link! FIXME] 108 daily Buddhist affirmations that I am attempting to translate with my hands tied behind my back (well not really that, but I’m deliberately not seeking out translations on the internet, using only dictionary and grammar).


36. [broken link! FIXME] 어리석은 행동으로 악연이 될 수있는 인연에게 참회하며 절합니다.
        “I bow in repentance of any ties that can become an evil destiny through stupid talk.”
37. [broken link! FIXME] 집착하는 마음과 말과 행동을 참회하며 절합니다.
        “I bow in repentance of all actions and words and heart that cling.”
38. 내 눈으로 본 것만 옳다고 생각한 어리석음을 참회하며 절합니다.

I would read this thirty-eighth affirmation as:  “I bow in repentance of all the stupidity that I believe in my own eyes to be right.”
Wow. And how do I identify my own stupidity if I believe it is right?  I guess that’s why it’s about repentance, not prevention.

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