There are totally 62 volumes of the Buddhist Canon.
2:24:2:21. Mindfulness is the way to the Deathless (Nibb3na),' unmindfulness is the way to Death. Those who are mindful do not die; those who are not mindful are as if already dead.
===========================
Myanmar Tipitaka Books List
===========================
//Total 62 Books//
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::Myanmar Vinaya Pitaka Books::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
01. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Parajikapali
02. A. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Pacittiyapali-Bhikkhu
02. B. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Pacittiyapali-Bhikkhuni
03. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Mahavaggapali
04. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Cullavaggapali
05. Myanmar Tipitaka – Vinaya Pitaka – Parivarapali
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::Myanmar Sutta Pitaka Books::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
06. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Digha Nikaya – Silakkhandavagga
07. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Digha Nikaya – Mahavagga
08. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Digha Nikaya – Pathikavagga
09. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Majjhima Nikaya – Mulapannasa
10. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Majjhima Nikaya – Majjhimapannaasa
11. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Majjhima Nikaya – Uparipannaasa
12. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Samyutta Nikaya – Sagathavaggo
13. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Samyutta Nikaya – Nidanavaggo
14. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Samyutta Nikaya – Khandavaggo
15. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Samyutta Nikaya – Salayatanavaggo
16. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Samyutta Nikaya – Mahavaggo
17. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Ekakanipata
18. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Dukanipata
19. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Tikanipata
20. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Catukkanipata
21. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Pancakkanipata
22. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Chakkanipata
23. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Sattakanipata
24. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Athtakanipata
25. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Navakanipata
26. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Dasakanipata
27. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Anguttara Nikaya – Ekadasakanipata
28. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Khuddakapaat
29. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Dhammapada
30. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Udana
31. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Itivuttaka
32. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Suttanipata
33. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Vimanabatthu
34. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Petabatthu
35. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Patisambhidamagga
36. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Therapadana
37. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Theripadana
38. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Buddhavamgsa
39. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Cariyapitaka
40. Myanmar Tipitaka – Sutta Pitaka – Khuddaka Nikaya – Milindapanha
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::Myanmar Abhidhamma Pitaka Books::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
41. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Dhammasangani
42. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-1 – Khandavibhanga
43. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-2 – Ayatanavibhanga
44. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-3 – Dhatuvibhanga
45. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-4 – Saccavibhanga
46. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-5 – Indriyavibhanga
47. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-6 – Paticcasamuppada
48. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-7 – Satipatthanavibhanga
49. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-8 – Sammappadhanavibhanga
50. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-9 – Iddhipadavibhanga
51. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-10 – Bojjhangavibhanga
52. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-11 – Maggangavibhanga
53. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-12 – Ihanavibhanga
54. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-13 – Appamannavibhanga
55. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-14 – Sikkhapadavibhanga
56. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-15 – Patisambhidavibhanga
57. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-16 – Nanavibhanga
58. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-17 – Khuddakavatthuvibhanga
59. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Vibhanga-18 – Dhammahadayavibhanga
60. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Kathavatthu
61. Myanmar Tipitaka – Abhidhamma Pitaka – Puggalapannatthi
GUIDE TO TIPITAKA
Preface
The Tipitaka is an extensive body of Canonical Pali literature in which are enshrined the Teachings of Goiama Buddha expoumE!d for forty-f'ive years from \he time of his Enlightenment to his parinibbana. The discourses of the Buddha cover a wide field of subjects and are made up of exhortations, expositions and injunctions.
Even from the earliest times some kind of classification and systematization of the Buddha's Teachings had been mde to facilitate memorization, since only verbal transmission was employed to pass on the Teachings from generation to generation. Three IWnths a rter the parinibbana of the Buddha, the great disciples recited together all the Teachings of their Master, after compiling them systematical~ and carefully classifying them under different heads into specialized sections.
The general discourses and sernxms intended for bath the bhikkhus and lay disciples, delivered by the Buddha on various occasions ( together with a few discourses delivered by sOJOO of his distinguish6d disci~ plea ), are collected and classified in a great division known as the Suttanta Pit•aka • The great division in which nre incorporated injunctions and adJoonitions of the Buddha on modes of conduct, and restraints on both bodily and verbal actior of bhikkhus and bhikkhunls, which form rules of discipline for them, is called the Vinaya Pi~aka. The philosophical aspect of the Buddha IS TeaChing, IOOre profound and abstract than the discourses of the Suttanta Pi~aka, is classified under the great division known as the AbhidhaDm9 Pitaka. AbhidhallllIfl deals with ultimste Truths, expoums U• lti.uete Truths rind investigates Mind and Matter and the relntionship between them. All that the Buddha tauf'1t forms the subject DBtter and substance of the Pali Canon, which is divided 1nto these three divisions· called Pi~akas lite!' 8l.l¥ baskets. Hence Tipi~eka means three baskets or three separate div1eiona of the Buddha Is Teaching. Here GT, F.1 the metaphor 'basket' signifies not so much the funct.ion of 'storing up' anything put into it as its use 88 8 receptacle in which things are handed on or passed on from one to another like carrying away of earth from an exc!lvation site by a line of workers. The Tipit.aka into which the Pa.li Canon is ~ / 3Y15telMtically divided and handed down from generation' to gen~ration together with Commentaries forms the huge collection of literary works which the bhikkhus of the Order hDve to leern.. study and memorize in discharge of their gantha dhura .. the duty of studying • •
Acknowledgements
It is a great privilege for me to have been entrusted with the task of compiling this 'Guide to Tipi~akaI. So far as it is known.. there is not B single work that d~als, in outline, with the whole of Tipitaka. It is sincerely ooped that this compilCJtion will be found useful and hRndy by the general reader who wishes to be provided with a bird's eye view of the vast and magnificent canonical scenery which repres£:nts ell that the Buddha (am some of his disciples) had taught and. all that has been treasured in the Tipitaka.
In compiling this work, the Pall Texts as approved by the Sixth International 15uddhist S•ynod together with their BurlOOse translations have been closely adhered to. Acknowledgements are due to Dagon U San Ngwe and U Myo Myint who provided notes for soma of the chapters. Additional information and facts were gathered from various other .sources. The following couplete set of "Questions and Answers" recorded at the Sixth International Buddhist Synod proved to be a mine of information on the content. of the Tipi~aka.
1. Vinaya Pi~a1al - Questions and Answers, Volol
2. Vinaya Pit•aka - Questions and Answers .. Vol.II
3. Suttanta Pit•aka - lnighs NikSya' QAnusewsteirosn. s and
4. Sutt<lntA Pit•aka - 'Majjhia~ndNAiI<nasywaeIrsQ, uVesotli.oIns
3
5. Suttantt:l Pit•aka .' l'Djjhim<l NPonidkiAyan'sweQrsu,esVtiooln.sII
6. Suttanta Pitaka -ISa~tta Nikays 1 Questions
• and Answers, Vol.I
7. SuttRnta Pit8ka .1 S!ldvutta NikBya 1 Question8
• and Answers, Vol. II
8. Suttanta Pi~aka _IAllguttara Nikaya I Questions
nnd Answers, Vol.l
9. Suttanta Pi~aka _IAnguttara Nikaya
'
Questions
Rnd Answers, Vol.II
10. Abhidhamma Pitaka - IKhuddakn Nikaya I Questions
• and Ansv~rs.
Paragraph Nos. cited i~ this work ere from the
published Texts ;"lS approved by the Sixth International
Buddhist Synod.
In conclusion, I wish to put on record nv deep
gratitude to the members of the Editorial Committee,
Burma Pitaka Association, who had spent long hoors going
through the script ,'lith meticulous cnre and from whose
indefatigable labour :-md erudite counsel this c0II1>ilation
has much benefited •
•
February, 1984. U Ko Lay
4
•••
• • •
- Doctrina1 Adviser
i
Chairman
BURMA PITAKA ASSOCIATION
EDITORIAL COMMI'M'EE
Sayadaw U Kwnara, B.A.,
DhaDcariya
(SiromeQ!, Va~amsaka).
U Shwe Mra, B.A., I.C.S. Retd.;
Former Special Adviser,
Public Administration Division,
// E.S.A., United Nations
Secreta.ria.t.
Menmers • • •
• • •
• ••
UChan Htoon, LL.B., Barrister-
at-law; FOrmer President, World
Fellowship of Buddhists.
U Nyun, B.A., I.C.S. Retd.;
pormer Executive Secretary,
United Nations Economic Commission
for Asia and the Far
East; Vice-President, World
Fellowship of Buddhists.
U It'int Too, B.Sc., B.L.,
Barrister-at-law;
Vice-President, All Burma
Buddhist Association.
• ••
• ••
• ••
Doctrinal Consultant
Editors
Daw IVa Tin, M.A.,
Former Head of Geogr~phy
Department, Institute of
Education, Rangoon.
U ~aw Htut, Dhadcariya.
Former Editor-in-chief of the
Bo~rd for Burmese Tr~nslation
of the Sixth Synod Pali Texts.
U ~o Min, M.A., B.L.,·
Former Professor of English,
Rangoon UniYersity •
••• U Ko Lay, M.Sc.,
Former Vice-Ch~ncellor,
Mandalay University.
Secretarx.
• ••
• • •
•• •
U Thein Maung, B.h., B.L.
U tUa Maung, B"/1., B.L.
UTin IJwe, B.Se •
Chapter I
WHAT IS VINAYA PITAKA.?
•
Vinaya Pitaka
•
DiscipUnary and Procedur:Jl Rules for the Sa~ha
The Vina~a P1\aka is made up of rules of discipline
laid d0"lll for regulating the conduct of the Buddha's
di!ciples who have been admitted as bhikkhus and
bhikkhunIe into the Order. These rules embody authoritative
injunctions of the Buddha on JIDdes of conduct and
restraints on both physical and verbal actions. They
deal with transgressions of discipline, and with various
categories of restraints and admonitions in accordance
with the nature of the offence.
(a) Seven Kinds of Transgression or Offencc,Apatti
The rules of discipline first laid down by the
Buddha are called MUlapaMatti (the root regulation);
those supplemented later are kn-own as Anupai"lllatti. To- gether they are !mown as Sikkhapadas, rules of d:i~pline.
The act of transgressing these rules of discipline,
thereby-incurring a penalty by the guilty bhikkhu, is called Apatti .. which means 'reaching, committing'.
The of'tences for which penalties are laid down
may be classified under seven categories depending on
their nature:
(i}r~r~jika
lii)Samg~disesa
(iii) Thulla ccaya
(iv )P!ei ttiya
(v)P!~idesaniye
(vi)Dukka~a
(vii)Dubbh~sita.·
An offence in the first category of offences,
PAr~jika, is classified as a grave offence, garuk!patti,
which is irremediable, atekicchli and entails the• falling
off of the offen1er from bhikkhuhood. . - An offence in the second category, 5emghadisees
, is also classified as a grave offence but it 18
remediable,setekicch!. The offender is put on a probationary
period of penance, during which he has to
6
undertake cert3in difficult practices and after which
he is rehabilitated by the samgha assembly.
The rem~ining five categories consist of light
offences, lahukApatti, which Are remediable and incur
the penalty of having to confess the transgression to
lnother bhikkhu. After carrying out the prescribed pen~
lty, the bhikkhu transgressor becomes cleansed of the
C'rfenc~.
(b) When and how the disciplinary rules were laid down.
For twenty years after the establishment of the
Order there was neither injunction nor rule concerning
P5rajika and Ssmgh8disess offences. The members of the
Order of the early days were all Ariyns, the least advanced
of whom was ~ Strea~winner, on~ who had attained
th~ first MDgga ~nd ~Tuition,and there was no need for
prLsoribing rules relating to grave offences.
But as the years went by, the Samgha grew in
strength. Undesirable elements not having the purest of
motives but attracted only by the fame 3nd gain of the
bhikkhus beg~n to get into the Buddha's Order. Some
twenty years after the founding of the Order, it becama
necessary to begin establishing rules relating to grave
offences.
It was through Bh-ikk-hu Sudinna, a native of K3landa Village near Vesali, who committed the offence
of having sexual intercourse with his ex-wife, that the
first P~rajika rule came to be promulgated. It was laid
down to deter bhikkhus from indulging in sexual intercourse
•
When such a grave cause had arisen for which the
iaying down of a prohibitory rule became necessary, the
Buddha convened an assembly of the bhikkhus. It was only
after questioning the bhikkhu concerned and sfter the
undesirability of committing such an offence had been
made clear that a certain rule was laid down in order to
prevent future lapses of similar nature.
The Buddha also followed the precedence set by
earlier Buddhas. Using his supernormal powers, he reflected
on what rules the earlier Buddhas would lay
down under certain given conditions. Then he adopted
similnr regulations to meet the situation that had
aris,-'!: in his time.
7
(c) Admission of bhikkhunIs into the Order
Arter spending four vassas (residence period
during the rains) after his Enlightenment, the Buddha
visited Kapilavatthu, his native royal city, at the request
of his ailing father, King Suddhodana. Ai.. 'that
time, MaMpejapati, Buddha's foster IOOther requested
him to admit her into the Order. MaMpajap8ti was not
alo~e in desiring to join the Order. Five hundred Sa~an
lad1es whose husbands had left the household life were
also eager to be adJl1.tted into the Order.
After his father's death, the Buddha went back
to V~s8l!, refusing the repeated request of MaMpaj!pati
for admission into the Order. The determined foster
m:>ther of the Buddha and widow of the recently de~ea8ed
King Suddhodana, having cut orr ber hair and put on
bark~ed clothes" accoq>anied by five hundred sa~an
ladies, made her way to Vesalr where the Buddha was
staying in the MaMvana, in the KuUg§ra Hall.
The Venerable Ananda saw them outside the gateway
of the KiiUg!ra Hall, dust-laden with swllen feet, dejected,
tearful, standing and weeping. Out of great compassion
for the ladies, the Venerable AnaDda interceded
with the Buddha on their behalf' and entreated him to
accept them in the Order. '!he Buddha continued to stand
firm. But when the Venerable Anandai asked the Buddha
whether women were not capable of attaining Magga and
Phala Insight, the Buddha replied that women were indeed
capable of doing so, provided they left the household
life like their menfolk.
Thereupon ADama made his entreaties again saying
that MaMpaj'pati had been of great service to the Buddha
waiting on him as his guardian and nurse, suckling
him when his mther died. And as women were capable of
attaining the Magga and Phala Insight, she should-be permitted to join the Order and become a bhikkhuni.
The Buddha fina1J¥ acceded to AnancUl l s entreaties:
"Xnanda, if lot1Mpaj~pati accepts eight special rules,
garu-dha~, let such acceptance mean her admission to
the Order."
The eight special ruleJ are:
(1) A bh1kkhunI, even if she enjoys a seniority of
a hundred years in the Order, mus't pay respect
1. vide, Vin&y& - II, 74-75.
8
to a bhikkhu though he may have been a bhikkhu
only for a day.
(ii) A bhikkhunI must not keep her rains-residence in
a place where there are no bhikkhus.
(iii) Every fortnight a bhikkhunI must do two things:
To ask the bhikkhu Ssmgha the day of osa ,
and to approach the bhikkhu samghs for instruction
and adJoonition.
(iv) When the rains-residence period is over, a bhikkhuni
must attend the yav~rau~ ceremony conducted
at both the assemblies of bhikkhus and bhikkhunIs,
in each of which she must invite criticism on what
has been seen, what has been heard or what has
been suspected of her.
(v) A bhikkhunI who has co~tted a saffighadisesa
opaffkeknhcaem-m-aunsatttuan, dienrgoeacphenaasnsceemfbolyr oa fhbahlfi-krkrhcunstha, nd bhikkhunis.
(vi) Admission to the Order n~st be sought, from both
assemblies, by a woman novice only after two
year's prcbationary training IlS c candidate.
(vii) A bhikkhun-i should not revile a bhikkhu in any
way, not even obliquely.
(viii) A bhikkhunI must abide by instructions given her
b~ bhikkhus, but must not give instructions or
advice to bhikkhus.
~~hapajapati accept0d unhesitatingly these eight
conditions imposed by the Buddha and was consequently
admitted into the Order.
9
Chapter II
VINAYA PITAKA
•
The Vinaya Piteka is mde up of five books:
•
(1) P-arajika Pa.li. 2 Pac-ittiya P~_l..i 34 MC-ualhaavvaaggggaa PP-aa"ll1i
5 Pa•riva- ra P-alIi
•
1. Parajika Pali
•
Parajika Pali which is Book I of the Vinaya P1.taka gives an ela•borate explan-at-ion of the impo-rtant rules of discipline concerning FarAji~~ and sa~~hadisesa,
as well as Aniyeta I'lnd Nissaggiyc which fJre minor
offences.
(a) Parajika offences ?nd penalties.
- - Paraji~1 disciplin0 consists of fow' sets of
rules laid down to prevent four gravG offences. Any
transgressor of these rules is defe~ted in his purpose
Pin-ar-baejickoacinA-gpaattbi hfikakllhsu. upInonthheimp; ahrelan,1cuetomocfltiVcianlalyya, lothsees
the status of e bhikkhu; he is no longer recognized as
a member of the community of bhikkhus nnd is not permitted
to become a bhikkhu again. He has either to go back
tsotatthues ohofuasesh-aomldn•leirfae, aas.n'O) Vl.1acyem•9n or revert back to the
One who has lost the status of a bhikkhu for
transgression of any of these rules is likened to (i)
a person wrose head has been cut off from his body; he
cannot become Dlive even if the head is fixed back on
the body; (ii) leaves which have fallen off the branches
of the tree; they will not become green a~ain even if
they are attached back to the leaf-stalks; (iii) a flat
rock which has been split; it cannot be Ji\,.de whole again;
(1v) a palm tree which has been cut off from its stem;
it will never grow again.
Four P~rajika offences which lend to loss of
stc?tus as a bhikkhu.
(1) The first Pari3jika: Whatever bhikkhu should indulge
in sexual intercourse loses his bhikktn.1OOod.
10
(ii )
(11i)
- - The second Parajika: Whatever bhikkhu should take
with intention to steal what is not given loses
his bhikkhuhood.
The third Parajik8 ~ Whatever bhikkhu flhould intentionally
deprive a hwmn being of life loses his
bhikkhuhood.
(iv) The fourth P-ar-ajika: Whatever bhikkhu claims to
attainments he does not really possess, namely,
attainments to jhana or l-bgga and Ptulla Insight
loses his bhikkhuhood.
The pirijika ot!ender is guilty of a veq grave
tran6gression. He ceases to be a bhikkhu. His offence,
lpatti, is irremediable.
(b) Thirteen Samgh~sesa offences and penalties.
Samghadisesa discipline consists of a set of
thirteen rules which require formal participation of the
Samgha from beginning to end in the process of mnkir€
him free from the guilt of transgression.
(i) ~ bhikkhu having transgressed these rules, and
wishing to be free from his offence must first
3pproach the Samgha and confess having comnitted
the offenc~. The Samgha determines his offence
Jnd orders him to observe the pariv~sa penance,
~ penalty requiring him to live under suspension
from association with the rest of the Samgha, fer
"s mal\Y days as he hns knowingly concenled hi$
r>ffence.
(ii)
(iii)
At the end of the parivasa observance he undergoes
a further period of penance, man~ttaJ for
six days to gain approbation of the saJiJgha.
Having carri~d out the m§natta penance, the bhikkhu
requests the SaIhgha to reinstate him to full
association with the rest of the Samgha.
Being now convinced of the-purity of his conduct as before, the samgha lifts the Apatti at a special congregation
attended by at least twenty bhikkhus, where
netti, the rotion for his reinstate~nt, is recited followed
by three recitals of kammav~c~, procedural text for
f0rIl81 acts of the samgha.
11
Some examples of thf saIhghadises.1 offtnces.
(i) Kayasamsagga offence: .,
If any bhikkhu wi th lustful, perverted thoughts
engages in bodily contact with a woman, such as
holding of hands, caressing the tresses of hair
or touching any part of her body, he commits the
Kayasamsagga 5albghSdisesa offence.
(ii) Sancaritta offence:
If any bhikkhu acts as a go-between between a man
and a womnn for their lawful living together as
husband and wife or for tempor.'lry arrangement as
man and IIii.stress or WOIrr3n and lover, he is guilty
of Sancaritta Samghadisesa offence. '
(e) Two Aniyata offences and penalties.
Aniyata means indefinite, uncertain. There are
two Aniyata offences the nature of which is uncertain
and indefinite as to whether it is a Parajika offence,
a Samghadisesa offence or a Pacittiya offence. It is
to be determined according to provisions in the following
rules:
(i) If a bhikkhu sits down privately alone with a
woman in a place which is secluded and hidden
from view, and convenient for an illllIOral purpose
and if a trustworthy Uu WOIllt1n (i.e., an Ariya)"
seeing him, accuses him of any one of the three
offences (1) a Parajika offence (2) a Sarnghadisesa
offence (3) a Facittiya offence, and the bhikkhu
himself admits that he was so sitting, he should
be found guilty of one of these three offenoes as
accused by the trustworthy lay woman.
(ll) If a bhikkhu sits down privately alone with a
womn in a place which is not hidden from view
and not convenient for an ilIl1'OOral purpose but convenient
for talking lewd words to her" ''!Od if a
trustworthy lay woman (i.e., an Ariya), seeing him,
accuses him of anf one of the two offences (1)
a sa~hadisesa offence (2) a P~cittiya offence,
and the bhikkhu himself admit~ th~t he was so
sitting, he should be found guiltY! f one of
these two offences as accused by tH trustworthy
lay woman.
12
(d) Thirty Nissaggiya Pacittiya offences and penalties.
There are thirty rules under the Nissaggiya category
of offences and penalties which are laid down to
curb inordinate greed in bhikkhus for possession of
material things such as robes, bowls etc. To give an
example, an offence is done under these rules when
objects not permitted are acquired, or when objects are
acquir0d in more than the permitted quantity. The penalty
consists firstly of giving up the objects in respect
of which the offence hAS be~n committed. Then it
is followed by confession of th~ breach of the rule,
together with an undertaking not to repeat the same offence,
to the Samgha as 8 whole, or to a group of bhikkhus,
or to an individual bhikkhu to whom the wrongfully
acquired obj~cts have been surrendered.
Some examples of the Nissaggiya P-acittiya
offences.
(i) First Nissaggiya Sikkhapada.
If arw bhikkhu kl::eps more thdrl the permissible
number of robes, namely, the lower robe, the upper
robe and the great robe, he comnits an offence
for which he has to st~rl::ndcr the extra
robes and confess his offence.
(ii) CIvara Acchindana Sikkhapada.
If arw bhikkhu gives away his own robe to another
bhikkhu and aftcnrords, being angry or displeased,
atawkayesbyit sobmacekonefoerclsibel,y hEo: rcocmaumsietss ait NtiossbaeggtiaykaenP-acittiya
offence.
wNiits.hsagt-hg8iyagraovffe-enocf8fesncaeres olifghpatroajffie~n1cA-espactotmi poarred Samghadisesa Apatti.
2. Pacittiyn Pali
•
The Pacittiya P~li which is Book II of the Vinaya
• Pit.aka d~als with the r8maining sets of rules -for the bhikkhus, namely, the P~cittiya, the P~tidesaniya,Sekhiya,
Adhikaranasamatha and the corresponding disciplinary
rules for th~ bhikkhunIs. Although it is called in
P~li just P~cittiya, it has the distinctiv8 nam~ of 'Sud-
• dha P~cittiya', ordin2ry P~cittiya, to distinguish it
from Nissaggiya P~cittiya, describ~d ~bove.
(8) Ninety-two PAcittiya offences and penalties.
There are ninety-two rules und~r this class of
offences classified in nine sections. A few examples of
this type of offences:
(i) Telling a lie deliberately is ~ P5cittiya offence.
(ii) A bhikkhu who sleeps under the sam" roof and within
the walls along with a wonen commits a P~cittiya
offence.
(iii) A bhikkhu who digs the ground or c~uses it to be
dug commits a ~cittiya offence.
A Pacittiya offence is remedied ncrely by Cldmission
of the offence to a bhikkhu.
(b) Four P§tidesanIya offences and pen~lties•
•
There, are four offences under this classification
and they all deal with the bhikkhul s conduct in accepting
and eating alms-food offered to him. Thl: bhikkhu .
transgressing any of these rules, in 1n'J kinG admission of
his offence, must use a special formul~ stating the natur~
of his fault.
- The first rule of P~tidcsuniya offence reads:
should a bhikkhu eat hard food or soft food having
accepted it with his own hand from a bhikkhunI who is
not his relation and who has gone alIDng the houses for
alms-food, it should be admitted to another bhikkhu by
the bhikkhu saying, "Friend, I have done a censurable
thing which is unbecoming and which should be admitted.
I admit having committed a P§tidesanIya offence."
•
The events that led to the l-ay~ng down of the first of these rules happened-in savatthi, wherE. one IOOrning bhikkhus and bhikkhun-is were going round for alms-food. A certain bhikkhuni offered the food she had
received to a certain bhik-khu who took away all that was in her bowl. The bhikkhuni had to go without ~lny food
for the day. Three days in succession she offered to
give her alms-food to the same bhikkhu who on all the
three days deprived her of her entire alms-food. Con
·sequently she became famished. On the fourth day while
going on the alms round she fainted and fell down
through weakness. When the Buddha caml: to hear about
this,be censured the bhikkhu woo was guilty of the wrong
deed and laid down the above rule.
14
(c) Seventy-five Sekhiya rules of polite behaviour.
These seventy-five rules laid down originally for
the proper behaviour of bhikkhus also apply to novices
who seek admission to the Order. l-bst of these rules
were all laid down at savatthi on account of indisciplined
behaviour on the part of a group of six bhikkhus.
The rules can be divided into four groups. The first
group of twenty-six rules is concerned with good conduct
and behaviour when going into towns and villages. The
second group of thirty rules deals with polite manners
when accepting alms-food and when eating meAls. The third
group of sixteen rules contains rules which prohibit
teaching of the Dhamma to disrespectful people. The
fourth group of three rules relates to unbecoming ways
of answering the calls of nature and of spitting.
(d) Seven ways of settling disputes, Adhikaranasamatha •
•
, P~cittiya Pali concludes the disciplinary rules
for bhikkhus with a •Chapter on seven ways of settling
cases, AdhikarAnasamatha •
•
Four kinds of cases are listed:
(i) VivMadhikarAna Disputes as to what is dhamma,
what is not dhammaj what is Vinaya, what is
not 'Vinaya; what the Buddha said, what the Buddha
did not say; and what constitutes an offence,what
is not an offence.
(ii) Anuv~dadhikarana Accusations and disputes
arising out of·them concerning the virtue, practice,'
views and way of living of a bhikkhu.
(iii) Apattadhikarana Infringement of any disciplinary
rule ••
(iv) Kiccadhikarana Formal meeting or decisions
made by the Samgha. ,.<
For settlement of such disputes that may arise
from time to time amongst the Order, precise and detailed
methods are prescribed ur~er seven heads:
(i) Sammukha Vinaya before coming to a decision,
conducting an enquiry in the presence of both
parties in accordance with the rules of Vinaya.
(ii) Sati Vinaya making a declaration by the
Samgha of the innocence of an Arahat 'against
1 5
whom some allegations have been made, afte~ asking
him if he remembers having committed the off~nce.
(iii) Am\i+ha Vinaya making a declaration by thE;
Samgha when the accused is found to be insane.
(iv) PatiMUa KaraI}a making a decision after
admission by the party concerned.
(v) Yehhuyyasika Kamma making a decision· in
accordance with the majority vote.
(vi) Tassap~piyasika Kamma making a declaration by
the 5amgha when th~ accused proves to be un.~liable,
making admissions only to retract them,cvading
questions and. telling lies.
(vii) TinavattMraka Kamma 'the act of covering up
with grass' exonerating all-offences except the offences of ~rajika, 5amghadisesa and tt~S(;
in connection with laymen and laywomen, when thE:
disputing parties are made to reconcile by the
samgha.
(e) Rules of Discipline for the bhikkhunIs.
The concluding chapters in the Pllcittiya PDF are
devoted to the rules of Discipline for the bhikkhunIs.
The list of rules for bhikkhunIs runs longer than that
for the bhilckhus. The bhikkhunI rules were drawn up on
exactly the same lines as those for the bhikkhus, with
the exception of the two Aniyata rules which are not
laid down for the bhikkhunI Order.
- Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni
(1) P!r!jika 4 8
(2) . - SBmghadisesa 13 17
(3) Aniyata 2 - (4) Nissaggi~ P!cittiya 30 30
(5) Suddha Pacittiya 92 166
(6) - - Pat-idesaniya 4 8
(1 ) Sekhiya 75 7,
(8) Adhikarana samatha 7 7
227 311
• -
These eight categories of disciplinary rule~ for
bhikkhus and bhikkhwUs of the Order are treated in cletail
in the first two books of the Vinaya Pitaka. ~or
16
each rule an historical account is given as to how it
comes to be laid down, followed by an exhortation ot the
Buddha ending with "This offence does not lead to rO\l8ing
of faith in those who are nbt convinced of the Teaching,
nor to increase of faith in those who are con ..
~ed." After the exhortation comes the particular rule
l:a1d down by the Buddha followed by word for word cu.
mental")" on the rul:e.
J. ltlha-vagga Pall.
o
The next tw-o books, -namely, Mah!vagga PA.li which is Book III and C$vagga Pall which is Book IV of the
Vineya Pi1Caka, deal with aU'those I1Btters relating to
the Sa!lgha which have not been dealt with in the first
two books.- - !ehavagga Pali, made up of ten sections known as
Khandhakas, opens with an historical account of how- the
Buddha attained Supreme Fnlightenment at the foot of tbe
Bodhi Tree, how he discoYered the famous law of Dependent
Origination, how he gave his first sermn to the
Group of Five Bhikkhus on the discovery of the Four
Noble Truths, namely, the great Discourse on The Turning
of the Wheel of Dhamma, Dhammacakkappavattans Sutta.nus
was followed by arother great discourse, the AnattalakkhsJlB
Sutta. These two suttas my be described as the
Coq,endium of the Teaching of the Buddha.
The first section continues to describe how young
men of good families like Yass sought refuge in him as
a Buddha and embraced his Teaching; how the Buddha embarked
upon the unique mission of spreading the Dhamma
Ifor the welfare and. happiness of the many I when he had
collected round him sixty disciples who were well established
in the DhaJllM and had become Arahats; how he
began to establish the Order of the sa~a to serve as a
living example of the Truth he preached;· aoo how his
fallD-us disciples like ~riputta, l-k:>ggallAna, ~ha Kassa- pa, Ananda, Upall, Arigulim!!la became members of the Or~
der. The same section then deals with the rules for
formal admission to the Order, (Upasampada), giving precise
conditions to be fulfilled before any person can
gain admission to the Order and the procedure to be
followed for each admission.
M:l~vagga further deals with procedures for an
17
t.!Wsatha meting, the assenb~ of the Samgha on every f'u11
JDl)()D day and on the folD"teeDt.b or titteenth ~n1ng day of
the lunar montb when Pitimkkha, • SWIID8I7 of the Vinaya
rules, is recited. Then there ar~ rules to be observed
for rains retreat (vassa) during the rainy season as well
as those for the formal cereJIDIV of pavarana concluding
the rains retreat, in which a bhikkhu invites criticism
from his brethren in respect of what has been seen, heard
or suspected about his conduct.
There are also rules ooncerning si~k bhikkhus,
the use of leather for footwear and furniture, materials
for robes, and those concerning medicine and food. A
separate section deals with the ceremonies where
annual making and offering of robes take place.
- - . 4. Cutavagga Pa~~ - - Cutavagga PaU which is Book IV of the Vinaya Pitaka
continues to deal with m.:>re rules and procedures for
institutional acts or functions la:own as satilghakamma.The
twelve sec.tion-s in this book deal with rules .for offences such as Samghadisesa that come before the Samgha; rules
for observance of penances such as parivasa and Inanatta
and rules for reinstat~mcnt of a bhikkhu. There are also
miscellaneous rules concerning bathing, dress, dwellings
and furniture and those dealing with treatment of visiting
bhikkhus, and duties of tutors and novices. Som-e of the important enactrrents are concerned with Tajjaniya
Kama, formal act of censure by the SAmgha taken against
those bhikkhus who cause strife, quarrels, disputes, who
associate familiarly with lay people and who speak in
dispra-ise of the Buddha, the Dhamma Clnd the satbgha; Uk- khepaniya Kamma, formal act of suspension to be taken
against those who having committed an offence do not want
to admit it; and PakB'samya KaITllllD taken against Devadatta
announcing public1¥" that "Whatever Devadatta does by deed
or word, should be seen as Devadatta I s own and has nothing
to do with the Buddha, the Dhamma and the saffigha."
The account of this action is followed by the story of
Devadatta1s three attempts on the life of the Buddha and
the schism caused by Devadatta aoong the Sarngha.
There is, in section ten, the story of how Mahapaj
§pati, the Buddha's foster mother, requested admission
into the Order, how the Buddha refused permission
GT, F.2
18
at first, and how he finally acceded to the request because
of Ananda1s entreaties on her behalt.
The lest two sections describe two i~rtant
events of historical interest, namely, the holding of the
first Synod at R8jagaha and of the seCond Synod at VeealI.
- - 5. Parivara Pali
• •
Parivara Pali which is Book V and the last book of
theV1nayaPit:aka series as a kind of manual. It is compiled
in the form of a catechism, enabling the reader to make
an analytical survey of the Vinaya Pitaka. All the rules,
official acts, and other matters of tne.Vinaya are class~
fied under separate categories according to subjects
dealt with.
- Parivara explains how rules of the Order are drawn
up to regulate the conduct of the bhikkhus as well as the
administrative affairs of the Order. Precise procedures
are prescribed for settling of disputes and handling
matters of jurisprudence, for fornation of Samgha courts
and appointment of well-qua lined Saffighn jUd~es. It lays
down how Salngha Vinicchaya Committee, the Samgha court,
is to be cODstituted with a body of learned Vinayadharas,
experts in Vinaya rules, to hear and decide all kinds of
monastic disputes.
The Parivara Pali provides general principles and
guidance in the spirit ·of which all the 5amgha Vinicchaya
proceedings are to be conducted for settlement of monastic
disputes.
19
Chapter III
WHAT IS SUTTANTA PITAKA? •
The Suttanta Pitaka is a collection of all the
discourses in their eniirety delivered by the Buddha on
various occasions. (A few discourses delivered by some
of the distinguished disciples of the Buddha, such as the
Venerable sariputta, Maha Moggal18na, Ananda, etc.Jas
well as some narratives are also included in the books
of the Suttanta Pitaka.) The discourses of the Buddha
compiled together in the Suttanta Pitakn were expounded
to suit different occasions, for various persons with
different temperaments. Although the discourses were
mostly intended for the benefit of bhikkhus, and deal
with the practice of the pure life and with the exposition
of the Teaching, there are also several other discourses
which deal with the ~1terial and moral progress
of the lay disciples.
The Suttanta Pitaka brings out the meaning of the
Buddha1s teachings, exPresses them clearly, protects and
gua~ds them against distortion and misconstruction. Just
like a string which serves a s a plumb-line to guide the
carpenters in their work, just like a thread which protects
flowers from being scattered or dispersed when
strung together by it, likewise by means of 8uttas, the
meaning of Buddha's teachings may be brought out clear~,
grasped and understood correctly and given perfect protection
from being misconstrued.
The Suttanta Pitaka is divided into five s~parate
collections known as Nik.i;ras. They are Digha Nikiya I
Hajj hima Nikiya, Saliwutta Nikiya, Ailguttara Nikiya
and Khuddaka Nikiya.
(a) Cbservances and Practices in the Teaching of
the Buddha.
In the Suttanta Pitaka are found not only thE:
fundamentals of the DhalllIll8 but also pragmtic guidelines
to IMke the Dhamn:a meaningful and applicable to daily
life. All observances and practices which form practical
steps in the Buddha's Noble Path of Eight Constituents
lead to spiritual purification at three lev~ls: - Sila moral purity through right conduct,
PAnna
samadhi
20
purity of mind through concentration
(Samth:)) ,
purity of Insight through Vipp.ssana
Meditation ..
To begin with, one must make th~ right resolution
to take refuge in the Buddha, to follow the Buddha's
Teaching, and to be guided by the saffigha. The first disciples
who made the declaration of faith in the Buddha
and committed themselves to follow his Teaching were the
two merchant brothers, Tapussa and Bhallika. They were
travelling with their followers in five hundred carts
when they saw the Buddha in the vicinity of the Bodhi
Tree after his Enlightenment. The two merchants offered
him honey rice cakes. Accepting their offering and thus
breaking the fast he had imposed on himself for seven
weeks, the Buddha made them his disciples by letting them
recite after him:
11 Buddham Sar<J !';lam Gac chami (I ta ke re fuge in
t he Buddha).1I
11 Dhamr:Jc::ltl SDra~om Gacchnmi (I take refuge in
the Dha I1Irl;) ) • It
This recitation became the formula of declaration
of faith in the Buddha and his Teaching. Later when the
Saffigha became established, the formula was extended to
include the third commitment:
It Samgham Saranam Gacchami (I take refuge in
the S<:!n,.gha). 11'
(b) On the right way to give alms.
As a practical step, capable of immediate and
fruit.ful use by people in all walks of life, the Buddha
gave discourses on charity, alms-giving, explaining its
virtues and on the right way and the right attitude of
mind with which an offering is to be made for spiritual
uplift.
The :!lOtivating force in an act of
volition, the will to give, Charity is a
action that arises only c~t of volition.
will to give, there is no act uf giving.
giving alms is of three types:
charity is the
meritorious
Without the
Volition in
21
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
The volition that starts with the toought 'I shall
make an offering' and that exists during the period
of preparations for making the offering --PubbaCetana,
volition before the act.
The volition that arises at the rooment 01 making
the offering while handing it over to the donee
Mufica Cetan~, volition during the act•
• The volition accomparwing the joy ani rejoicing
which arise during repeated recollection of or
reflection on the act of giving - Apara Cetana,
volition after the act.
Whether the offering is nede in homage to the
living Buddha or to a minute particle of his relics after
his passing away, it is the volition, its strength and
purity that determine the nature of the result thereof.
There is also explained in the discourses the
wrong attitude of mind with which no act of charity
should be performed.
A donor should avoid looking down on others who
cannot make a similar offering; nor should he exult over
his own charity. Defiled by SlAch unworthy thoughts, his
volition is on~ of inferior gradG.
When the act of charity is motivated by expectations
of beneficial results of immediate prosperity and
happiness, or rebirth in higher existences, the acco~
parwing volition is classed as mediocre.
It is only when the good deed of alms-giving is
performed out of a spirit of renunciation, motivated by
thoughts of pure selflessness, aspiring only for attain!
rent to Nibbana where all suffering ends, that the voll~
tion that brings about the act is regarded as of superior
grade.
Examples abound in the discourses
charity and IOOdes of giving alms.
concerm•ng
(c) Moral Purity through right conduct, Sila. - Practice of sUa forms a lJX)st fundamental aspect
of Buddhism. It consists of practice of Right Speech,
Right Action and Right Livelioood to purge oneself of
impure deeds, words and tho •
mitment to the Threefold Ref ~'tIWAp.~lPil:J!ta Rt189e.~°ft lind
PropJg.uion 0" the ~ ..sana
liBRARY
Kaba-Aye. Yangon.
22
BUddhist lay disciple observes the Five ~recepts by
making a formal vow:
(i) I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining
from killing,
(ii) I underta ke to observe the precept of abstaining
fr.')m stealing.
(iii) ..L undertak8 to observe the precept of abstaining
from sexual misconduct.
(vi) I undertake to observe the precept of dbstaining
from telling lies.
(v) I undertake to obs~rve the precept of abstaining
from alcoholic drinks, drugs or intoxicants that
becloud the mind.
In addition to the negative aspect of the above
pfoorsmituilvaewahsipchecetmopfhass-iilzae.s aFborstiinnesntacnec, e, thVIeerefinids ainlsomatnhye
discourses the statement: 'He refrains from killing, puts
aside the cudgel and the sword.; full of kindness and cornpassion
he lives for the welfare and happiness of all
living things.' Every precept laid do~m in the formula
has these two aspects.
Depending upon the ,individual and the stage of
one's progress, other forms of precepts, namely, Eight
Precepts, Ten Precepts etc. may be observed. For the
bhikkhus of the Order, higher and advanced types of practices
of morality are laid down. The Five Precepts are
to be always observed by lay disciples who may occasionally
enhance their self-discipline by observing the
Eight or Ten Precepts. For those who have already embarked
on the path of a holy life, the Ten Precepts are
essential preliminaries to further progress.
8-ila of perfect purity serves ~s a foundation for
the next stage of progress, namely, Samadhi purity
of mind through concentration-meditation.
(d) Practical methods of r.lental cultivation for development
of concentration, sarnadhi.
Mental cultivation for spiritual uplift consists
of two steps. Th(; first step is to purity the mind from
all defil~ments and corruption and to have it focused on
2)
a point. A determined effort (Right Exertion) must be
made to narrow down the range of thoughts in the wavering,
unsteady mind. Then attention (Right Mindfulness or
Attentiveness) must be fixed on a selected object of
meditation until one-pointedness of mind (Right ~oncentration)
is achieved. In such a state, the mind becomes
freed from hindrances, pure, tranquil, powerful and
bright. It is then ready to advance to the second step
by which Hagga Insight and Fruition may be attained in
order to transcend the state of wpe and sorrow.
The Suttanta Pitfaka records numerous methods of
meditation to bring about one-pointedness of mind. In
the auttas of the Pitaka are dispersed these methods of
maditation, explained by the Buddha sometimes singly,
sometimes collectively to suit the occasion and the purpose
for which they are recommended. The Buddha knew the
diversity of character and mental make-up of each individual,
the different temperaments and inclinations of
those who approached him for guidance. Accordingly he
recommended different methods to different persons to
suit the special character and need of each individual.
The practice of mental cultivation which resul-ts ultimately in one-pointedness of mind is known as Samadhi
Bhllvana. Whoever wishes to develop Samadm. Bh~yana must
have been established in the observance of the precepts,
with the senses controlled, calm and self-possessed, and
must be contented. Having been established in these four
conditions he selects a place suitable for meditation, a
secluded spot. Then he should sit cross-legged keeping
his body erect and his mind alert; he should start purifying
his mind of five hindrances, namely, sensual desire,
ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessnes6 3nd worry, and
doubt, by choosing a meditation method suitable to him,
practising meditation with zeal and ardour. For instance,
with the Anapana method he keeps watching the incoming
and outgoing breath unti:l he can have his mind fixed
securely on the breath at the tip of the nose.
When he realizes that the five hindrances have
been got rid of, he becomes gladdened, delighted, calm
and blissful. This is the beginning of sanadhi, Concentration,
which will further develop until it atta~ns
one-pointedness of mind.
Thus one-pointedness of mind is concentration of
24
mind when it is aware of one object, and only one of a
wholesome, salutary nature. This is attained by the
practice of meditation upon one of the subjects reco~
mended for the purpose by the Buddha.
(e) Practical methods of mental cultivation for development
of Insight Knowledge, panna.
The subject and m~thods of meditation as taught
in the suttas of the Pitaka are designed both for attanr • ment of samadhi as well as for development of Insight
Knowledge, Vipa ssana Nal}Cl, a s a direct pnth to rJibbana.
As a second step in the practice of meditation,
after achieving samadhi, when the concentrated mind has
become purified, firm and imperturbable, the meditator
directs and inclines his mind to Insight Knowledge, Vipassana
Na~a. With this Insight Knowledge he discerns
the three characteristics of the phenomenal world, namely.
Impermanence (Anicca), Suffering (DillG<ha) and Non-Self
(Anatta) •
As he advances in his practice and his ~ind becomes
more and more purified, firm 3nd i~erturbable,
he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the
extinction of moral intoxicants, Asavakkhaya Nal}Cl. He
then truly understands dukkha, the cnuse of dukkha, the
cessation of dukkha and the path leading to the cessation
of dukkha. He also comes to understand fully the moral
intoxicants (asavas) as they really are, the cause of
aSaV8S, the cessation of asuvas and the path leading to
the cessation of the asavas.
With this knowledge of extinction of asavAs he
becomes libergted. The knowledge of liberation arises
in him. He knows that rebirth is no more, that he has
lived the holy life; he hns done whnt he has to do for
the realization of l~gga; there is nothing more for him
to do for such realization.
The B~ddha taught with only one object the
extinction cf Suffering and release from conditioned
existence. That object is to be obtained by the practice
of meditation (for Calm and Insight) as laid down in
numerous suttas of the Suttanta Pitaka •
•
25
Chapter IV
SUTTANTA PITAKA
. - D~gha Nikaya
Collection of Long Discourses of the Buddha
This Collection in the Suttanta Pitaka, named
nIghs Nikaya as it is made up of thirty-foUr long discourses
of the Buddha, is divided into three divisions:
(a) Silakkhandha. Vagga, Division Concerning Morality
(b) Maha Vagga, the Large Division (c) Pathika Vagga,
the Division beginning with the discourse on Pathika,
the Naked Ascetic.
(a) Sllakkhandha Vagga Fa~i
Division Concerning Morality
This division contains thirteen suttas which
deal extensively with various types of TOClrality, namely,
Minor M:>rality, basic morality applicable to all; Middle
Morality and Major Morality which are most1¥ practised
by Samanas and Br~hmanas. It also discusses the
wrong views tnen prevalent as well as brahmin views of
sacrifice and caste, and various religious practices
such as extreme self-mortification.
(1) - Net of Perfect Brahmajala Sutta, Discourse on the
Wisdom.
An arg~ent between Suppiya, a wandering ascetic,
and his pupil Brahmadatta, with the teacher maligning
the Buddha, the Dhamma and the safugha and the pupil
praising the Buddha, the Dhamrna and the Samgha gave
rise to .t.his famous discourse which i~ listed first in tb1s Nikaya.
In connection with the maligning of the Buddha,
the Dhamna and the samgha, the Buddha enjoined his disciples
not to feel resentment, nor displeasure, nor anger,
because i~ would only be spiritual1¥ harmful to
them. As to the ~ords of praise for the Buddha, the
Dhamma and the sa~ha, the Buddha advised his disciples
26
not to feel pleased, delighted or elated, for it would
be an obstacle to their progress in the Path.
The Buddha said that whatever worldling, puthujjana,
praised the Buddha he could not do full justice to
the peerless virtues of the Buddha, namely, his Superior
Concentration, samadhi, and Wisdom, pann~. A worldling
could touch on only "matters of a trifling and inferior
nature, IOOrc oorality." The Buddha explained the three
grades of morality and said that there were other dha~
mas profound, hard. to see, subtle and intelligible on~
to the wise. Anyone wishing to praise correctly the true
virtues of the Buddha should do so only in terms of
these dhanunas.
Then the Buddha continued to expound on various
wrong views. There were samanas and br~hmanas who,speculating
on the past, adhered to and asserted their wrong
views in eighteen different ways, namely,
(i) Four Kinds of Belief in Eternity, sassata
Ditthi,
(ti) Four Kinds of Dualistic belief in Eternity and
Non-eternity, Ekacca Sasesta Ditthi,
••
(iii) Four Views of the World being Finite or
Infinite, AnMnanta Ditthi,
• •
(iv) Four Kinds of ambiguous evasion, Amaravikkhepa
VSda,
(v) Two Doctrines of Non-Causality, Adhiccasamupparma
vada.
- There were samanas and brahmanas, who, speculating
on the future, adhered to and asserted their wrong
views in forty-four ways, namely,
(i) Sixteen Kinds of Belief in the Existence of
Sanna after death, Uddha~gh~tanikD Sanfli vada,
(ii) Eight Kinds of Belief in the NOn-Existence of
Sanna after death, Uddhamaghatanika Asa~ Vada,
(iii) Eight Kinds of Belief in the Existence of
Neither sa~ Nor Non-so~a after death,
Uddhamaghatanika Nevasafini N~saBni Vada,
(iv) severt' Kinds of Belief in Annihilation, Uccheda
Vada, .~
27
(v) Five Kinds of Mundane Nib~na as realizable in
this very life, Ditthadhamma Nibb§na V§da.
• •
The Buddha said that whatever samanas and brahmanas
speculated on the past, or the futur~ or both the
pa§t and the future, they did so in these sixty-two ways
or one of these sixty-two ways.
The Buddha announced further that he knew all
these wrong views and a lso what would be the destination,
the next existence, in which the one holding these views
would be reborn.
The Buddha gave a detailed analysis of these
wrong views a sserted in sixty-two ways p·nd pointed out
that these views had their origin in feeling which arose
as a result of repeated contact through the six sense
bases. Whatever person holds these vrrong views, in him
feeling gives rise to craving; cra'~ng gives rise to
clinging; clinging gives rise to existence; the kammic
causal process in existence gives rise to rebirth; and
rebirth gives rise to ageing, death, grief, lamentation,
pain, distress and. despair.
But whatever person knows, as they really are,
the origin of the six sense bases of contact, their
cessation, their pleasurableness, their danger and the
way of escape from the-m, he realizes the dhamrnas, no-t only mere morality, sila, but also concentration,samadhi,
and liberation, vimutti, wisdom, pann~, that transcend.
all these wrong views.
All the samanas and brahmanas holding the sixty-
two categorie::: of wrong views are' caught in the net of
this discourse just like all the fish in a lake are contained
in a finely meshed net spread by a skilful fisherman
or his apprentice.
(2) Samannaphala Sutta, Discourse on the Fruits of the
Life of a Samana
•
On one fullmoon night while the Buddha was
residing in R~jagaha at the mango grove of Jivaka this
niscourse on the fruits of the life of a samana, personally
experienced in this very life, was taught to
King Ajatasattu on request by him. The Buddha explained
to him the advantage of the life of a samana by
giving him the examples of a servant of his household
28
or a landholder cultivating the King's own land becoming
a samalJ8 to whom the King himself would show respect and
make offerings of requisites, providing him protection
and security at the same time.
The Buddha provided further elucidation on other
advantages, higher and better, of being a samana by elaborating
on (i) how a householder, hearing the'dhamma
taught by a Buddha, leaves the homelife and becomes a
samana out of pure faith; (ii) how he becomes establi- • shed in three categories of sila, minor, middle and
major; (iii) how he gains control over his sense-faculties
so that no depraved states of mind as covetousness
and dissatisfaction would overpower him; (iv) how he becomes
endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension
and remains contented; (v) how, by dissociating himself
from five tindrances, he achieves the four jhanas
the first, the second, the third and the fourth as
higher advantages than those previously mentioned, (vi)
how he becomes equipped with eight kinds of higher knowledge,
namely, Insight Knowledge, the PO\'ler of Creation
by Mind, the Psychic Powers, the Divine Power of Hearin&
Knowledge of the Minds of others, Knowledge of Past Existences,
Divine Power of Sight, Knowledge of Extinction
of mral intoxicants.
Thus when the knowledge of liberation arises in
him, he knows he has lived the life of purity. There is
no other advantage of being a samatla, personally experienced,
more pleasing and higher than this.
(3) ~cbattha Sutta • • •
ArnbaHha, a young disciple of Pokkharasati, the
learned bra~n, was sent by his master to investigate
whether Gotama was a genuine Buddha endowed with thirty-
two personal characteristics of a great man. His insolent
behaviour, taking pride in his birth as a brahmin,
led the Buddha to subdue him by proving that Khattiya
is in fact superior to Brahr~~a. The Buddha explained
further that nobleness in man stemmed not from birth
but from perfection in three categories of morality,
achievements of four jhanas, and accomplishments in
eight kinds of higher knowledge.
(4) Sonadanda Sutta •
•
This discourse was given to the brahmin So~adanda
who approached the Buddha while he was residing near
lake Gaggara at eampa in the country of Ailga. He was
asked by the Buddha what attributes should one possess
to be acknowledged as a brahmin. SOQBdanda enumerated
high birth, learning in the Vedas, good personality.
morality and knowledge as essential qualities to be a
brahmin. When further questioned by the Buddha, he
said that the minimum qualifications were roorality and
Imowledge without which no one would be entitled to be
called a br~hmin. On his request, the Buddha explained
to him the meaning of the terms mrality and Imowledge,
which he confessed to be ignorant of, -namely, the three
categories of morality, achievements of four jhanas and
accomplishments in eight kinds of higher knowledge.
(5) Ku~adanta Sutta
On the eve of offering a great sacrificial
feast, the brahmin KutBdanta went to sec the Buddha for • advice on how best to conduct the sacrifice. Giving the
example of a former King Mahavijita, who also 1llc1de a
great sacrificial offering, the Buddha declared the
principle of consent by four parties from the provinces,
namely, noblemen, ministers, rich brahmins and householders;
the eight qualities to be possessed by the king
who would make the offerings; the four qualities of the
brahmin ro:ral ~dviser who would conduct the ceremonies
and the three attitudes of mind towards the sacrifices.
With all these conditions fulfilled, the feast offered
by the king was a great success, with no loss of life
of sacrificial animals, no hardship on the people, no
one impressed into service, every one co-operating in
the great feast willingly.
The brahmin Kutadant& then asked the Buddha if
• there was any sacrifice which could be made with less
trouble and exertion, yet producing more fruitful
result. The Buadha told him of the traditional practice
of offering the four requisites to bhi!:khus of high
IOOrality. Less troublesotw and more profitable again
was donating C'l monastery to the Order of Bhikkhus.Better
still were the following practices in a scerding order of
beneficial effects. (i) Going tQ the Buddha, the Dhamma,
aDd the sa~ for refuge; (ii) observance of the l'ive
Precepts; (iii) going forth from the hotwlife am leading
the holy life, becoming established in morality,
accomplished in the four jh~nas, and equipped with eight
okifndesxtoinfchtiiognheor fka-nsoawvleadsg, ethreesusaltcirnigficine wthheichreaelnitzaaitlison
less trouble and exertion but which excels all other
sacrifices.
(6) Mahali Sutta
Mahali Otthaddha, a LicchavI ruler, once came to
• • see the Buddhe to whom he recounted what Sunakkhatte, a
Licchavf prince, h~d told him. Sunakkhatta had been a
dleisfctipthlee oTfe.:tlhcheinBgu. dHdheatofoldr Mt.h... lrh-ea~liyeho~vrlsheefhteadr wachqicuhirehde
the Divine Povrer of Sight by which he had seen myriads
of pleasant, desirable forms belonging to the deva world
but that h-e had not heard sounds belonging to the deva world. l~h.:lli wanted to know from the Buddha whether Sun.
a khatta did not htClr the sounds of the deva world beca
se they were non-existent, or whether he did not hear
them although they existed.
The Buddha explained that there were sounds in
the deva world but Sunakkhatta did not hear them because
he had developed concentration only for one purpose, to
achieve the Divine Fower of Sight but not the Divine
Power of Hearing.
The' Buddha ~xplained furth~r that his disciples
practised the noble life under him not to acquire such
divine povJcrs but with a view to the re;:llization of
dhamrras which far excel and transcend these mund3ne kinds
of concentrntions. Such dhamrnas nre attainments of the
Four States o.f Noble Fruition 0 states of a stream-
owf inmnin0dr,an1doknnco~\-orlleetdugreneorf, ana Anornnh-aret tufrreneedr,oafnad ltlhe-asasvtaatse
that have been rendered extinct.
The Path by which these dhaa~s can be realized
is the Noble Path of Eight Constituents: Right, View,
Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood,
Right Effort, Right ~indfulness, Right Concentration.
.
(7) JallyaSutta
Once when the Buddha was residing nt Ghositnrarna
Monastery ne.:lr Kosarnbf, two wandering asc~tics
MU~9iya and Jaliya approached him and asked ~hether
31
the soul was the plvsical body, or the physical bod7
the soul, or whether the soul was one thing and the
physica1 body another.
The Buddha explained how a person who had
finally realized liberation would not even consider
whether the soul was the physical body, or the physical
body the soul or whether the soul was one thing and the
physica 1 body another.
(8) Mahasihanada Sutta
This discourse defines what Cl true samaI)tl is,
what a true brahmaI)B is. The Buddha was residing in the
aDseceer tPicarkKaossfapKaa•na•npapkraotahcahlaedahtimUraunndi'ias. aidThtehnatthehenhaakdedheard
that Samana Gotama disparaged all practices of self- • -oortification and that Samana Gotama reviled all those
who led an austere life.
The Buddha replied that they were slandering
him with what was not said, what was not true. When the
Buddha could see with his supernormal vision the bad
destinies as well as the good destinies of those who
practised extreme form of self-Jrortification, and of
those who practised less extreme forms of seli-roortification,
how could he revile all systems of self-mortification.
Kassapa then maintained thnt only those recluses
who for the whole of their life cultivated the practice
of standing or sitting, who were abstemious in
food, eating only once in two days, seven days, fifteen
days etc.~ were real samaqas and brallifu1~as. The Buddha
explained to him the futilit;r of extreme self-Jrortification
and said that on~ when a recl~se practised to
become accomplished in morality, concentration and
knowledge; cultivated loving-kindness, 8nd dwelt in the
emancipation of mind, and emancipation through knowledge
that he wculd be entitled to be called a samana
and brahmat;JB. Then the Buddha gave full exposition on
IOOrality, concentrat:ion a nd knowledge, resulting in
Kassapa1s decision to join the Order of the Buddha.
Potthapada Sutta • •
Once wheh the Buddha was staying at the
•
Monastery of AMthapiQQj.ka in the Jeta Grovf.: at 5avatthi
he visited the Ekas§laka Hall where various views
were debated. At that time POt.t.hB~da the wandering
ascetic asked him about the nature of the cessation of
Consciousness (saNia). P01t\hapada wanted to know how
the cessation of Consciousness was brought about. The
Buddha told him that it was through reason and cause
that forms of Consciousness in a being arose and ceased.
A certain fore of Consciousness Brose through practice
(Adhicitta si~) and a certDin form of Consciousness
ceased through practice.
The Buddha then proceeded to expound on these
practices consisting of observance of slla and development
of concentration which resulted in arising and
ceasing of successive jh~nas. The meditator progressed
from one stage to the next in sequenc0 until he achieved
the Cessation of all forms of Consciousness (nirodha sam!
patti) •
(10) Subha Sutta
by his cTlohsies aistteanddaisncto, utrhsee gV~ivneenranbloct Ab-ynatnhdea,Bounddhthaebut
request of young Subha. The Buddha had passed ~way by
then. And young Subha ~nted to know from the lips of
the Buddha's close attendant what dha~s were praised
by the Buddha and whut those dhall1lM s were which he urged
people to practise.
Ananda told him that the Buddha had words of
praise for the three aggregates of dhamma, namely, the
aggregate of morality, the aggregate of concentration
and the aggregate of knowledge. The Buddha urged people
to practise these dh-a~s, dwell in them, and h~v~ them firmly established. Ananda explained these aggregates
of dhamrno in great det~il to young Subha, in consequence
of which he became a devoted lay disciple.
(11) Kevatta Sutta ~
••
~
The Buddha was residing at mlanda in p~van.hC' ~.
•
ma~ grove. A devoted lay disciple approached tilt:: f·t;cdha
a.m urged him to let one of his disciples perfc,rLi , miracles so that the City of N5+and~ would beco~ tlVH
80 much devoted to the Buddha.
33
The Buddha told him sbout the three k:i.D1e of
miracles which he had known and realized. by himself
throlJgh 8upernormal knowledge. The first miracle, iddh1
riya, was rejeoted by the Buddha because it could
be mistaken as the black art called GandMr1. magic. The
Buddha also rejected the second miracle, AdesaCfnStih'AriB,.
which might be mistaken as p%'actice of nU~n1
charm. He recommended the pertormnce of the third mi~
racla, the anuS§aaN P!t~~ the miracle of the
power of the Teaching a("'it involved practice in Morality,
Concentration and Knowledge leading finally to the
Extinet10n of Asav8L Asavakkhaye mlna •
•
(12) Lohicca Sutta
The discourse lays down three t.ypes of blameworthy
teachers: (i) The teacher who is rot yet accourplished.
in the noble practice and teaches pupils who d~
not listen to him. (ii) The teacher who is not yet accomplished
in the noble practice and teaches pu:,ils wh.)
practise as instructed by him and attain emancipation.
(iii) The,,~teacher who is fully accol!Iplished in ....he noble
practice' and te~'cnes pupils who do not listen to him•.
,The praiseworthy 'teacher is one whH'has become
fully ~ccomplished in the three practices of Morality
Concentration and Knowledge and tea ches pupils \fflO bt:come
fully accomplished like tim.
( 13) .Tevij ja Sutta
- ..
Two brahmin youths V~settha and B~radv~j8 ca~
to see the Buddha while he was on ., tour thrcugt:l tliEo
Kingdom of Kosala. They wanted thE:: '3uddr.a to s~t.tle
their dispute as to the correct path that led stl'81.ght
to companionship with the Brahm8. Each one thought
only the way shown by his own master was the true one.
The Buddha told them that as none of their
masters had seen the Brah~, they were like", line of
blind men each holding on to the preceding one. Th~n
he showed them the true path that really led to the
Brahm3 realm, namely, the path of mrality arod concentration,
and development of 10ving-kindness,C0mp86sion,
sympathetic joy and equanioity toward~ all sentient
beings •
GT, F.)
34
(b) MahB Vagga -Pall
•
The Large Division
The ten suttas in this elivision are some of the
most important ones of the Tipitaka, dealing with historical,
and biographical aspects as well as the doctrinal
aspects of Buddhism. The most famous sutta is the
MahSparinibbtma Sutta which gives an account of the last
days and the passing away of the Buddha and the distribution
of his relics. Mahapad~na Sutta deals with brief
accounts of the last seVQn Buddhas and the life story of
the vipassI Buddha. Doctrin~lly important arb the two
suttas: the Mahnnid~na Sutta which explains the Chain of
Cause and Effect, And the Ivlahasntipat.1;-hana Sutta dealing
with the four Methods of Steadfast jv1.indfulness and practical
aspects of Buddhist meditntion.
(1) loBMpad~na Sutta
This discourse waG given at S~vatthi to the
bhikkhus who were one day discussing the Buddha's knowledge
of past existences. He told them about the last
seven Buddhas, with a full life story of one of them,
the Vipassi Buddha, recalling all the facts of the Buddhas,
their social rank, name, clan, life-span, the
pairs of Chief Disciples, the assemblies of their followers,
their attainments, and emancipati~n from defilements.
The Buddha explained that his ability to remember
and recall all the facts of past existences was due
to his own penetrating discer~ent as well as due to
thE devas making these matters known to him.
(2) Mahanid'llna Sutta
This discourse was given at Ka~sadhamrra market
town to the Venerable Ananda to correct his wrong
view that the doctrine of Pa~iccasamuppada, although
having signs of being deep and profound, was apparent
and fathomable. The Buddha told him that this doctrine
not only appeared to be deep and profound but was actually
deep and profound on four counts: it was deep
in meaning, deep as a doctrir.e, deep vnth respect to
the manner in which it was taught, and deep with regard
to the facts en which it was established.
~e then gave a thorough exposition on the
35
doctrine and said that because of lack of proper understanding
and penetrative comprehension of this doctrine,
beings were caught in and urtsble to escape trom, the
miserable, ruinous round of rebirth. He concluded that
without a clear understanding of this doctrine, even the
mind of those, accomplished in the attainments of jhana,
would be beclouded with ideas of atta.
(3) Mahaparinibbana Sutta
This sutta is an important narrative of the
Buddha's last days, a detailed chronicle of what he did,
what he said and what happened to him during the last
year of his life. Compiled in a narrative form, it is
interspersed \'lith many discourses on SOIll:l of the most
fundamental and important aspects of the Buddha's Teaching.
Being the longest discourse of the Digha NikaY3, it
~s divided into six chapters.
On the eve of the last great tour, the Buddha
while staying at Rajagaha gave the famous discourses on
seven factors of Non-decline of kings and princes and
seven factors of Non-decline of th~ hhikkhus.
Then he set out on his last journey [cing first
to the village of Patali where he taught on the ccnse- • quences of an i.mrr.oral and a mora 1 life. He theu proceede1
to the village of Koti where he (.xpounded. on the Four
• Noble Truths. Then the Buddha took up his re~idence at
the village of Natika where th8 famous discourse en thE'
Mirror of Truth was given.
Next the Buddha \/Hot to Vesali \\1.th a large conppany
of bhikkhus. J\t VesiiH be a cCE::pted the p.:'irk offered
by the Courtesan AJr.bapali. l-rorn Vesili, th8 Buddha tra-
• veIled to a small viJ.l<!L~t:: nar.:·.::d V~luva where he 'rJS Clv€'r-
• taken by a severe illness that could !:;j ve prc·ved fata 1.
But the L~ud.dha resolvL,d to mainf.,<liu the life-proces:') and
not to p.7lSS away without addre$~ing his by disciples
and withcut t.~lci.ng ll.:.we of the 3:lIi,glla. /her' AIIt!w1a it~formed
tht: j~l.lddha how \-lorried h:' : '1d b';.:-.n 'Jeeau:;o''; of tne
Buddha I s illness, the 3uddh:l go v~ tt, famol]s inj lm(~t.ioh:
"Let yvu:r:;~lvcF; 1)l; YO'Jr owr S\lppc,rt" Y~)\U' ow!' t·~fUbt·.; ...
Let t.he: Jh?n1l".J3, not.. allythirl{ else, :•.. your n: rut', ." lul
It was ct Vesali that the Buddha made the decision
to pass away and reali:.;E' p~rin.i.i:bana in thr,:e ,gq
IOOnths' time. Upon his making this l~mcntous decision~ 'Ja
36
- there was a great earttquake. Anama, on learning fr'om
the Buddha the reason of the earttquake, supplicated him
to change the decision, but to no avail.
The Buddha then caused the Samgha to be 8SSeIlPo
bled to whom he announced his approaching parinibblna.
He then went over all the fundamental principles of his
Teaching and exhorted them to be vigilant, alert, and
to watch over one's own mind so as to make an end of
suffering.
The Buddha then left Vesali and went to Bhanda
Village where he continued to give his dis~ourses to •the
accompanying Sadlgha on sila, saddhi and pannA. Proceeding
further on his journey to the north, he gave the
discourse on the four great Authorities, Hahapadesl, at
the town of Bhoga.
From there he went on to P~v~ and stayed in
the XamgoGrove of CunQa, the Goldsmith's son, who made
an offering of food to the Buddha aoo his comnunity of
bhikkhu.. After eating the meal offered by Cunda, a
severe illness came upon the Buddha who nevertheless
continued on his journey till he reached KusinAr-;§ where in the sal Grove of the Malia princes he urged Anarna
to layout the couch for him. He lay down on the couch
with mindfulness and deliberation, awaiting the hour of
his parinibbana.
Even on his death-bed the Buddha continued to
teach, explaining that th~re are four places which
arouse reverence and de-votion, four persons worthy of a stupa, and answering Anaooa' s questions on how to
conduct oneself with regard to women, or on what should
be done regarding the rellBins of the Buddha. His 1ast
act of selflessness was to expound the Truth and show
the Path to Subhadda, the wandering ascetic.
Then after ascertaining that there was not a
single bhikkhu who had perplexity or doubt Dbout the
Buddha, the DhaIIllIl.3 and the SadJgha, the Buddha uttered
his last words: "Inherent. in fl11Ico~unded things is
'decay and dissolution. Strive well with- full mindfulness."
Then as the asseDbled bhikkhus, princes and
people paid homage to him with deep reverence, the
Buddha passed away, realizing parinibbana.
37
(4) Maha suda ssana Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha while he
was lying on his death-bed in the Sal Grove of the MalIa
s. When Ananda implored him not to rea-lize parinibMna in an insignificant, barren, sltlall town, the Buddha told
him that Kusinara was not an insignificant, small place.
In times long past, it was known as Kus~vatl, the capital
city of Universal Monarchs who ruled over the four
quarters of the world.
The Buddha then described the magnificence and
grandeur of Kusavati when King MaMsudassana was the
ruler there. He also told how the King ruled over his
dominions righteously and how final3¥ abandoning all
attachments and practising jhAna he passed away and reached
the blissful Brahma realm.
The Buddha revealed that he himself wa s King
M:lhasudassana of that time. He had cast off the body in
this place (former KusAvati) for six times as a Universal
»::>narch. Now he was casting it off for the s-eventh and 18 st time. He ended the discourse reminding Ananda
that all compounded things are indeed impermanent .Arising
and decaying are their inherent nature. Only their
ultimate cessation is blissful Nibbana.
(5) Janavasabha Sutta
This discourse is an extension of another dis-
course delivered by the Buddha on his last journey. Ananda wanted to know the destinies· of lay disciples
from the country of Magadha. The Buddha told him that
innumerable persons from Hagadha had reached the deva
world by virtue of their faith in the Buddha, the~Dha~
ma and the Samgha. This information was given him by
Janavasabha Deva who was former:q King Bimbis!ra. He
inforred the Buddha that there were regulA,r assemblies
of devas in the deva realm on 0 a days when the
king of the devas and sanankuJn!ra Bral'lm!taught the
Dhanure on development of the Bases of Psychic Power, on
the Three Opportunities, on the Four Methods of Steadfast
Mindfulness and the Seven Aocessories of Concentration.
(6) Mah~govinda Sutta
In this discourse, Paiicasikha, a dew,
.38
t old the d~vn assenbly where Sanan~ra Brahma
taught the Dhamma as shown by Mahagovinda, the Bodhisatta
who h~d reached the Brahrna world. Tho Buddha said
that Mah~govinda was none other than himself and explained
that the Dhamrra he. tsught at that time could
lead one only to the Brahma World. With his Teaching
now as Enlightened Baddha, ~gher attainments such as
the Sotapatti, Sakad~g5mi, Anagami and the highest
achievement Arahatta phala were possible.
(7) J.1ah~sAIrlay<:l Sutta
Th~ '3udd',., ..lflS residi:1g in the t'bMvflna forest
<.it Kap.il~v:Jtt!. ,,~ti1 i3 company of Ar,'hats numbering five
hundred. 7he:, . ('vas and Brahm~s from ten thousand CRkkav::
ll::lR carr,(; t (' h;e the Bud::ih::, and the community of bhik-
• Kl1U~;. 1hu; ~dha told his disciples the names of the
devilS .1,')'J. dr.:lhmas DS listed in this sut~a.
t 13) .:.>akirop-'lnha Suttn
O~1ce when the Buddha was rcsic.L-1g at the Indasala
Cave ncar ~jflgah8, Sakka, the kin[. of deva~,cAme to
him to nsk certain questions. He wanted to know why
there was hostility and vio~ence among various beings.
The Buddha told him it was envy and selfishness that
brought about hostility among beings. He furt3cr explained
thAt envy and selfishness were caused by likes
and dislikes, which in turn had their roots in desire.
And desire grew from mental preoccupation (vitakka)
which had its origin in sflms~ra-expanding illUsions
(papaflca-sa~-sa~kha).
The Buddha then gave an outline of pract~ces to
remove these sa6s~ra-expanding illusions including two
types of quests, quests that should be pursued and
quests that should no~ be pursued.
(9) Mah~satipatth~na SuttA
••
This sutta is O:"le of the most important doctrinal
discourses of the Budd:W. It propounds the only way
'far the purification of beings, for overcomine sorrow
and lament::ltion, for ~he complete removal of pain R:1d
grief, for the attai~~nt af th~ right path, and for
the realization af Ni1;:>bana.' This discourse, given
directly to the bhikkhus at t:1e market town of Kallll'Msadh<
lmma, defines 'the only way' I'lS the Four Hethods of
39
steadfast Mindtulness made up of fourteen ways of contemplating
the body, nine ways of contemplating sensation,
sixteen ways of contelIillating the mind, and five
ways of conteuplating the dhamma. It ends with a definite
assurance of fruitful results: Arahatship in this
very existence or the state of an an§gcimf within seven
years, seven months or seven days.
(10) paycisi Sutta
This discourse recounts how the Venerable K~rakassapa
showed the right path to Governor Pciycisi of
Setabyci town in Kosala country. Governor paycisi held
the wrong belief: "There is no other world; no beings
arise again after death; there are no consequences of
good or bad deeds." The Venerable Ku.rIJarakassapa showed
him the right l~th, illustrating his teaching with numerous
illwr.:r.ating similes. UltiIll<.ltely PaytJsi became
full of fait~, and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamna
aOO the SI3r.:,):a. The Venerable K1..UlErakassapa taught him
also the ri~ht kind of offerings to be made and that
these offc:'ings should be made with due respect, by
one's own h3nds, with due esteem and not as if discarding
them. Only under these conditions would the good
deed of offerings bear splendid fruits.
(c) P~thika Vagga Piili
•
l'his division is made up of eleven shorter discourseJ
of a miscellaneous nature. They deal with the
Buddha's ~ejection of wrong and severe asceticism practised
by followers of many sects; they deal also with
the periodical evolution and dissolution of the universe,
the accounts of Universal Monarchs and the
thirty-two physiognomic characteristics of a great man.
There is one discourse, Sing§la 3utta, addressed to a
young brahmin showing the duties to be performed by
members of the human society. The last two suttas, Sang~
ti and Dasuttara, are discourses given by the Venerable
S!riputta and they contair. lists of doctrinal terms
classified according to subject matter and numerica:
units. The style of their composition is different frOD
the other nine suttas of the division.
40
(1) pathika Sutta
At the time of the Buddha, there were many other
teachers with their own disciples, holding different
views on what constituted the holy life, on the origin
and developJ;lent of the universe, and on the performance
of wonders and miracleS4 Sunakkh8tta, a Licchvi prince,
became a disciple of the Buddha and was admitted into
the Order.
But he found the discipline and the Teaching
to be beyond him and his comprehension; he became at the
same time attracted to the teachings and practices of
other sects. He left the Order after three years. Then
becoming a follower of one of the sects he began to
disparage the teachings of the Buddh8, and made slanderous
attacks on the Buddha and his disciples. In P§thika
Sutta are short discourses in which are accounts
of the Buddha's refutation and explanntion ~~th reference
to many of Sunakkhatta's accusations.
(2) Udumbarika Sutta
This discourse was given to IJigrodha the wandering
ascetic and his followers in the Park of the Queen
Udumbarika near ~jagaha, in order to destroy their
wrong doctrine and establish wholesome doctrine. So
obsessed were the wandering ascetics with their own
wrong beliefs that they gave no response to the Buddha's
invitation to follow his Teaching assuring them fruitful
results within seven days.
(3) Cakkavatti Sutta
In the town of H~tula, in the country of l-~gadha,
bhikkhus were enjoined by the Buddha to be their
own support, their own refuge; relying only on the Dhamma
and not on any other refuge. Then the Buddha told
them the story of Dalhanemi, the Universal Monarch,who
possessed the Celestial ·/heel a s one of his seven treasures.
He and his successor ruled over the four continectB,
wielding the power and authority of the Universal
Monarch. Their life-span was long and as long as they
remained righteous and fulfilled the noble duties of
Universal Monarch, making the Dhar.ura their only support,
providing shelter and seeurity, offering wealth and
necessities to the needy, their dominions remained at
peace, prosperous and progressing.
41
But when the Monarch failed to fulfil the noble
duties of a righteous king, when the Dhamma was no
longer held as a refuge, morality of the people declines
The life-span dwindled down to ten years only. Then ten
meritorious deeds productive of wholesome effects completely
disappeared and ten evil deeds giving unwholesome
results flourished exceedingly. People failed to
show reverential regard for the leaders and elders, to
tulfil their duties towards parents, samanas and br~manal.
There also developed intense mutual'aversion, ill
Will, thoughts of killing one another, followed by
fighting, devastation and carnage.
A few who survived the holocaust agreed to give
up their evil ways, to live in a spirit of harmony,
doing good deeds, showing reverential regard for the
leaders and elders, fulfilling their duties towards
parents, samanas and br~hmanas. In consequence of i~
proved morality, their life~span expAnded again until
it reached eighty thousand years when a Universal Monarch
appeared once more t.o rule righteously. Bhikkhus
were thus enjoined to keep within the confines of the
Dhanun:1, making it their support, their refuge.The Dham.
rna would show the way for their physical and mental development
until the;' attained Arahatship •
.(4) Agganna Sutta
This discourse was given at savatthi to two
novices under training, V~settha and Bharadvaja, pointing
out the wrong beliefs of'orahrnins as regards caste.
The brahmins claimed that among the four class~s of • people, recognised at that time, brahmine were the noblest;
next came the Khattiya class, the pobility and
royalty; followed by Vessa, the trading class and Sudda,
the lowest class.
The Buddha refuted these claims of the brahmins,
by explaining how the world was subjected to
processes of evolution and dissoluti~ and describing
how human beings f~st appeared on earth and how the
four social classes emerged. He explatii9d.; further that
the nobility of a person was decided net b,y his birth
end lineage but by his oorality and knowledge of the
Noble Truths.
"Whoever holds wrong views and commits misdeeds
is rot noble whatever his birth. Whoever restrains himeelf
in deed, word and thought and develops the Bodhi,
pakkhiya Dhammas until he attains complete er3dication
of defilements in this very life is the chief, the noblest
aoongst men and devas irrespective of birth."
(5) Sampas~daniya Sutta
The Venerable Sariputta's deep confidence in
the Buddha was once proclaimed aloud in an eloquent
eulogy of the Buddha spoken in tLe Buddha I s presence.
For making this bold utterance on the virtues of the
Buddha, the Buddha asked him whether he had personal
Imowledge of the minds of all the Buddhas, those of the
past, of the future and of the present, their ~brality,
their Concentration, their Wisdom, and the manner of
their emancipation.
The Venerabl~ S~riputta said he did not claim
to have such knowledge but justified hi~self by stating
in detail the course of thE' Dhar.una taken by all the
Buddhas their 3ccomplishmcr.~ ill sila, abandonment
of five hindrances, establishment in the four Methods
of steadfast ~indfulncss and cultivation of the Seven
Factors of Enlightenment the only course thAt
could lead to unsurpassed Supreme ~nlightenment.
(6) P~s~dika Sutte
- The Venerable Ananda accompanied by bhikkhu
Cunda went to see t he Buddha to give him the news about
the deathof Niga n. t.ha Nat.;> put tG, the leader 0 f a well- ~
-known sect, and the schisI:1 that had arisen ar.ong~t
ris disciples.
The Buddhn told ther.: that it was nntural and to
be expected to happer: in a TeAching which vtas not well
taught, not well inrarted, net conducive to err~ncipation,
anc not t;'lught by onE \.;ho vias supremely enlightened.
=.n cor.trast, the ljud~lha explained that when
the TeaC:lini- \'/35 well taUfht, well ir.1parted by one who
was suprL~;ely '~r.lighter.cd, t.here were no wrong views,
no speculD': ~::::1S "bout past or future or about atta. In
th", Tf:aC~l:~_Ti,~ 01' the :Juddha, bhikkhus were taught the
Four !~et;'o'~s 01' Steadfast nindfulnes5 by v/hich wrong
views a:::: s:,:·cC'J.latior.s "liE:re l"'id asidE:..
43
(7) Lakkhana Sutta
•
This discourse on thirty-two bodily marks of a
great man was given by the Buddha at Savatthi, in the
Anathapindika's Monastery. For a person endowed with
the thirty-two bodily marks of a great man, only two
possible courses are open to him and no other.
IIIf he lives the household life, he will become
a Universal ~bnarch ruling in righteousness over the
four continents. If he goes forth from the home life
into homelessness,he will become an Enlightened Buddha
."
The Buddha explaineG +',. ~:-l:'rty-two bodily
marks in detail, together ;,Ii t -. ac.;ounts of meritorious
deeds previously performed by virtue of which each of
these thirty-two bodil~r marks were acquired.
(a) Sil1g2 -.. - 3\ltta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at Rajagaha
for t\~ eCification of a young man named Singala.
The yo": 11 Sii".g51a used to worship the six 'cardinal
points, namely, th6 Ecst, the South, the West, the
North, the Nadir and the Zenith in obedience to the
last advice given by his dyine father. The Buddha explained
to the young man that according to his Teaching,
the six directions were: The East standing for parentsj
The South standing for teachersj The West standing for
the wife and chi~drenj The North standing for friends
and associates; The Nadir standing for servants, employees;
The Zenith standing for saManas, br~hmanas •
•
The Buddha explained further that the six social
groups mentioned in the discourse were to be regarded
as sacred and wort~ of respect and worship.
One worshipped them by performing one 1 s duties towards
them. Then these duties were explained to the youth
S1DgU.e •
- (9) AtanAtiya Sutta
Four Celestial Kings came to see the Buddha
and told him that there \'Iere non-believers among many
invisible beings ...mo might bring harm to the followers
of the Buddha. The Celestial Kings therefore wanted to
ttehaechA- ttahneatbiyhaikkFhaursittthae. pThroe teJucdtdinhga ginavceanhtaistiocnonksneonwtnb8y5
remaining e.1lent.
Then the four Cele~ Kings recited the Jttana~
i~ Paritta, which the Buddha advised bhikkhus" bhikkhunis
and lay disciples ~o learn, to mem::>rize so that
they might dwell at ease" well guarded and proteoted.
(10) 5alig!ti Sutts
'fhe Buddha was touring through the country of
th-e Mallas when he came to Pavs. The death of Nigan..tha Ns?putta had taken place only recently and his foll··
owers were left J.n disse...3ion and strife" wrangling
over doctrines.
The Venerable sariputta who delivered this discourse
attributed this sQ-hism aoong lla.taputta' s foll- owers to the fact t.hat Nataputta' s Teaching had not
been well taught nor well •imparted, and was not conducive
to release from t.he round of existences, being
taught by one who was not suprezooly enlightened•
•
But the Buddha I S Tea ching was well ta ught" well
iuparted, conduoive' to release from the round of existences"
being t.aught. by the Buddha who was suprelOOly
enlightened. He advised the bhikkhus to recite the
Dhamma as taught by the Buddha, in concord and without
dissension so that the Tea ching should 18st long. Then
he proceeded'to enumerate the Dhamrne classified under
separate heads as Group of the Ones" Group of the Twos,
etc., up to the Group of the Tens to facilitate easy
memorizing and reciting•
•
(11) Oasuttara Sut\a
This Qiscour.e was also delivered by th~
Venerable Sirlputta, While the Buddha was staying at
ea." in order that the bhikkhus should get liberated
trom tetters, and' attain NibbSna, bringing about the
end ot sutfering.
He taug~"'~he Dhamme classified under separate
beads as Group or .the (nes, Group of the Twos, etc •• up
to the Group of the Tens.
Chapter V
Majjhi.ma Nikaya
Collection of Medium Length Discourse~
of the Buddha.
This collection of medium length discourses is
made up of one hundred and fifty-two suttas in three
books known as pa~sa. The first book, MU1apap~sa,
deals with the first fifty suttas in five vaggas, the
second book, MajjhimapaI)~sa consists of the second
fifty suttas in five vaggas too; and the last fifty-two
suttss are dealt with in five vaggas of the third book,
UparipaJlI)isa, which means more than fifty.
The suttas in this Nikaya throw much light on
the social ideas and institutions of those days, and
also provide genera 1 information on the economic and
politicsl life.
(a) Miilapap1;lasa Pafi
I. Miilapariyaya Vagga
(1) MU1sps!'iyaya Sutta
The Buddha explained the basis of all phenoJrena,
specifying twenty-four categories such a s the four elements
(earth, water, fire, wind); sentient beings, devas;
the seen, the heard, the thought of, the known; the
oneness, the multiplicity, the whole; and the reality of
NibbSna. The uninstructed worldling cannot perceive the
true nature of these phenomena; only the enlightened ones
csn Bee them in true perspective.
(2) SabbBsava Sutta
In this discourse, mental intoxicants that
beset the mlinstructed worldling are defined, and
seven prsctices for eradicating th~ are explained.
(3) Dhanmadayada Sutta
This sutta contains two separate discourses,
the first onEl given by the Boodha, the second by the
Venerable S8riputta. The Buddha urged the bhikkhus
to receive as their legacy from him the BodhiP8kkhiu
46
DhalIlIM only, and not rotcria 1 + lUngs like th<:: four reQuisites.
Thr: 'Jli-n,~rabh C5riputta advised the bhikkhus
to lead a solitary life for attainment of jhana and to
strive for the attai~~nt of Nibbann by ~bandoning
greed, 111 will, and delusion.
(4) Bhayabherava Sutta
This discourse describes how a bhikkhu leading
a solitary life in a secluded forest invites harm and
danger to himself by his impure thoughts, words and deeds,
and how the Buddha had lived a peace~ll forest li~e har~
lessly by cultivating pure thoughts, words lC!:1d de13ds which
finally led him to enlightenment.
(5) Anangana Sutta
•
In this discourse given on the request of the
Venerable Maha lok:>ggallBna, the Venerable Sariput~ explained
four types of individuals:
(i) an impure person who knews he is impure;
(ii an impure person who does net know he is impure;
(iii a ;>ure person who knows his own purity;
(iv) a pure "erson who does not know his own pu;-ity.
(6) Jl~ankheyya Sutta
This sutt.a describes how a bhikkhu sOOdd u;;.velop
si:la, samadh'l. ar.d pa:iM, instead of hankerir.g
after gain and fc~e; ho~ he should restrain his f~c,~'
ties, !eein6 dn:lge:- i:1 the sliGhtest f:~ult.
In this discourse ~he D~d~ha explainea the differ~
nce betweer. an impure ~na and a pure ~nd by giving
~h~ ~xa~'l~ of ~irty c:oth and clean cloth. Only th~ clean
cl.~th -,..rill ;;:,~orb eye; so 31so only tne pure mind will
ret air. t.r.e dr.c.i!".!..a.
(8) Solle~~a Sutta
In th; 3 discoU,TSC t:1e Buddha explaint;d to MahB
Cund"! hew 'Ift'cnl \r:~ ';:WI'I P. ':lc '.It ~T.. ~e a rd loka can be reIOOveC
only ':J:.{ vipassar.b ir.sight. Jhanic practice is not the
auster:..ty pra ctice that removes moral defilementl!l; jbinic
practice only leads to a blissful existence.
47
only T";:f· -; ;dng from forty-four kinds of bad deeds consti
L ".0$ -; usterity practice for rer.oving coral defilemer'~
3. r,e volition alone to do a rood deed is enough
to ~r'Auce a good result; when it is accompanied by the
a~tual deed; the beneficial result accruing is immeasurable.
One immersed in the mire cf sensuous impurities
cannot rescue others immersed like'dse in the mire.
(9) sammaditthi Sutta
• •
This discourse is an exposition on the right
view delivered by the Venerable S~riputta at S~vatthi.
When physical, verbal and mental actions are motivated
by greed. hatred and delusion, they are deemed to be
bad. When they arise through non-greed, non-hatred and
non-delusion, the actions are deemed to be good. Right
View is understanding whAt a good deed is and what a
bad deed is; it is the full comprehension of the Four
Noble Truths and not holding on to eternity views concerning
atta.
(10) l>t3hasatipatthana Sutta
• •
This discourse given at Kammasadhamma narket
town is the r.nst importnnt sutt~ which gives practical
guidance for cultivation of mindfulness. It describes
the Four Methods of Steadfast ltindfulness, name~, con.
templating the body, contemplating sensation, contemplating
the mind, and contemplating the dharnma as the
one and only way for the purification of beings, for
the overcoming of sorrow ~nd lacentation, for the complete
destruction of pain and distress, for the attainment
of the Noble Magga, and for the realization of
Nibblrna.
This sutta appears in identical foru in the
D5.gha NikAya.
•
- CulasihanMa
II. Slhan~da
Sutta
Vagga
_.• .
In this discourse, given at Savatthi, the Buddha
made the bold statement that the four Categorie~
of Ariyas, namely, the StreAm-winner ,the Once-~'"
the Non-returner and the Arahat exist only _t: /. ._.:,::C1ing
and not in any other.
(2) MahasihanAda Sutta
In this discourse, given at Ves!ll, the Venerable
SAriputta reported to the Buddha about the disparagement
of the Buddha's virtues made by Sunakkhatta
who had left the Teaching. The Buddha said that SunakKhetta
was not intellectU8l~ equipped to have the f8~
test gli.Jlpse of the Buddha's virtues such as the Ten
Strengths" the four kinds of s~reme Self-Confidence,
the Non-decline of SabbaMuta N!na till the time of • parinibbana. He then described the five destinations
am the actions which lead to them as well as the wrong
beliefs and practicel' of the naked ascetics to whose
camp Sunakkhatta now belonged.
(3) MahAdukkhakkhandha Sutta
This discourse was given at savatthi to refute
the naked ascetics when they tried to make out that they
followed the same path and taught the same dhamma as the
Buddha. The Buddha also explained to the bhikkhus what
the pleasures of the senses wore, what their faults and
dangers were, and the way of escape from them. The Buddha
explained further that outside of his Teaching"theee
dhammas were not lmown and no one but the Buddha and his
disciples could teach such dhammas.
(4) c\4adukkhakkhandha Sutta
This discourse" given by the Buddha" at Kapi.le.
vatthu to the Sakyan Prince MahAnllma to explain to him
on his request, how greed, ill will and ignorance caused
moral defilements and suffering.
(5) Anudna Sutta
This discourse was given by the Venerable Hah8
MJggalUna to DB~ bhikkhus at Susudragira in the
country of Shagge. They were urged to see if they had
pm-ged themselves of sixteen ki.n:is of stubbornness
such as inordinate desire" humiliating others while
pr81sing oneself, wrathfulness, etc. If these siXteen
kinds of unwholesome dhalllD88 were detected in onesel!,
a det.ermined effort should be made to get rid of them.
(6) Cetokhila Sutta
This discourse, given by the Buddha at S!vatthi"
ment:.i.ons the five kinds of mental thorns: Doubt
49
about the Buddha, doubt abo~ the Dhamma, doubt about
the Samgha, doubt about the efficacy of the practice in
slla, 8am!dhi am paRM, ill will and animosity towards
tellow bhikkhus. It also mentions the five fetters:
attachment to sensual desires, attachment to oneself,
attachment to material objects; 1DmxIeration in eating
and sleeping, am adopting the holy life with the ~
ed objective of attaining to blissful existences only.
These mental thorns am fetters are obstacles to liber&tion
from dukkha. They should be removed and eradicated
for realization of Nibb!na.
(7) Vanapattha Butta
'Ibis discourse, given at SAvatthi., is concerned
with t:.b;! choice of a suitable place for a bhikkhu.A bb.1.tkhu
has to depend on a forest glade or a village" or a
town or an individual for his residence and support.If
he tinds out any particular place is not satisfactory
tor his spiritual development or for material support,
he should abandon that place at once.
If he finds it satisfactory with respect to
material support" but not beneficial for spiritual development,
he should abandon that place, too. But when
it proves beneficial for spiritual development, even
if the material support is meagre, the bhikkhu should
stay on in that place. When coJXiitions are satisfactory
both for spiritu:ll development and material support,
he should live for t.he whole of his life in such
a place.
(8) Madhupindika Sutta
••
A Sa~n Prince, named Dandapani, once asked
the Buddha at Kapilavatthu what doctrine he taught.The
Buddha replied that his doctrine wa s one which could
not be grasped by any brahmin nor by the ~ra. It is
thie: not living in discord with al\Y one in the world;
not obsessed by sense impressions (saW); not troubled
by doubts; and not craving for any form of existence.
(9) Dved4vitakka Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at S§vatthi
to explain two kinds of thinking: wholesome and
ur.wholesome. Bhikkhus should practise to see the
GT, F.4
so
advantages of enpg:l.ng :Ln wholesoJDe thoughts and the
dangers of unwholesome thoughts.
(10) Vitakl<aaanthAna Sutta
• •
This discourse was given by the Buddha at 5avatthi
on how to combat the arising of tmwholesome thoughts
with wholesome thoughts. For example, greed and sensuous
thoughts should be banished by contemplating on unpleaeentnen
and irq:lermanency of the object of desire; ill
will and hatred must be countered by thoughts of lovingkindness;
and ignorance may be overcome by seeking illumination
am guidance from the teacher.
III. Opauma Vagga
(1) Kakacupama Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at 5avatthi
in connection with Bhikkhu Moliyaphagguna who was
• 1'r1e~ with bhikkhun1s. When others censured him for
being too friendly with bhikkhunis, he lost his tenper
and broke into quarrel with bhikkhus who criticized him.
When the Buddha admonished and advised him to
keep away trom bhikkhunls and to control his tenq>er, he
remained recalcitrant. The Buddha showed the harmfulness
of ill tenper and advised other bhikkhus to keep a
tight check on their temper, not losing it even when
lome one was sawing away their limbs into bits.
(2) AlagaddUpama Sutta
Thie discourse was given by the Buddha at SAvatthi.
Bhikkhu Arittha misunderstood the Buddha's Teaching
and maintain;,a that the Buddha showed how to enjoy
sensuous pleasure without jeopardising one's progress
in the Path. When the Buddha remonstrated with him for
his wrong views he remained unrepentent.
The Buddha then spoke to the bhikkhus on the
wrong way and the right way of learning the dhamma,
giving the simile of a snake catcher, and the simile
of the raft.
(3) Vammika Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at savat1
thi. Venerable Kumarakassapa was asked by a deva a set
51
of fifteen q,uestions which he brought to the Buddha forelucidation.
'!be Buddha explained to him the meaning of
the questions ani assisted him in their solution.
(4) Rathavin1ta Sutta
~s sutta recounts the dialogue between the
Venerable sariputta and the Venerable Punna at S!vatthi
on the seven stages of purity, such as purity of slls,
purity of mind, purity of view etc., that must be passed
before attairuoont to Nibbana.
(5) Nivapa Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at 5~vatthi
on the snares that waylay bhikkhus on their path,
making use of the siJnile of the hunter, the hunter's
followers, the green pasture and four different herds
of deer. The hunter was likened to Mara, the hunter's
crowd to ~ra'8 followers, the green pasture he had set
up to the sensuous pleasures, and four different herds
of deer to four different types of recluses who left
homelife.
(6) PAsar!si Sutta
This sutta given by the Buddha at S!vatthi is
also known by the name of Ariyapariyesana Sutta. The
Buddha recounted his life from the time he was born in
the hunan world as the son of King Suddhodana till the
moment of the great discourse on the Turning of the
Wheel of Dhamma, giving details of his renunciation,
initial wrong practices of severe asceticism and final
discovery of the Noble Path of Eight Constituents. In
particular, stress was laid on two different types of
quests, the Noble and the Ignoble. He explained that
it was extremely unwise to go after sensual pleasures
which subject one to ageing, disease and death. The
most noble quest was to seek out that which will ljperate
one from ageing, disease and death.
(7) Cu¥hatthipadopama Sutta
This sutta was given by the Buddha at S§vatthi.
The Brahmin Ja~usso~ asked the wandering ascetic Pilotika,
who had just corne back from the BUddha, whether
he knew all the virtues and accoq>llshments of the Buddha.
The wandering a scetic replied that o~ 8 Buddha
wm could match another Buddha in attainments could know
all the virtues of the other. As for him, he could only
exercise his imagination in this respect just as a hunter
would judge the measurements of an elephant from the
size of its footprints.
Later when the Brahmin JAnussoni went to see the
Buddha, and recounted his convers•ation•with the wandering
ascetic the Buddha told, him that the size of an elephant's
footprint might still be misleading. Only when
one followed the footprints, and the animal was seen
grazing in the open, its true measurements could be accurately
judged. So also the virtues of the Buddha and.
his Teaching could be fu14r appreciated and understood
only when one followed his Teaching and practised as
taught by him until the final goal of Arahatship was
reached.
(8) MaMhatthipadopama Sutta
This discourse was given by the Venerable S:lriputta
to the bhikkhus at ~vatthi using the simile of
the elephant's footprint. He explained that just as the
footprint of all animals could be contained within the
footprint of an elephant, all wholesome dhammas were
comprised in the Four Noble Truths.
(9) MahJsaropama Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at Rajagaha
in connection with Devadatta who remained contented
with gain and fame because of his attainment of 8Upermrmal
powers and left the Teaching to cause schism
in the Order. The Buddha said that this Teaching was
not for the purpose of gain and fame which were like
the external shoots and branches of a tree; nor just • for the accomplishment in sUa which may be likened to
the outer crust of a tr~e; nor for mere establishing of
concentration to achieve supernormal powers which were
like the bark of a tree. The DhallllllB was taught for the
attainment of Arahatship, the noble liberation which
alone resembled the inner pith of a tree.
(10) CUfasaropama Sutta
This discourse was given byt,he Buddha at SAvatthi
in connection with the Brahmin Pitlgala kocc ha who
5.3
asked the Buddha whether all the six teachers claiming
to be Buddhas were really enlightened. The Buddha explained
that the Brahmacari~ practice taught by a Buddha
led to Arahatship, not just to the achievement of
gain and fan~, or supernormal powers.
IV. Hahayamaka Vagga
(1) CUlagosinga Sutta
•
The Venerable Anuruddha, the Venerable Nandiya
and the Venerable Kimila were staying in the Gosiflga
Sal tree woodland. The Buddha visited them and praised
them on their way of living, practising the holy life
with perfect harmony and concord amongst themselves,
thus forming an adornment to the lovely woodland park.
(2) Mah!gosiilga Sutta
Once while the Buddha was residing in the 00siilga
Sal tree woodland, the Venerable SAriputta asked
the Buddha: 'Who would most adorn this woodland park and
enhance its beauty?' The discourse records the different
answers provided by the Venerables Revata, Anuruddha,
HaM Kassapa" MaM Moggallina, Sariputta and by the
Buddha himself.
(.3) l-bhAgopalaka Sutta
This discourse" given by the Buddha at S~vatthi"
explains the conditions under which the Teaching would
grow and prosper and the c~nditions under which it would
decline and decay. The example of a cowherd is given.
When a cowherd is equipped with eleven skills of managing
and tending his cattle, there is progress and growth
in his work. So also when the bhikkhu is skilled and
accomplished in eleven f~ctors such as knowledge of
truth about the khandhas, practice of sila, samAdhi and
panna etc., the Teaching will grow and prosper.
(4) cU1agopalaka Sutta •
This discourse deals with eleven factors, the
failure to fulfil which would contribute to the downfall
and ruin of the Teaching. Just as the cattle under
the care of an unwise and unskilful cowherd crossed the
river trom a wrong. quay on the bank and met with
54
destruction instead of re~ching the other shore, so
also the followers of the teachers who were not acco~
pUshed in the knowledge of truth, khandha s, etc.,would
end up only in disaster.
(5) CUlasaccaka Sutta
•
This discourse, given at Vesali, gives an account
of the debate between the Buddha and Saccaka the
wandering ascetic on the subject of atta. Saccaka maintained
that raps, vedana, sa~, sankhara and vinnaQB
were one's atta. It was atta which enjoyed the fruite
of good deeds and suffered the consequences of bad deeds.
The Buddha refuted his theory, pointing out that none
of the khandhas was atta, each being subjected to the
laws of anicca, dukkha, andanatta, and not amenable to
anyone's control. Saccaka had to admit his defeat in
the presence of his followers.
(6) Mah~saccaka Sutta
The same Saccaka, the wandering ascetic, came
again to the Buddha the next day and asked about the
cultivation of mind and body. He knew only the wrong
methods of developing concentration. The Buddha explained
to Saccaka the various practices he himself had
followed and mistakes he had made until he found the
middle Path that fina1l¥ led him to the realization of
NibbAna.
(7) CUlatanh§sankhaya Sutta
• •
On enquiry by the king of deva s how a disciple
of the Buddha trained himself to realize Nib~na, the
Buddha gave him a short desc"ription of how a householder,
after leaving his home, put himself on a course
of training that gradually purified his mind of all
JOOral defilelOOnts and led him to the final goal.
(8j Mahatanh~sankhaya Sutta
•
A disciple of the Buddha, ~ti by name, held
the view that the Buddha taught: "The sa~ consciousness
transmigrates and wanders about"." other disciples
tried to rid him of this wrong view but to no
avail. The Buddha told him that he never taught such
wrong views. He only taught "Consciousness arises out
55
of conditions; th~re is no arising of Consciousness
wit hout conditions."
(9) Maha-assapura Sutta
The people of Assapura, a market town of Anga
country, were ardently devoted to the Buddha, the Dha~
rna and the Samgha, helping and assisting the members of
the Order by offering them the bhikkhu requisites. Out
of gratitude for such support, the Buddha urged the
bhikkhus to mAke strenuous efforts in their training and
practice of Dhamm;}, gradually going up stage by stage:
starting from Avoiding evil deeds by restraint of physical
and vocal actions, to proceed to mental restraint
through meditation. then progressing townrds attainment
of four stages of jhana, and final~r to the stage where
all moral defilements were eliminated and Nibb~na was
attained.
(10)CUla-assapura Sutta
•
Out of gratitude for the support given by the
lay devotees of Assapura, a market town in the country
of A'nga, the Buddha urged the bhikkhus to be worthy of
the name of san1L3na and brahmana. Samana means one who
has stilled his Passions; br2hmana one who has rid himself
of defilements. A bhikkhu should therefore subject
himself to the course of discipline and practice as laid
down by the Buddha until he had eliminated the twelve
defilements such as envy, ill will, deceit, wrong views
etc.
V. CUlayawnka Vagga
•
( 1) saleyyaka Sutta
•
This exposition was giver. to villagers of SBlA
on ten demeritorious deeds that would lead to states
of misery and woe and ten meritorious deeds that would
give rise to rebirth in happy realms.
(2) Veranjaka Sutta
This discourse was given to the householders
of Veranj~ dealing with identical subjects as in the
s<§leyya k,q Sutta •
() Mah~vedalla Sutta
The Venerable Mah~ko~~hika asked many questions
56
to the Venerable SAriputta at S8vatthi regarding an uninstructed
person with no pa~na, ~nd instructed persons
with pai'iM; nsny questions on viflfl~tla and vedana, on the
difference between pai'ffili and vii'rnal}a, and many other
things. The Venerable SAriputta obliged him with detai]"
ed answers.
(4) CUlavedalla Sutta
•
Theri Dhammadinna was asked m9ny questions by
the householder Visakha about personality, Sakkaya, the
origin of Sakkaya, the cessation of Sakk~Y8 and the way
leading to cessation of Sak~ya. All the questions were
satisfactorily answered by the Ther!.
- Culadhammasa~d~na Sutta
•
This sutta describes four practices involving:
(i) happy living now, followed by dire consequences in
the future; (ii) unhappy living now, followed by dire
consequences in the future; (iii) unhappy living now,
followed by a happy life in the future; (iv) happy
living now, followed by a happy life in the future.
(6) Mah~dhammasa!M~na Sutta
In this discourse, the four practices as deec:
ribed in Culadhammasamadana Sutta are explained with
more details giving similes of poisoned fruit juice,delicious
cordial and medicinal preparation of cow's urire.
(7) Vlmamsaka Sutta
Any claim to Buddhahood may be put to acid
tests as provided in this sutta. A detailed procedure
to scrutinize such claim is laid down here.
(8) Kosambiya Sutta
This discourse on how loving-kindness should
be the basis of their relations was given by the Buddha
to the bhikkhus of Kosambi who were living in discord
because of disagreement OV0r trifling matters.
(9) Brahmanimantanika Sutta
TQe Brahrrla Baka held the wrong view of eternity,
believing in permanence, stability, and endurance.
The Buddha showed him how wrong his belief wa s •
57
(10) MlratajjanIya Sutta
'This is an account given by the Venerable MahA
!t>ggall!!lna of how lomra once troubled him by causing
pains and aches in the stolMch. He had to coax him to
stop annoying him by telling him that he had been lomra' s
uncle at the time of Kakusandha Buddha.
(b) Majjhi.ne Pa~sa Pall
• • •
I. Gahapati Vagga
(1) Ksndaraka Sutta
This disoourse was delivered at eampa in connection
with Kandaraka, the wandering ascetic, and
Pesss, son of elephant rider, who marvelled at the silence
maintained by the huge congregation of bhikkhus,
not making any sound, not even a sneeze nor a cough.
The Buddha explained that their silence was' due to their
accomplishments in sa~dhi and to their training on
four Methods of Steadfast hi.nlifu:U.-3ss. The Buddha also
elucidated the four types' of individuals engaged in
meditation.
(2) AttbakanAgara Sutta ••
The householder Dasama of Atthaka wanted to
•• know if there was a single dhamma which could cause
-liberation and realization of NibMna. The Venerable Ananda informed him there was a group of dhal'lllMs,eleven
in number, name4r, th-e fourjMnas, the four Brahmavi- -ra practices, and Akas~nancayatana, VinnA~ancayatana,
ldf'icai'ti'layatana. Contemplating the iuperm9nent nature
of each of those dhammas would lead one to NibMna.
(.3) Sekha Sutta
_ This discourse was given by the Venerable
Ananda to t-he SBkyans headed by Prince MahanAm. The Venerable Ananda explained the path consisting of
three steps, si1a, samlJdhi and paM~ to be followed
by an aspirant to higher knowledge culminating in the
knowledge of cessation of §eava.
(4) Potaliya Sutta
Potaliya had left world4r affairs behind with
58
a view to lead the hQly life. When the Buddha saw him
dressed in ordinary ~veryGay attire, the Buddha addressed
him as lGahapati I, householder, which Potaliya resented.
The Buddha explained to him. that in the vocabulary
of the Vinaya one wa s said to have cut oneself
off from the world only when one refrained from kil~
stealing, telling lies, slandering, and only when one
was ab~temious, not conceited, and controlled in one's
temper.
(5) Jivaka Sutta
This discourse was given at Ir-ojngnha in connection
with JivakB, the great physician, who enquired
whether it was true that thE; Buddha nte the meat of
animals killed purposely for him. The Buddha told him
that he had made it a rule for the bhikkhus not to par- ,
take of any meat which they saw or heard or had reason
to suspect to be especially prepared for them. Further,
a bhikkhu should not show eagerness for food nor be
greedy in eating; he should eat with reflection that he
took the meal only to sustain the body in order to pursue
the path of liberatiol'l •
•
(6) UpAli Sutta
A prominent, wealthy lay disciple of Nigantha ••
Na~aputta was sent by his master to meet the Thlddha and
defeat him in argument on certain aspects of the Theory
of Kamme. Whereas the Niga~tha stressed on the p~sical
and vocal actions being more productive of resultant
effects, the cuddha mainta~ned that it was volition or
mental action that was paramount. By means of his discourse
the Buddha converted Up~li, and overwhelmed by
intense wrath over the loss of his most prominent disciple,
Nataputta died •
•
(7) Kukkuravatika Sutta
This discourse, given by the Buddha to two
naked ascetics named Punna and Seniya at the market
town of Koliya, deals w•it•h four kinds of actions and
four kinds of resultant effects arising therefrom:
(i) black deed leading to black result, (ii) white
deed leading to white result, (iii) deed which is both
black and white leading to result which is both
black and white and (iv) deed which is neither black
59
nor white leading to result which is neither black nor
white.
(8) Abhayarajakumira Sutta
Prince AbhayarajakumBra was sent by NigaQ~ha
Nataputta to ask the Buddha whether he uttered unpleasant
words about the destiny of Devadatta. The Buddha
enumerated six modes of ~tterances out of which he would
make two modes of utterances: words which are true,profitable
but not pleasant to others and words which are
true, profitable and pleasant to others.
(9) Bahuvedaniya Sutta
This discourse was given at Savatthi to explain
the various kinds of vedanll, which might be two in number:
sukha anddukkha vedan~s; or three in number by irreluding
the ~ekkha vedana; or five, six, eighteen or
thirty-six, or one hundred and eight, depending on the
method of enumeration. Ordinarily sensations that arise
from pleasures of the senses are regarded as sukha, or
happiness. But the Buddha explains that the acme of
happiness is attainment of nirodha samapatt~.
(10) Apannaka Sutta
••
'Ibis discourse was given by the Buddha to the
villagers of Sala in the country of Kosala who had not
yet accepted any of the teachings taught by leaders of
the various sects visiting their village. The Buddha
showed them the right path which would not lead them
astray. The wrong views of the sectarians were contrasted
against the right views propounded by the Buddha;
the disadvantages of wrong views, and the advantages of
right views were explained.
II. Bhikkhu Vagga
AmbalatthikarahulovMa Sutta ••
In this discourse, given at R§jagaha, the Buddha
exhorted his son Rahula, a samanera aged seven, on
the necessity of observing the fundamental moral precept
of truthfulness, and of practising mindfulness,b,y
giving the similes of the upturned water pot, the
raya 1 elephant and the mirror.
(2) Mahar§hulovada Sutta
This discourse on the five khandhas, was given
et savatthi by the Buddha 'to RAhula at the age of eighteen.
The Venerable 5.§riputta also taught Rahula the
meditation on Anlipana. The Buddha furtner explained to
him the advantages of 'Ampana medit.ation and gave him
another discourse on the four great elements.
(3) CUlamnukya Sutta
•
T-his discourse was-given at S~vatthi to the bhikkhu Malukya. Bhikkhu Malukya interrupted his meditation
one afternoon, went to the Buddha and asked him
the wellknown classical questions: Is the universe eternal
or not ~tc.;is the soul the same as the body, is
soul one thing and body another, etc.; does life exist
art8r death, or does it not exist after death.
The Buddha explained to him that the· practice
of the holy life did not d~pend upon these views.Whatever
view one may hold about them, there would still be
birth, ageing, decay, death, sorrow, lamentation,pain,
grief, distress. The Buddha said that he taught only
about dukkha, the cause of dukkha, the cessation of
dukkha and the way leading to the cessation of dukkha.
(4) MahBmalukya Sutta
This discourse was given to bhikkhu ~lukya at
~vatthi to explain the five fetters, namely, personality
belief, doubt, attachment to wrong practice, senst:.
al desires and ill will, which lead beings to lower
destinations.
(5) Bhaddlili Sut~a
This discourse, given at 5avatthi, is an exhort.ation
to bhikkhU Bhaddali who refused to obey the disciplinary
rule of not eating after midday and in the
evening; the Buddha explained why bhikkhus in the Teaching
should respect the disciplinary rules laid down by
him.
(6) Latukikopama Sutta
•
This discourse was given to the Venerable Uday1
in connection wit h observance of disciplinary rules and
precepts. When the five strengths (balas),namely, faith,
61
energy, mindfulness, concentration and insight are not
well developed, the bhikkhu finds even a paltry restraint
like refraining from eating meals in th~ nfternoon
and in the evening very irksom<; and onerous. But
when the five Balas are fully developed, even string0nt
rules can be obsE;;rved without any difficulty or discomfort
(7) cuma Sutta
This discourse was given at Catuma to the disciples
of the Venerable sariputta and the Venerable
Maha MoggalUma, who came with five hundred bhikkhus to
see the Buddha. The five hundred bhikkhus made a lot of
noise while settling down. The Buddha refused to see
them at first, but later relented and taught them the
dangers in the life of a bhikkhu. Just as there are dangers
and hazards in a sea like stor~ waves, crocodiles,
Whirlpools, and sharks, so also there are dangers agpll5t
which the bhikkhu must be always on guard, namely, til
will against those who instruct them and guide them;
dissatisfaction with training rules such as those concerning
taking of meals or dealing with womenfolk; and
pleasures of senses.
(8) Nalakapana Sutta
•
This discourse was given to the Venerable Anuruddha
and to the villagers of Nalakapana to explain
that unless a bhikkhu had attained the higher stages of
Magga and Phala, accomplishments in supernormal psychic
powers may prove to be harmful to him. The Buddha himself
talked about the destinations of the departed persons
not to earn praise and admiration but to arouse
enthusiasm and faith in his disciples.
(9) Goli~ni Sutta
This discourse was given at Rajagaha by the
Venerable Sariputte to Goliyani.Bhikkhu concerning
eighteen dharruna s which a forest dwelling bhikkhu should
observe.
(10) K1tagiri Sutta
•
This dlscourse was given at the market town of
Ki~giri on the advantages of taking meals only before
noon and the disadvantages of eating in the evening.
62
III. Paribbajaka Vagga
(1) Tevijjavnccha Sutta
Vacchagotta, the w~nderin[ ascetic, questioned
the ~ddha v/hether it wouL: be true to say that Sabbannuta
Na na wa s constantly end continuously present to
him all'the time, while walking or standing, asleep or
aWilke. The iJucitiha replied that it would rot be true to
say so. It "lOuld be true to say only that the Buddha
was accomplished in the three kinds of knowledge,ncrn~ly,
knowledge of the past, power of divine seeing, and
knowledge of liberation.
(2) Aggivaccha Suttn
This discourse was given by the Buddha at Savatthi.
in connection with Vacchagotta who approached
the Buddha quite often to i:lsk llliJny questions about atta.
On this occasion too he asked the Buddha whether there
was atta, whether atta was perman~nt, etc. The Buddha
told him he held no theories about atta because he had
seen the nature of things as they really were. Then he
explained to him the dhamma in some detail•.
(3) Mahavaccha Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha to Vacchagotta
at Rajagaha. On his visit to the Buddha after a
long interval, Vacchagotta no longer troubled the Buddha
with his speculations about atta, loka, etc.; instead,
he requested to be taught on good and bad deeds
(Kusalakusalam Kammam) in orief. The Buddha explained
to him the dhanuna on good and bad deeds in brief as
well ils in detail.
Vacchagotta becam~ a disciple of the Buddha
and received admission into· the Order. Then practising
the dhamITa as instructed, he ultimately attained Arahatship,
realizing Nibbana. The problems of atta,loka,
etc.,no longer obsessed him.
(4) D-ighanakha Sutta
This-important discourse was given by th-e Bud- dha in the Sukarakhata r.ave near Rajagaja, to Dighanakha,
th~ wandering ascetic, a nephew of the Venerable
5ariputta, in order to remove his wrong views of
63
annihilntion. As the Huddl.a taught him the dhamma on
contemplation of the body 1nd contep.~lation )f sensation
(SukhA, dukkh?, .:>dukKhama sukha), his uncle the
Venerable Sariputta vias stnnding behilld the Buddha, fanning
him. It was only fi.fken clays ;lgO th:1t the Venerable
S'ariputta had been a(lJi.itted into the Order by the
Buddha. t,tlhil..~ following the progress of the discourse,
as though sharing the food pr.:.parcd for another, the
Venerable S8riputta advanced rapidly from the stage of
a Sotapanna which he hAd alrendy reached, and attained
the perfect state of Arah~tship with the fourfold Analytical
Knowledge (Pat.isambhida Nrl.na). At the en-d of the discourse hi-s nephew, the wandering ascetic Dighanakha, . became a Sotapanna.
(5) M3galJ9iya Su tta
This discourse WaS given by the Buddha at the
market town of Kammasadhanu:r'" in the Kuru. country in
connection \-lith 111gandiya, the wandering !3scetic, who
•• resented the Buddha's crit~cism of ~is wrong beliefs.
The Buddh~ exhorted him to prActise control of the
senses a nd sensuous thoU£hts. He told the \mndering
ascetic the story of his renuncintion, how he had left
his luxurious pnlaces and how, on discovering the Truth,
he found happiness ill Ar.Jhdttaphala which was far superiQr
to any of the sensuous plc2 sures. lJJ8gandiya gave
up his wrong views to become a disciple of the Buddha.
(6) Sandaka Sutta
This discourse wa~ given .''It Kosambi to Sandaka,
the wandering ascetic, and his followers by the Venersble
Annnda. The Venerable Ananda explained to them the
foul' wrong views of sect-leAders who held there was no
existence after deoth, thnt there was no evil nor good,
no cause for any phenomena, and that there v.ere only
aggregat€6of seven elements. Finally he taught the
wandering ascetics the dhamma as expounded by the Buddha.
As a consequeDce of his teaching, Sandaka and his
followers abnndoned their wrong views and became disciples
of the Buddha.
I.Vide., Majjhimap~~~asa pa~i.
3. Paribbajnka V~gg~.
6~ Sandak~ Sutta, Para. 228.
(7) Mahasakuludnyi Sutta
At one time the BuddhA and his cOITq)Clny of bhikkhus
were residing at ~jagnha where six leaders of
sects were also spending the rains with their respective
followers. Then Ud5yi, the wandering ascetic, who was
visited by the Buddha, extolled th~ virtues of the Buddha
saying that other leaders were sometimes criticizad
even by their follow~rs, whereas the Buddha was the exception.
Even if th~ Buddha's disciples left the Order,
they did not find fault with the BuddhCl nor the Dhamma.
They only blamed themselves for not being able to follGw
his Teaching. Ud~yi attributed tW.s difference in reverential
respect enjoyed by the Buddha to five aspects
of his virtues. The Buddha rejected Udayi's enumeration
of his virtues which were mostly attributed to ascetic
practices, and explained to him the real cause of the
total veneration bestowed on him by his followers.
(8) samaQamundika Sutta
• •
The wandering ascetic Uggeh~mana, son of Samanamundika,
was teaching that any recluse who refrained •
• • from wrong deed, wrong word, wrong thought, and wrong
livelihood was a fully accomplished Arahat. The Buddha
rejected his assertion, saying that in that case, even
an infant sleeping innocently upon his bed could claim
• to Arahatship. He then explained that it was only the
Noble Path of Eight Constituents leading to Right Knowledge
and Right Liberation that could bring about rea~
zation of Arahatship.
(9) CUlasakuludnyi Sutta
•
This discourse was given at Rajagaha. The wandering
ascetic Sakulud~yi asked the B~ddha many questions
about atta and slla, and the Buddha explained to
him the practice in the Teaching beginning with the
precept of not taking the life of a being am ending
with the realization of Nibbana.
(10) Vekhanasa Sutta
This discourse was given at savatthi. The Buddha
explained to Vekhanasa, the wandering ascetic, how
happiness accruing from spiritual atta:inIoonts was superior
to that derived from sensuous pleasures. The
Buddha also gave the assurance thAt any honest worker
GT, F.5
65
who would follow his instr'lctions sincerel¥ could enjoy
the bliss of spiritual att~irunents.
IV. Raje Vagga
(1) Ghati~ra Sutta
•
This discourse, given by the Buddha J'lhile journeying
in Kosala, recounts the story of high devotion
of Ghati~ra, the potter, who looked after his blind • parents and who at the same time attended upon Kassapa
Buddha with utter reverence. There was also the account
of how Ghati~ra forcib~ pulled along his friend,young •
Jotip~la, to where Kassapn Buddha was, to pay respect.
After hearing the dhamma discourses young Jotipala left
the household life to be admitted into the Order by
Kassapa Buddha. This interesting ancient episode that
had happened in K.9 ssapa Buddha I-s tire many aeons ago was recounted to the Venerable AnClnda by Gotama Buddha
standing on the very spot \·there once stood, a long, long
time ago, the house of Ghati~ra, th~ potter. The Buddha
concluded his story by rev~aling thRt young Jotip~la was
none other than the present Gotama Buddha.
(2) Ratthapala Sutta
••
Ra~~hap~la,the son of a wealthy brahmin obtained
his parents' permission with great difficulty to become
a bhikkhu under the guidance of the Buddha. After twelve
years of strenuous endeavour, when he became a full-
fledged Arflhat, he visitt:,; his p,1rents' horne. His
parents attempted to entic~ him with wealth and wife
back to household life but to no avail. He taught his
parents the law of impermanenc~, aniccaj he said he
saw nothing alluring in thE: wealth and thE: wife.
(3) K:3ghadev<l Sutta
This discourse was given at the Royal mango
grove at MithiM. The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda
about the noble tradition laid down by th~ righteous
King Maghadeva. When his hair began to tum White, he
gave up the household life leaving his dominions to
his eldest son. This tradition was handed down from
king to son for generations aOO generations, over
thousands and thousands of "ears until. the reign of King
Nim1.
66
King Nimi had 13 son by the name of Kalarajanaka
• •
who did not go forth from home life into homelessness
when the time came like his predecessors. Kalarajan13ka
terminated the noble practice laid down by th•e tradition.
He thus became the last p~rson of that tradition.
The Buddha revealed that he wa s the King Maghadeva
of that nncient time laying down the noble tradition.
The B~ddn1 scid that that noble trndition did not
lead to calm, to higher knowledge. It only led to the
realm of Brahr~s.But the noble practice which he was
leadinl/; now as a Buddha certai~ led to the disillusionment
with the five khandhas, the abandonment of
attachment and the cessation of dukkha; to calm, higher
knowledge, penetrative insight and realization of Nibbina.
The Buddha then eXhorted, "Manda, continue to
follow this good practice which I have laid down. Let
you not be the person with whom II\Y tradition ends. 1I
(4) Madhuri.J Sutta
This discourse lIas given by the Venerable MaMkacc5nn
at ~~dhuro. He refuted the brahmins' claim that
only brahmins were noble ~nd supurior, and that others
were inferior. He explained to King ~dhura that it was
one's mor~lity, not birth that established one's nobility.
~one wheth0r arahmin, Khattiya, Vessa or Suada,
committing a wrong deed would be born again in the state s
of woe; aqyone doing a good deed would be born again in
a happy realm. After this discourse by the Venerable
MaMkacc~na, King ~dhura, fOrID(;rly of another faith,
took refuge in the Buddha, the Dh~mm1 ~nd the sarngha.
(5) Bodhirajakumara Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at Susumaragira
in the country of Bhagg~ in connection with the
statement tmde by Prince Bodhi th<-lt II sukha, happiness,
cannot be 3tt~ined through sUkhDj sukha can te attained
only through dukkha". The Buddha sa id he had also once
thought in a similar mLlnner, and recounted the whole
3tOry of his renunciation, his struggles with wrong
practices, fr~ntic search for the Truth, and ultimate
enlightt:nment. 1:1hen asked by the prince hO"'1 long would
it take a bhikkhu to achieve, in this very lifetime, the
supreme gO:ll of the holy life, Arahatship, the Buddha
stipulated five attributes for the aspiring bhikkhu.If
he was equipped with five attributes: faith,cood health,
67
integrity (not being deceitful), unrelenting zeal, and
sufficient intellect to understand the phenomena of
'arising and passing away', and h~ving the Tathagata as
his instructor and guide, a bhikkhu would achieve the
Arahatship within seven years at roost. Under the roost
favourable circumstances he could become accomplished
within half a day.
(6) Ju1gulima la Sutta
This discourse, given by the Buddha at Snvatthi,
describes how Ailgulimna, the notorious robber and murderer,
wa s tamed by the Buddha, and how he took refuge
in the Buddha, the DhaIllIn'3 and the SaIbgha. Although he
had the name of Ahi.msaka, Non-violence, he ...fa s formerly
cruel and murderous and Wq s called hngulim-oila by people.
Being tamed now by the Buddha, he ceased hurting anyone,
and started living a life true to his nnme. H~ had become
an Arahat.
(7)Piyajatika Sutta
A hous~holder of SAvatthi whose son had died went
to see the Buddh,1 who told hila that dear beloved ones
formed a source of sorrow as they brought pain and grief.
The householder was displeased with what the Buddha
said. Gamblers playing with dice just close by the Buddha's
monastery told him differently. They said that
loved ones surely brought joy and happiness. King Pasenadi
concurred with the gnr'lblers but his queen 1'1c.11lik8
maintained that only what the Buddha said must be true.
She justified her fflith in the Buddha by giving m'HlY
illustrations of the Buddh~ls penetrating and illuminating
wisdom. King Pasenndi was fin31ly won over to her
n•ew.
(8) Bahitik? Sutta
Thi-s discourse was given at savatthi by the Venerable Ananda to King Pnsenadi on the bank of the
River Aciravati. He dealt with unwholesome deeds, words
and thoughts which were blame...~rthy and whol~some deeds,
words and thoughts which were praiseworthy. King Pnsenadi
was pleased with the discourse And m,de a gift of
cloth from the country of B5hiti to the Venerdbl~ Ananda.
68
(9) Dhammacetiye Sutta
King Pasenndi of Kosala once came to see the Buddha.
Ent€ring the dwelling where the Buddha was staying,
h~ fell on his forehc8d at the feet of the Buddha.When
Asked by th~ Buddha why he rlas showing such extrema
humbleness and respect to the body of the Buddha, the
king launched eloquently on a eulogy of the Buddha,
praising his virtues. T'"'e Buddha told his bhikkhus
that the words uttered by the king constituted a memorial
in honour of the Dhamna and urged them to learn
this memorial and recite it frequently.
(10) Kannakatthala Sutta
• •
This discourse, given by the Buddha at UrunBa,
contains answers to King Pa senl3di Kosala' s questions
about four classes of people and their destinations
after death, about sabba~~uta ~na, and about the great
BrafuD!". •
v. Bra-hma~a Vagga
(1) Brah~yu Sutta
"i'he Brahmin Brahmayu was one hundred and twenty
years old when he heard of the fame of the Buddha. He
sent his disciple Uttara who was well versed in Vedas
to find out by examining the thirty-two physical characteristics
of a great man whether Gotama was indeed an
Enlightened Buddha. On uttara's good report testifYing
to the Buddha having the r~quisite characteristics of a
Buddha, Brahmayu went himself to see the Buddha. Fully
satisfied, after hearing the graduated discourse, that
Gotama was indeed an enlightened Buddha, he became a
devoted disciple and, achieVing the third stage of the
Path and Fruition, an An~gami before he passed away.
(2) Sela Sutta
Sela was a brahmin of ApaQ8 market-town, who
on hearing about the fame of the Buddha from Ke~iya
the hermit went to see the Buddha accompanied by three
hundred young brahmins. After hearing a discourse from
the Buddha he became fully convinced that he had indeed
seen a truly enlightened Buddha. All of them requested
for am received permission from the BlXidha to join the
Order.
69
(J) Assalayana Sutta
Some five hunt-"ed brahmins who had corne to 5a'vatthi
on business atte, \ed to challenge the Buddha on
his views with regard 0 the purity and nobility of the
four classes of people They sent AssaUyana, a highly
talented young m3n well-versed in the Vedas, to contest
with the· Buddha. The young man's meeting with the Buddha
ended up in his conversion.
(4) Ghotamukha Sutta
•
A discussion took place between the Venerable
Udena and a brahmin by the name of Ghotamukha on the
subject of the practice of the holy lite. The V~nerable
Udena described four kinds of persons engaged in ascetic
practices. After the discourse the Brahmin became
a disciple of the Venerable Udena and took his refuge
in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha.
(5) Canki Sutta
Cank1, a brahmin of Op~S~d8 Village, came to see
the Buddha with a large crowd amongst whom was a young
brahmin by the name of K~p.Uika. The young man entered
into a discussion ,~th the B• uddha about the 'Three
Vedas' which had been handed down from generation to
generation in unbroken tradition. The tradition which
tbe brahmins believed to be the only Truth was likened
lS1 thtl Buddha to a line of blind men each one clinging
on to the preceding one.
(6) Esuk~ri Sutta
This discourse was given at ~vatthi in connection
with a brahmin named Esukari. In this sutta too
the Buddha rejected the brahmin classification of society
into four classes claiming the highest position
for the bra hDIi.ns. It wa s not only the bra hmins who
could develop loving-kindness, free from enmitJ• and
ill will. Members of other classes also could develop
loving-kindness. It was not birth but the practice of
wholesome dhanme that made a person noble.
(7) DhananjA"ni Sutta
Dhanaj'[j~ni was an old devoted lay disciple of
the Buddha. After the death of his first wife who had
70
great faith in the Buddha, the Dharr~na and the Sa6gha,
he was no longer diligent in and mindful of the practice
of dhanuna. His second wife was without faith in the
Teaching of the Buddha. To rr8intain his family he resorted
to wrongful means of livelihood. The Venerable
S§riputta put him back on the right path. On his deathbed,
he sent for the Venerable S§riputta who solaced
him with the dhamJn3. This caused him on his death to be
reborn in the Brahma world. The Buddha asked the V~nerable
Sariputta why he had put the old brahmin only on
the way to the inferior Brahma world when a higher attainffient
was possible for him.
(8) V~5e~~ha Sutta
A discussion had arisen between two brahmin youths
Vase~~ha and Bh~radvaj8 on the origin of a br8hma~3.
Bharadv§ja maintained it was birth, lineage and caste
that made a person a br~hrr~na. Vasettha believed moral • • • conduct and perfornli3nce of customary duties were essEntial
qualifications to be a brahmana. Th0Y ~ent to the Buddha
for settlement of their dispu•te.
The Buddha told them that a po 30n via s not ;j lJr~hma~
a just because of his birth if h<.. was full of worldly
attClchments, or was h.Jrnessed to greed, ill will, craving,
a nd ignorance. A person became J br~hllkHlJ vThatever
• his birth, Vlhen he had cut off his fetters of defilements,
removed the obstacles of ignorance and 8ttained
the knowledge of the Four j~oble Truths. The most perfect
brahma na WH san Ara hat • •
( 9) Subha Sut ta
This disc~urse was £iven on account of Subha, son
of the bratunin Todeyya, CIt Sav8tthi. Like other brahmins,
Subha believed that only householders could accomplish
meritorious deeds in 3 right manner, not those who
had gone forth from the household life. The occupation
of householders produced great benefits whereas the occupation
of the'recluse brought little benefits. The
Buddha removed his wrong views and Subha became a devoted
disciple of the Buddha.
(10) sang~rava Sutta
Sangarava was a young brahmin who Vias full of
pride with learning i~ the Vedas, entertaining wrong
71
views of his birth. He went to ask t~e Buddha whether
the Buddha claimed, like some sam3r:as and brl\hm31}as, to
have attained in this very life, special knowledge and
vision, and reached the other shore. The Buddha explained
that there were three kinds of salIlaJ?as and br~hnEnas
who made such claims: those who made the claim throUgh
hearsay, having learnt things by hearsay only; those
who made the claim by mere reasoning and logic; and
final1¥ those who IMde the claim by personally realizi.J!g
the penetrative insight of the Dhamma unheard of before.
The Buddha told Sangar'ava that he was of this
third type and recounted how he had become accomplished
:in the dhamna by practice and self-realization.
(c) Uparipa.n.~sa Pa..li
I. Devadaha Vagga
(1) Devada ha Sutta
This discourse ViaS .gi ven by the Buddha at Devadaha
in the country of the Sakyans to refute the WI'ong
views of the Niganthas. The Niganthas believed that
whatever a person·experiencedin t~is life was caused
by former action. They practised austerity as a penance
to put an end to the result of former action. The Buddha
taught them the right path that would lead to the
end of suffering.
(2) Pancattaya Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha to bhikkhus
at S§vatthi to explain the wrong beliefs of other sects
speculating on whether the world is finite or infinite,
etc.
(3) Kinti Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at Pisinar
§. The Buddha explained that he taught the dhamma
not for the sake of gain, such as robes, alms-feod,
lodgings, etc., nor in expectation of future happy existences.
His teachings, namely, the Four Methods of
Steadfast ~~ndfulness, the Four Right Efforts, etc.,
in short, the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment
were for the attainment of higher knowledge leading to
the end of suffering. Whenever there was a dispute orer
72
the doctrine with regard to meanings and words, it
should be resolved strictly in accordance with these
dhamues.
(4) ~magama Sutta
Nigantha Nataputta had recently died at Pava and
his follow-e• r•s had • split into two groups. On being in- formed by Ananda that he was worried lest there be such
a schism alIOng the Order, after the passing away of the
Buddha, the Buddha taught this discourse on imperfect
and perfect teachers Clnd disciples, on disputes and their
origin, and on the essenti~ls of his Teaching.
(5) Sunakkhatta Sutta
Bhikkilu Sunakkhotta, a former Licchavi prince,
once enquired 0 f the Buddha whether a11 the bhikkhus who
came to the Buctdh3 and declared their attainment of
Arahatship actu~lly attained it. Thc 3udd~~ said some
of them actually did .::lttain Arahatship '....hereCls sO.ne deceived
themselves; agaiz. otlitTS cli'lir"cd Arahatship, knowing
full ..lell th,jt they wer", not ei.titled to it, simply
to trouble him with unnecessAry ~t:';~;' ions. The Buddha
then taught him thE; essenti31 ahc'ITJI"'S in which one must
become accor.~lish€a befor~ one couli claim Ardhotship.
( 6) -Anenja-sapp~ya Sutta
This discourse was £iven by the Buddha while he
was staying once at Ka~sadhawrr~. in the country of the
Kurus. The BuddhA explaine. to the bhikkhus the dangers
of enjoying sensuCll pleasurE;s, which were transitory,
empty and deceptive. He said he had shown them the path
leading to imperturbability (Anenja-sapp~ya), to the
realm of Nothingness, to thE; realm of Neither Consciousness
Nor Non-Consciousness, and ultimately to Nibbana.
He then urged the bbikkhu~: /IGo to the forest, to solitude.
Strive hard in rreditation./1
( 7) GaqakamoggalliDa Sutta
The Buddha was once asked by the Brahmin Ganaka • •
Moggallana whether there were systematic rules, practices
and methods in his Teaching, just as there were
training rules, manuals, ft:idances in various branches
of worldly knowledge. The Buddha told him about the
Dhamrna giving details about precepts to be observed,
73
disciplinary rules to be fallowed, various concentrations
to be developed and jnanas and pannas to be
achieved step by step.
(8) allina Butta
Two leading brahmins of Rajagaha asked the Venerable
!nanda whether the Buddha had appointed a particular
thera to be the head of the Samgha after he passed
away. Manda informed them there was no such person. No
person could substitute the Bl.lddha. They wanted to know
then if the Samgha had agreed upon a certain bhikkhu to
be their head. When Xnanda told them there was no such
person, they wondered how the Sarngha could ~emain in
agreement and unity. Anand~ then explained to them that
they had indeed refuge in the Dhamma and hO\'l the Samgha
of each locality recited tOG·ther the P5timokkha, the
summary of disciplinary rules, every half month.
(9) MahapUl}t;!BD'l8 Sutta
The Buddha was sitting in the midst of a large
number of bnikkhus out in the open on a fullmoon night.
All the bhikkhus were intently engaged in rr~ditation.
The silence of the night was hroken by the oldest of the
meditating bhikkhus who , with the permission of the Buddha,
asked him about the five aggregates of grasping,
how craving developed with respect to each aggregate,
and how craving would cease. The Buddha explained each
point raised by the bhikkhu to the ereat benefit of the
assembled Sarneha.
(10) CiilapunnalM Sutta • • •
This discourse was given on how to differentiate
between a good man and a bad man, with detailed description
of the characteristics of good and bad men.
II. Anupada Vagga
(1) Anupada Sutta
This discourse was given at Savatthi. The Buddha
brought out in full detail the virtues of one of his two
Chief Disciples, the Venerable Sariputta, extolling his
wisdom which was extensive like thE; big earth, describing
how, unlike other Jrdin!lry eli sciples who had attained
74
Arahatship, the Ven~rabll ~riputta went through the
practices for development of sila, sam5dhi and parma
in a very thorough manner, step by step, contemplating
very intensely on the minutest phenoL~non of 'arising
and perishing' until he gained the highest goal of the
holy life. The Buddha explained also how the Venerable
Sariputta ~gs fully accomplished in the Dhamma to deserve
the honow' of being a Chief Disciple of ~he Buddha.
(2) Chabbisodh~na Sutta
The Buddha said that when a~ bhikkhu claimed to
the attainment of Arahatship, his claim should not be
admitted or rejected outright. His claim should be
carefully scrutinized according to the guiding principles
provided in this discourse.
(3) sappurisa Sutta
~his describes how a good, worthy man is to be
distinguished from a bad, umvorthy person enumerating
twenty-six charncteristics by which each individual is
to be judged.
(4) Sevitabb~sevit3bba Sutt3
This discoursl~ was given briefly by the Buddha,
and the Venerable Sariputta ccntinued to ~xpound it in
more detail. It deals with practices and :lctions which
a bhikkhu should or should not resort to. Nhatever
action or practice or object is conducive to one's
spirit~al progress and development should be resorted
to and made use of; whatever is detriment~l to one's
spiritual advancement shoulc be rejected.
(5) BBhudh~tuka Sutta
This discourse is an analytical study of elements,
dhatu; bases, ~yatanJ; the law of dependent origination;
and the right or vrrong causes. Only the bhikkhu
skilled in these studies may b~ reckoned as a wise
person.
li,
(6) Isigili Sutta
This discourse vras gi ven by the Buddha
one of the hills surrounding Rajagaha.
at IsigiThis
is
75
an account of why this hill was called by that nane
and of the many Paccekabuddhas who used to dwell there.
(7) Mah§catt~risaka Sutta
This discourse is a detailed exposition on Right
Concentration which has its base in the other seven
constituent parts of the Noble Path, on twenty meritorious
dhammas and on twenty demeritorious dharnmas.
- (8) Anapanassati Sutta
An~p~nessati as a method of meditation was explained
to a large gathering of bhikkhus including
nearly ~ll well-known senior disciples such as the
VAneunreurdadbhlea, SA-anrainpduattea,tc~. ~hD~evMeloogpgnaslnlatnoa,f mMaihn~dfKulansseAsspao, f
respiration establishes a person in the Four Methods
of Steadfast ¥undfulness. The Four Methods of Steadfast
~undfulness, being developed, establishes a person
in the Seven F~ctors of Enlightenment. The Seven
Factors of Enlightenment, being developed, bring about
Insight Knowledge and emancipation.
(9) Kayagatasati Sutta
This discourse describ~s thG meditation practice
involving contemplation on the thirty-two parts of the
body. The practical steps in the method uS well as its
advantages are fully explained.
(\0) Sankharupapatti Sutt:
This discourse explains how it is possible to have
one's wish fulfilled if one is well established in the
five wholesome dhammos, namely, faith, moral conduct,
learning, liberality and wisdom.
Ill. S~nata Vagga
Tht'! Buddha once
in the liberation of
requested by Ananda,
the void meant
discerns voidness of
C-ulasunnata
•
Sutta
- told Ananda that he often dwelt
the void, Sunnata-vih~ra. When
he explained wh~t liberation of
Liberation through Insight that
self.
76
(2) Mnhasui'il"1ata Sutta
Seeing many bhikkhus living together in" a crowded
dwelling place, the Buddha told Ananda that a bhikkhu
should not li!-3 living in company. Solitude is IIOst
beneficial for a bhikkhu. He urged bhikkhus to look
upon him as a sincere friend who would repeatedly point
out their faults to help correct them.
(3) Acchariya-abbhuta Sutta
This discourse is <In account of the twenty marvellous
att-ributes of the Buddha as extolled by the Venerable Ananda.
(4) Bakula Sutt8
Bhikkhu Bakula, aged one hundred and sixty years,
met his old friend, the naked ascetic Kassapa, after
he had been in the Order of the Buddha for eighty years.
Kassapa asked him how often he had indulged in sexual
intercourse during those eighty years. ~kula told his
friend the marvellous attributes he possessed as an
Arahat, including the fact that he became an Arahat
after seven days of strenuous endeavour, after which he
was completely rid of IIIOrnl defilements.
(5) DantabhUmi Sutta
In this discourse the Buddha explained to the
novice Aciravata how a young prince like Prince Jayasena,
son of King Bimbi sara could not hope to know, to
see, to realize such dh~mmAS as concentration and jh~nas,
living as he did in "th~ lap of lUXury, surrounded
by pleasur~s of senses, enjoying the pleAsures of
senses and consumed and overwhelmed by the flames of
desires. The Buddha pointed out the' difference in outlook
between an Arahat and an ordinary uninstructed
person giving the simile of a tamed elephant And a
wild elephant of the forest.
(6) BhUmija Sutta
This discourse was given by the Venerable Bhumija
to his nephew, Prince Jayasena to explain how
Fruition would result by practising the Noble Path
of Eight Constituents. The Buddha confirmed that only
·"by following the right Path, namely, the Noble Path of
•
77
Eight Constituents and not any other Path, Fruition
would result. The Buddha gave the similes of attempting
to make oil out of sand, squeezing the horns of a cow
for mil~, churning water to rrake butter, and rubbing
two pieces of wet green wood to make fire •
•
(7) Anuruddha Sutta
This discourse was given by the Venerable Anuruddha
to Pancakanga, the carpenter, to explain the difference
between Apparnapa Cetovimutti, liberation through
practice ot four Brahmavihara I-1editation and Mahaggata
Cetovimutti, liberation through Kasina Meditation using
a meditational device. •
(8) Upakkilesa Sutta
Once the Buddha left Kosambi because of quarrelling,
contentious bhikkhus and went to Pacinavamsa Park
where the Venerable Anuruddha, the Venerable Nandiya
and the Venerable Kimila were staying. When these bhikkhus
inforIOOd the Buddha about the aura (obhha) and
vision (dassana) of various shapes and forms they perceived
in the course of their meditation, the Buddha
taught them about Upakkilesa, mental defilements, that
appear at a certain stage in meditation process. They
should be on their guard not to be led astray by these
deceptive defilements.
(9) BilapaI}cp.ta Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha at S~vatthi
on fools and characteristic behaviour of fools; on how
evil thoughts, words and deeds of fools harm themselves
and others; and on how these evil actions lead fools to
states of misery and woe. The utter wretchedness and
intense suffering in such states beggar description,
~ce a fool, through his evil actions, found himself in
one of the nether regions, there was very little likelihood
for him to rise again to the upper realms. The
chances are more remote than that of a blind turtle to
get his head through a single hole in a yoke which was
being tossed about in a stor~ sea.
The discourse deals also with the wise and their
characteristics; the wholesome thoughts, words and
deeds of the wise, the wholesome effects resulting
from such meritorious actions and bliss enjoyed by
78 "
them in the realms of happiness.
( 10) Devadiit a Sutta
This is 8 discourse on evil re~ults arising from
evil action, giving details of suffering in realms of
misery and woe.
IV.• Vibanga Vagga
(1) Bhaddekaratta Sutta
This sutta which means ' a discourse on a night of
good meditation' gives a detailed description"of Vipas6a~
meditation. The Buddha urged the bhikkhus.not to
dwell in the past which was gone, nor to seek the future
which was ·unattained yet, but to perceive the dhamma in
the phenomena presently occurring, at the same time ~ot
becoming involved in and attached to them.
(2) Inanda-bheddekaratta Sutta
- This is a discours~ in which the Venerable Ananda
repeated to the bhikkhus the Bhaddekaratta Sutta, for
which performance he was highly commended by the Buddha.
(3) Mah§kacc~na-bhaddekaratta Sutta .
This is a detailed exposition ~ the Venerable
M:l~kacdina on VipasliaqQ meditation of the five khan~
as explained by the Buddha in the Bhaddekaratta
Sutta. The Venerable Mahakaccana was commended by the
Buddha for his exposition.
(4) Lomasakarigiya-bhaddekaratta Sutta
This is a detailed exposition by the VenerAble
Lomasakangiya on Vipassan~ meditation of the five khandhas
as explained in the Bhaddekaratta Sutta.
(5) CUlakamma-vibhariga Sutta
•
Young Subha, son of the Brahmin Todeyya, was
curious to know why some were born in high class families,
some in low class f3milies; why some were born
rich, others poorj why some were beautiful, others
ugly; wtw some were of good health wi th a long span
•
79
of life, others of poor ryealth with a short span of
life, etc. He approached the Buddha and asked fourteen
questions in all to satisfy his curiosity •. The Buddha
gave a long discourse on kamma and its resultant effects.
Deeds,words and thoughts have endless consequences of
joy and sorrow to be experienced in this very life and
hereafter. Men depend on their own deeds and nothing
else for their condition and status in life.
(6) Mahakamma-vibhanga Sutta
This is another discourse on karnna and its result- •
ant effects which are most difficult to foresee. How the
workings of kamrne were most strange and surprising were
expla ined with reference to four types of individuals.
(7) Salayatana-vibhanga Sutta
•
This discourse is a detailed analytical exposition
on six interns 1 sense ba ses, six externa1 sense ba ses,
six types of consciousn~5s arising from six tYP~5 of
contact, etc., by the Buddha. .
(8) Uddesa-vibhanga Sutta
In this discourse, the Buddha taught briefly how
restraint of the mind with regard to external sense
bases and non-attachment to internal sense bases led
to the cessation of suffering. The Venerable Kacc~na
gave an exposition on this subject which earned him
praise from the Buddha.
(9) Arana-vibhanga Sutta
•
This discourse is an eXhortation on the practice
of the Biddle Path, avoiding the two extremes of indulgence
in sensual pleasures and practice of self-mortification,
and on modes of conductJ not indulging in
backbiting; not keeping to colloquial vocabulary only
and not spurning the conventional usage of the language:
but spea ki ng gently, s1.owly •
•
(10) DhBtu-vibhanga Sutta
This is an important discourse taught to Pukkus~
ti, a recluse who had left the homelife inspired by
'-he fame of Gotama Buddha whom he had not yet met and
whom he wa s on his .~y to see. The Buddha went purposely
to meet this' recluse in a potter's hut to teach
80
this discourst: A man is made up of six elements,
na~ly, solidity, fluidity, heat, motion, space and
consciousness. en analysis, none of these ~lements is
found to be Imine' or I~"or I~ self'. All of them
are subject to the law of impermanence, so 3re the
three types of scns~tion. When 8 bhikkhu perceives the
real nature of the physical and mental phenomena, he
becomes enl!o'lled with absolute wisdom, Kno'ltledge of the
Noble Truth.
(11) Sacca-vibhanga Sutta
In this discourse th~ Buddha taught the bhikkhus
the Four ~oble lruths as he had donG at the.time of
giving the discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of
Dharr~ ot Isipatana in Bara~asi. He then urged ~hebhikkhus
to seek guidance fro~ {he two theras, the Venerable
Sariputta and the Venerable ~ah~ Moggallana,likening
the Venereble Sariputta to a mother and the Venerable
Maha Moggall~na to a foster-mother. The Venerable
Sariputta could analyse ond explain the ~our Noble
Truths in detail and lead them to the stage of the first
Path and Fruition. The Venerable Maha Moggallana could
then lead them on till the highest Path and Fruition,
the Arahatship, was achieved.
(12) Dakkhina-vibhanga Sutta
•
This discourse was given to the Buddha IS foster-
mother Hahapajapati on the occasion of her offering
to the Buddha a set of robes made by her own hand. The
Buddha urged his foster-mother to make the offering to .
the Samghs, the community of bhikkhus. He enumerated
fourteen Y~nds of donations to individuals and seven
kinds of donations to the Samgha, explairdng the superior
benefit accruing from offerings made to the
Saffigha. .
V. Salayatana Vagga
•
(1) Anathapindikovada Sutta
••
This discourse was given by the Venerable Sariputta
to Anathapi~9ika on his death-bed. The Venerable
S~riputta enjoined him not to grasp at the six internal
sense bases, nor the six external sense bases, nor
the feelings that arise in relation to them, nor at
81
the six elements (including space and oonsciousness),
nor at the five aggreg~t0s, nor the realms of Infinite
Space, of Infinite Consoiousness, of Nothingness, of
Neither Consciousness Nor Non-Consciousness. With no "
attachment to arv of them, there would come liberation.
(2) Channov~da Sutta
The Vehereble Ch~nna was very ill. The Venerable
sariputta and Cunda paid him a visit. They gave him
solace by giving instruction on ViEassana meditation.
The Venerable Channa died an Arahat.
() Punnovada Sutta
• •
This discourse was given to Bhikkhu P~a by the
Buddha on how to practise the holy life in solitude.
When the Buddha "asked him how he would contend with
the dangers which infested the locality \~ere he was
going to stay, he told the Buddha of the six categories
of fortitude he was endowed with, including indifference
to an attack· even on his life.
(4) Nandakov~da Sutta
This discourse was g:i ven by the Venerable Nandaka
to five hundred bhikkhunis in the presence of the Buddha
one fullmon night. He dealt with the twelve categories
of internal and external sense bases, the six
types of consciousness, their impermanent nature and
how to practise the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. He
won the approval of the Buddha for his lucid exposition
of the Dhanma.
(5) CUlarahulovada Sutta
•
This discourse was given by the Buddha to his son
Imhula who was then a bhikkhu of thc, Order fully mature
to receive the highest dhamma. The Buddha exhorted him,
in the form of question and answers on the imperm9nent
nature of the twelve sense bases, in consequence of
which the Venerable Bahula attained to Arahatship.
(6) Chachakka Sutta
This discourse was given by the Buddha frequently
to many bhikkhus on the six internal sense bases, the
six external sense bases, six types of consciousness,
GT, F.6
•
82
six types of contacts, six types of sensation, six
kinds of cravin~ and on how their interrelationship
led to continuity of phenomena from one existence to
another.
(7) ~hhal~yatanika Sutta
•
This discourse is :.In exposition on how the ignorance
of the six categories of dhamma such as the six
internal senS6 bases, etc., gives rise to craving, and
craving to suffering. It also explains how, when they
are seen as they really are by following the Noble Path
of Eight Constituents, the knowledge of the Seven Factors
of Enlightenment arises "resulting in the perfect
Peace of Nibb!na.
(8) Nagaravindeyya Sutta
This is a discourse in which the Buddha explained
to the villagers of Nagaravinda the distinction between
samanas end brahmanas who deserved honour and homage
and t•hose who did n• ot. Only those religious teachers
who had discarded the craving that erose out of !yat~na
dhammas were worthy of veneration.
(9) Pinda~taparif:uddhi Sutta
• •
This is a n exhortation to bhikkhus to keep themselves
pure in mind while going on alms round or while
eating their meal, by discarding craving, removing hindrances
and developing the knowledge of the Seven Factors
of Enlightenment through continuous practice.
(10) IndriyabMvan~ Sutta
This discourse was given to the Venerable -AnandR
by the Buddha showing the difference between the control
of senses practised by an Ar~hat Rnd thAt pr~ctised
by one still under training. The Buddha explained
that feeling of liking, disliking or of indifference
that arise from conditioned phenomena could be
soon eliminated by the practice of Vipassan~ Meditation.
83
Chapter VI.
Saivutts Bi.ldiys
This collection of discourses in the Suttanta
Pitaka known as Sadvutta Nikl!ya has 7762 suttas of
varied length, generally short, arranged in a special
order according to subject matter into five major divisions:
(a) Sagat~ Vagga, (b) Nid~na Vaggs, (c) Khandha
Vagga, (d) Sa!ay:3tana Vagga and (e) Mahlt Vagga. Each
major vagga is divided into fifty-six groups known as
sa~uttas related subjects grouped together. The
sadlyuttm are named after the subjects they deal with,
for example, Bojjhanga SaDvutta on the Seven Factors
of Enlightenment, or after SOIOO principAl personalities
such as the Venerable SSriputta, King P~semdi of
1<osala, or Sakka. Kosala SA~tta is a group of discourses
concerning King Pasenadi of Kosala, and Devat~
Sa~ta deals with devas like Sakka, Indra, Brahma,
etc. Each samyutta is further divided into sections
which are made up of individual suttas •. ·Thus the well-
known Dhenunacakkappavr.:tt:ml? SuttA is the first dis- _
course (suttn) in the second section of Sacca S~IDyntta
which canes under the l'J<lh13v~gga division of Sanr.luttB
Ni~ya. In the following excerpts from Sa~utt:l ~Iik~a,
only a few suttP. s representing ea ch rnA jor division are
•
g~ven.
(e) Sag§th~ Vagga Sa~utt~ P~li
'lbi.s major division of ~gatha Vagga SBnwutta PiHicontains
eleven sa~uttas with discourses grouped ac-'
cording to characters appearing in them, the king of
devas, the devas, the Bra~, ~era, King of Kosala,
bhikkhus end bhikkhunls. The name of the Vagga, Sag~tM.
is derived from the f;:lct that various personalities
appearing in the discourses conducted their dialogues
or interviews with the Buddha mostly in verse •
DevatA SaU• VUtta
On the request of a Drahm, the I;uddhr explains
in the Oghataraga Sutte of this sA!ivutta that he
crosses over the flood of sensuous desire,ot existonce,
of wrons views and of ignorance neither by remaining
inactive, nor by making strenuous efforts.By remaining
inactive he will be sucked into the whirlpool; by
making frantic efforts he will be swept away in the
current of the flood. He follows a middle course.
The Buddha ~lso teAches in other suttas of this
saJityutta that all being,s are ent~ngled in the mesh of
attachments brought about by six internal sense be...
and six external sense objects. The way to escape from
these entanglements is to becom~ est~blished in sl1a,
to develop Concentration Meditation Dnd Insight Meditation
in order to be fully accomplished in the higher
knowledge of liberation. .
Until one becomes fully developt:d in the knowledge
of the Path, tanh! can still give rise to rebirth.This
fact is borne ot.t by the story of a deva naIOOd S~mana,
given in Acchar~ Sutta. A certain young men h~ving
faith in the Teaching of the Buddha gets himself admitted
into the Order. Then taking a meditp.tion subject or
his choice, he repairs to a solitary abode in the
forest and devotes himself incessa.ntly to the practice
of meditation.
His efforts at meditation are very strenuous. Thus
striving day and night and getting enervated by lack
of sufficient nourishing food, he is suddenly seized
with a paralytic stroke which causes him instant death.
Although he has put in a great deal of effort in the
practice of meditation, he pesses away without even
attaining the stage of Sot5pann~, the Stream-winner.
Because of tanh~ which he hAS not yet erp.dicated,
he has to go through the round of existences ~gain;
but in consequence of the m~rit he h~s acquired in the
practice of meditation, a magnificent celestial palace
awaits him in the celesti~l abode of the T~vatimsa.
By spontaneous manifestation, he appears as if
just awakened from sleep, at the entrance of the palace,
a celestial being resplendent in full celestial attire.
He does not realize that he has taken a new existence
in a new world. He thinks he is still a bhikkhu of the
humAn world. The celestial maidens, who are ~waiting
his arriv.'31, bring a body-length mirror and pIece it
in front of the devp.. On seeing his reflection in the
mirror, he finally reali:~~ that he h~s left the bhikkhus'
existence and has ariseh in the celestial realJD•
• The Samaoa Deva is greatly perturbed then.. He
85
•
reflects that he has taken up meditation not to be reborn
· in the celesti!ll land but to attain the goal of
Arahatta Fruition. So without entering the palatial
building, he repairs hastily to the presence of the
Buddha. He asks of the Buddhn how to avoid, and j:.l"oceed
past the Mohena garden, the Tavatimsa celestial abode,
full of celestial maidens who to him appear AS demons.
The Buddha advises him that the straight path for a
quick escape is the Noble PAth of Eight Constituents
using the two-wheeler Vipassan~ carriage, fitted with
the two wheels of physical exertion aLJ mental exertion.
While the Buddha is teAching the Dhamma in three verses,
SamaQ8 Deva, is able to develop quickly successive Vi
»assana Nanas stt:p by step until he attains the first
Path and Ffuition.
Devaputta Sa~tt~
In Rohitassa Sutta of this sa~utta, Rohitessa
Deva comes to the Buddha with a nother problem. He tells
. the Buddha that he was in a former existence a hermit
endowed with supernormal psychic power which enabled
him to traverse throughout the universe with immense
speed. He had travelled with th~t speed for over one
hundred years to reach the end of the world but he did
not succeed. He wants to know.whether it would be possible
to know or see or re~ch the end of the world where
there is no birth nor death by travelling there. The
Buddha says he does not declare that there is a world's
eM where there is no birth nor death to be known or
seen or reached by travelling there. Yet he does not
say that there is en ending of suffering without reaching
Nib~n3. It is in the fathom long body of oneself
with its perception and its mind that the Euddha describes
the world, the origin of the world, the cessation
of the world and the way leading to the cessntion of the
world. The Buddha's way leading to'the cessation of the
world is the Noble Path of Eight Constituents •
Kosala Ssl•I\Y'utta
In this s~utta are interesting suttas which
describe frequent meetings of the Buddha with King Pasenedi
of Kosala. The king has heard of the f::tme of the
Buddha from his queen MalliM but he s not yet met him.
But when at la st he meets the Buddha a s described in the
l):lhara Sutta, he puts A direct question 'Imether the
86
Venerable Gotama claims to have attained the Supreme
Enlightenment. He says that there are other religious
teachers such as Pilrana Kassapa, Makkhali GoslH.s, Ni-
• gao~ha l-Ia~aputta, Sancaya, Pakudha and Ajita , with
their own order, with their own followers, who are much
older than the Buddha and are generally regarded to be
Arahats. 1ven these teachers do not make claim to Supreme
Enlightenment.
The Buddha replies thAt if it can be rightly said
of al\Yone to have attained the Supreme Enlightenment,
then it is only of himself that it can rightly be said.
The Buddha adds that there are four things that should
not be looked down upon and despised because they ~re
young. They are a young prince, a serpent, a fire and
a hhikkhu. A young prince of noble parentage should not
be despised. He might one day become a powerful rt~ler
and wreak royal vengeance. A writhing snake moves very
fast; it might attack and biteOa heedless man. A small
fire, when heedlessly ignored might grow in intensity
and cause untold damage.A men treating a virtuous bhikkhu
with contempt mifht brine upon himself unwholesome
results such as dwindling prosperity ~nd l~ck of offspring
to inherit from him.
°
° Dutiya Aputtaka Sutta describes another occasion
when King Pasenadi calls on the Buddha after he has
just taken over an immens~ accumulation of wealth belonging
to a multi-millionaire who ha s died recent1¥.
The dead man has left behind treasure worth over one
hundred lakhs which, in the absence of any heirs to
claim, becomes the king's property. The king reports
that the dead millionaire was a great miser, a niggard~
person, begrudging even to himself the luxury of comfortable
living. He wore only very.rough, thre:ld-bare
clothes, eating poor, coarse food and travelled about
in an dld, roofless rickety carriage.
The Budtiha confirms that what the king says about
• the millionaire is quite true and tells the king the
reason for the millionaire's miserliness. In one of his
past existences, he met a PaccekabuddhA going round for
alms-food. He gave permission to his family to offer
food to the Paccekabuddha And went out to attend to some
business. On his way back, he met the PaccekAbuddha whom
he Bsked whether he had been given Any alms-food b.Y his
family, and looked into the bowl. On seeine the delicious
food in the bowl, an unwholesome thought suddenly arose
87
in his mind that it would hwe been IOOre profitable to
feed his servants with such food than to give it away
to a Paccekebuddha.
For his good deed of allowing his family to m3ke
the offering to ~ Paccekabuddha he was reborn in the
deva world seven times ~nd b~came a millionaire seven •
ti~s in the: h\.lm3n world. But as a result of the ill
thought he had entertained in thnt previous existence
he never had the inclination to live a luxurious life
enjoying fin6 clothes, good food, and riding in co~
fortable carriages.
•
The millionaire h~s now exhausted the good as
well as the b~d effects of his thou5hts and actions
with regard to the offering of food to the PaccekabuddhB.
But unfortunately he has to face the consequences
of a IOOre serious evil deed, that of causing tht; death
of his own nephew in a pDst existence •
• The Buddha tells the king that he is therefore
reborn, a.fter his de"lth in the hUm3n world, in the state
.of the most intense suffering, l-'1.lMroruva.
Br!hmana Sa~uttD
•
~ny brahndns of Bhar~dv~ja clan become devoted
disciples of the BuddhA, ultimAtely attaining Arahatship.
At first, all of them are quite unfriendly, if
not openly hostile. Bh~radv~ja Gotte, mentioned in
Dhanarijlln1 Sutts, is such a brahmin. Although his wife
Dhanai'ljlhii is a disciple of the Buddh.'l, very much devoted
to his Teaching, Bhllradv1!js Gotta and his brahmin
teachers show great contempt for theBuddh~ and his
Teaching.
On one occasion when Bharadv~ja is giving a feast
to his brahmin teachers, his wife while in the course
of waiting upon these brahmins slips aocidentally and,
as she tries to regain her balance, blurts out three
times in excitement the formula of adorati.on to the
Buddha: 'NalDO Tassa Bhagavato Arahato S~~sambuddha
ssa '. Upon hearing the word 'Buddha I, the brahmin
teachers rise up from their seats and run away helt~r-
skelter in all directions just like a flock of crows
in who.e midst a stone hAS been thrown.
Tellillt his wift:. in a fury that he would defeat
the Buddha in a contest of doctrines, Bh~rp.dvAja goes
•
88
~o see th~ Buddha. Th~ interview ends up with Bharndv~ja
asking th~ Buddna's perI!1ission to enter his Order. He
final~ atteins to Arahatship.
Akkosa Sutt? mentions obout Bh~radv~ja Gotta's
younger brother Akkosaka Bheradv~ja, who on hearing that
his elder brother h3 s Joined the Buddh!3' s Order is highly
exasperated. Raging with fury, he. storms into the presence
of the Buddha whom he reviles and reproaches in
the most vulgar, offensive, obscene, foul l!3nguage.
Very calmly and with great comp?ssion the Buddha
asks the young Bh~radv~ja if he ever has given gifts to
friends and relatives. ~lhen the young BMratlvaja replies
that he indeed has made offers of gifts to his friends
and relatives, the Buddha asks him, "What happens to
the gifts if your fr-iends and relatives do not accept
them? II
''Well then they remain with me as nv own property,"
replies Bharadv~ja.
Then the Buddha says, IIYou have heaped abusive
language on us who have not uttered a single word of
abuse to you; you have been very offensive and quarrelsome
with us who do not offend you nor quarrel with you.
YOUll6Bh~radvaja, we do not accept your words of abuse,
your offensive and quarrelsome language. They remain
with you as your own property."
Taken by surprise by this unexpected reaction,
Bh§radv§ja is frightened with the: thought that this
might be a recluse's method of castine a spell on him
by way of retaliation. He asks the Buddha if he is BQgry
with him for his rude behaviour. The Buddha states that
he has long left anger behind. Beini: free from all mental
defilements how could he take offence with him! To
meet anger with anger is to sink lower than the original
re~er. He is the conqueror wt:Io wins a hard won
battle by not retaliating anger with anger.
At the end of the discourse, Akkosaka Bh~radvaja,
tho younger brother, also leaves homelife to join the
Buddha's Order. In time, he too becomes accomplished
in higher knowledge and attains to Arahatship.
In Kasi BMradv~ja Sutta is an account of the
3u:idha's encoumer with the brahmin Kasi Bharadvllja
who is a rich landowner.
It is sowing time and Kasi BharadvAja is preparing
to start ploughing operations with five hundred ploughs.
It is n:ede an auspicious occasion with distribution of
food and with festivities. The Buddha goes to where food
is being distributed and stands at one side. Kasi Bharadwja,
seeing him waiting for food, says to him, "I
plough, aamaQI, and I sow. Having ploughed and sown, I
eplaotu.ghYeodu taonod, soewamn,a•nyao,ushsohualldl pelaotu.gIIh and sow ; having
The Buddha replies, "I too plough, brahmin, and I
sow, dnd having plout:hed ::nd sown, I eat. 1I
Irie see no yoke or plough or pole or oxen of
yours. Yet you claim to be e ploughmr."ln. How do you explain
yourself?" asks the brahmin.
liThe faith which I hnve had since the time of SumedhA,
the hermit, is the seed. It will grow to bear tiE
fruit of Nibb§na. The sl1,a with which I keep control of
~ sense doors is the rain. The two kinds of knowledge,
mundane and supramundane, I possess are ~ plough and
yoke. Sense of shame for doing evil and fear of evil
deeds are the pole and the handle of the plough. r-W
energy is the ox, and ~ concentration is the rope with
which I put the ox to the yoke. My mindfulness is the
ploughshare and the goad. Guarded in ~ speech and modest
in the use of food, these self-restraints serve as
a ferce round ~ field of Dhamm3. With I'l\Y harnessed ox
as D\Y energy, I have ploughed on, never turning back
until the seed produces the fruit of Nibb,llna, the Deathless.
Havi~ done such ploughing, I eat now what I have
sown and I am free from eVf;;ry kind of suffering. II
Kasi BMradv~ja is so delighted and impressed with
the Buddha's words t~t he requests to be regarded as a
disciple of the Buddha fr.om thflt day till the end of his
life.
In Gaha1j.1j.havandana SuttA the Buddha explains that
the brahmins well versed in the Vedas as well as kings
ruling over human dominions, :'3nd devas of ~tumaMr!jika
and '1llvatimsa rel'.llm bow in homage to the SakkP., the king
of devas. The Sakk~ himself shews respect ~nd makes
obeisance not only to samanas who ht:lve lived their holy
• •
life without any breach of moral conduct for many years
but also to the lay disciples of the Buddha who Are
well established in their faith :md who h 8 V e don e
•
90
meritorious deeds of givinr charity, observing the Five,
the Eight or the Ten Precepts, and dutifully maintaining
their families.
(b) Nid~na Vagga Sa~utta PRli
•
. This second major division of Nid~na Vagga Samyutta
P§~ contains ten samyuttas, all dea~ing with
fundamental aspects of the doctrine. Th~ discourses are
chiefly concerned with the principles of conditioTh~lity
and interdependence, expl?ined in the detailed formula
which is culled IPaticcasamup~da', Conditioned Genesis
or Dependent Origin•ation, consisting of twelve factors·.
Various aspects of Paticcasnmupp~da, together with
expositions on doctrinal matters concerning practice of
the holy life form the main theme of early suttas in
these saritfuttas.
Nid§na Sariwutta
In Pa~iccAsAmuppada Sutta, th~ first sutta of this
8Sm,uttS, the law of Depend8nt OriginAtion outlined in
the form of a fornlula is briefly explained by the Buddha
to fi.ve hundred bhikkhu9 who ~re perceived by the Buddha
to be sufficiently developed and ripe for the attainment
to Arahatship. In the Vibhanga Sutt~, the second sutta
of this samyutta, the law of Dependent Origination is
explained in fuller detail to the same bhikkhus.
In Pa~caverabhaya Sut~u, the Buddha lays down the
criteria by which the status of attainment of a noble
bhikkhu may be judged. If a bhikkhu is freed of the five
dangers arising fronl five evil deeds, namely, killing,
stealing, sexual misconduct, telling lies ~nd tnking intoxicating
liquor and drugs; if he is established in the
four accomplishments of a SoUipanna, nemely, firm faith
and confidence in the virtues and attributes of the Buddha,
of the IJhanml3 and of the Samgha, ;md perfect purity
in sila; and if he possesses comprehensive nnalyticCtl
knowledge of the law of Dependent Orieination, he is
assured of a happy future, with no danger of arising in
states of woe and misery and is certain of further advancement
in the holy life •
•
In Puttamamsupama Sutta, it is explained that four
91
nutriments, ~h~ra, are 'conditions' necessary for the
existence ~ntl continuity of beings: (1) 0 r din a r y
material food (kabalik~rahara), (ii) contact of sense
organs (phassa) with sense objects, (iii) consciousness
(viM!ll8), and (iv) mental volitional or will (m'lnosancetaM)
•
This sutta is addressed especially to young bhikkhus
recently admitted into the Order. They are enjoined
to take their meals with due reflection on the loethsome
nature of fpod so as not to be overcome by greed and attachment
for it. A bhikkhu should t~ke meals not with a
view to enjoy it or relish it, thereby augmenting craving,
but just to sustain himself in order that the holy
life may be lived. A particularly illuminating pArable
is used here by the Buddha: A man And his wife set out
on a very long journey accompanied by their beloved son.
Half-way on their journey they ran short of food. l:;ith
no means of fresh supply, they plodded on with st~rvat10nstaring
in their face. The little son soon succumbed
to hunger and died. The rr~n ~nd his wife decided to save
their lives by eating the flesh of their dead son. They
ate with no relish nor enjoyment but only to sustain
themselves for the rest of the journey.
Other apt parables are given by the Buddha for the
understanding of the remaining thret.. nutriments. 'tlhen
one understands the real nature of nutriments on which • life depends, one understands the craving, tapha, responsible
for all the suffering. Thtr~by th~ way is open
to the supreme liberation, the Arahatship.
Susima Paribb~jaka Sutte gives ~n account of the
wandering ascetic Susim:J who is one of those who join
the Buddha's Order with ulterior motives. After the
rains residenc~ many bhikkhus come to pay their respect
to the Buddha to whom they report their attainment of
Arahatship. When he learns from these Arahats that they
possess no supernormal powers such as the Divine Power
of Vision, Divine Power of Hearing, or Kno~dng other
People's ~~nd, he is very disappointed. He has come into
the Order just to acquire such powers with which to win
fame and gain for himself.
He approaches the Buddha nnd inquires how the
bhikkhus could claim Arahatship when they possess no
supernormal powers. The Buddha explains to him that
their liberation is through pure Insight i~owledge,
92
not associated with jh~nD nccomplishments. Through -Vi- passanA meditation only they have seen the real nature
of n§ma and riipa (realities of nat\;re, Dhalllm'31(1(hiti)
followed by realization of Nibblh'18 through Magga f:§~.
The Buddha takes him through the same course of
meditation, testing by means of questions his understanding
of the five khandhes,' their real nature of impermanence,
unsatisfactoriness, insubstantiality, finally
establishing in him the insight that none of these khan~
is to be regarded as, "This is mineS this is ~J
this is ~ selfII • At the end of the discourse he gains
full understanding of the Dhanuna "lith the attainment of
Arahatship. When he re:3lizes Arahetship himself without
coming into 1='ossession of thtl supernorlMl powers, he
confesses to th~ Buddha the ulterior motive with which
he had first joined the Order, and begs to be pardoned
for such'evil intentions~
DMtu Senwutta
The natural law of affinity is pointed out by the
BuddhA in the Cailkama Suttl3 of this sa~utta while he is
.staying at the Gijjhakii~a Hill near P~jagaha. He draws
the attention of the bhikkhus to the scene outside,where
his senior disciples are taking a stroll attended upon
by their own group of followers. He &ays: "Bhikkhus,tbose
maf\Y bhikkhus under the leadership of the Venerable SAriputta
are all wise being endowed with much deep knowledge
of the Dhamma. Those surrounding the Venerable
~IBM l-bggallAna are well accomplished in supernorml
powers. The Venerable l·iah~kassapa and his followers are
strict observers of Dhutanga austerity practices. The
bhikkhus led by t he Venerable Anuruddha are fully endowed
with the Divine Power of Vision. The Venerable
Puzwa and his discipltls are adepts at teaching the Dham1IlI.
The Venerable Upni with his followers are experts ir
Vinaya rules of discipline and the bhikkhus under Xnanda
I s guidance are noted for their knowledge in many
fields. Devadatta and his many followers are distinguished
by their evil ways, thoughts and desires.Bhikkhus,
in this way are beings grouped together in accordance
with their natural bents and tendencies. The law
of affinity works in such a way that kitldred spirits
flock together, those of evil disposition in one group,
those of wholesome inclin9tions in another. This law of
93
affinity has held tru~ in the past, as it is true now
and will be trulil in the future.
Anamatagga Salhyutta
In the various suttas of this sa~utta, the Buddha
teaches that the cycle of existence, the sarrlsara,
represents the continuous arising and passing away of
~ndhas, ~atanas and dh§tus. This incessant process
of evolution and dissolution of dhatus (the fundamenta)
elements of matter and mind) and khandh~s (compounded
of the dhatus) is endless. Blinded by avijj~, ignonance,
and b.Y nivara~as, hindrances, ~nd fettered by taQha,
craving, beings have been passing from one existence to
another round and round the cycle of samsara, for immeasurable
periods of time. To bring hom~ this fact of
immensity of suffering undergone by beings, the Buddha
has given mny similes in this saJilyutta, most illustrative
of which are those of the four oceans and the Vepulla
Mountain given in the Assu Sutta. The tears shed
through the ages by each being on account of suffering
due to disease, death, separation from the loved ones,
association with the unloved ones would fill the four
oceans to the brim. The bones left behind by a being
after death in each existence, if collected together at
a certain place 3nd preserved from loss and decay,would
be as high as the Vepulle Mountain which lies north of
the GijjhakUta Hill •
•
The only way to escape from this round of endless
suffering is to perceive the real nature of the khandhas
by means of Vipassana meditation until one becomes
disenchanted with them; and thus by abandoning cr3ving
for and attaclunent to them one attains liberation
through realization of Nibbana.
The Buddha teaches in other suttas that one
should in the meanwhile develop loving-kindness towards
all sentient beings with the realization that, during
the immeasurably lone passage'through the samsara,there
is no being who has not been one's mot~er, father, sister,
brother or one's son or daughter, relative or
f%'iend.
Kassspa Ssl•I\Yutta
In the Candupama Sutta of this s<llDyutta the Buddha
lays down codes of conduct for bhikkhus, giving
the exarq>le of the mono Just as the moon sheds its
94
•
light equally on every object or person so also a bhikkhu
should equally treat everyone, young or old or of middle
age, showing favouritism to none, nor hostility to any.
He must deal with them with due regard, humility and
meekness. l-tindfulness should be ever present in his relations
with all classes of people. For example, when a
certain person tries to obtain his drinking water from
an old well or from a riverbank of loose sand or from
down a precipice, he approaches the source of water with
great care, controlling his movements and actions. Much
in the same way should a bhikkhu conduct himself with
great mindfulness in his dealings with all classes of
people.
In teaching the Dhar~ to lay disciples, if his
motive is to win gain and fame for himself, then his
teaching should be regarded as impure. The Dhamma should
al-ways be taught only out of compa ssion and with pure
tfiought so that the Dhamma which is excellent in the
beginning, excellent in the middle and excellent in the
ending, namely, the Dhamrna on sUa, sauildhi and panna,
could be heard, understood and practised by the listener.
In the Saddhammappa~irupaUaSutta, the Buddha
outlines the conditions un~er which the Teaching would
decline or under which it would prosper. The Buddha
gives the discourse in answer to a question asked by the
Venerable };ahakassapa why it is ~hat. in former days when
there were only a few disciplinary rules promulgated by
the Buddha, there were a large number of Arahats; now
that the disciplinary rules have multipled, only a few
attain to Arahatship.
The Buddh~ explains that the number of disciplinary
rules increases in proportion to the deterioration
in the moral state of beings. So long as no spurious
and false teaching appe~rs in the three branches of the
pTreaacchtiicneg; (ppaatriivyeadthtai,, tfhrueoitrsetoicfatlheleaprrnaicntgic; ep),a•tsiopalottnig,
will the Teac• hing remain genuine, pure, and untarnished.
But when spurious and false teaching appears, this
Teaching with its three branches will decline 'gradually
until it vanishes altogether, much in the same way as
genuine gold disappears when imitation gold is introduced
to take its place.
The Buddha concludes: "And Kassapa, just 8S iron
is destroyed bl rus+· it is the melIlbers of the Order
95
who are corrupt, immoral, who cannot hope to attain
higher knowledge, who will bring about the downtall ot
the Teaching."
In the last few suttas of Nid~na Vagga are discourses
that describe the fearful destiny of corrupt
bhikkhus and bhikkhunls and those lay people who have
done evil deeds in previous lives. The Venerable Ma~
Moggallana sees them SUffering intensely in the Peta
world and describes their conditions vividly. The Buddha
confirms what the Venerable Moggallana has recounted.
(c) Khandha Vagga Sa~utta Pati
The main theme of most ·suttas in this division is,
as the name implies, khandhns, the five aggregates that
constitute what is regarded as a being. Each of the components
of these aggregates, namely, matter, sensation,
perception, mental concomitants ~nd consciousness is
shown to be a bundle of dukkha, suffering. Made up of
thirteen sa4ruttas, Khandha Vagga forms an important
collection of doctrinal discussions on such topics as
atta, anatta, eternity, and annihilation.
The Nakulapitu Sutta gives an account of the
advice given to Nakulapit~, an ageing disciple of the
Buddha. He asks for advice from the Buddha on how to
conduct and keep himself free from the pains of old age
and disease. The Buddha explains that rupakkhandha, the
material body being a bundle of dukkha, is subjected
constantly to the pains of old age and disease; but the
mental complex could be kept free of agony and pllin by
keeping it undefiled with impurities. A more detailed
exposition of this brief explanation of the Buddha is
liven to Nakulapita by the Venerable ~riputta. The
uninstructed common worldling clings to the five aggregates
through crllving :md conceit, and holds the wrong
view that each of the aggregates (rupe, vedana, sa~,
sankhara and vii'iMl}a) is self, atta. Even as he clings
to the five aggregates as attn these aggreg~tes manifest
their own oppressive characters by inflicting pain of
old age, pain of disease, pnin of defilements (kilesa).
Because of these oppressive ~1ins, the uninstructed
collllI()n lC>rldling is subjected to sorrow, lamentntion,
pain, grief, end despair. aut when the worldling becomes
instructed and has become accomplished in the
96
Thirty-Sev~n Factors of Enlightenment, he do~s not
clin£ to the five aggre£atEs through craving, conceit
or holding wrong views of self. Th8n ~ven though the
five aggreg~t~s menifest their own characteristics of
being oppressive, he js no longer subjected to mental
afflictions of sorrow, l~mtntDtions, pr'in, grief and
despair.
In the Bhar0 SuttD, the five groups of grasping
(Pancup~dpnakkhandba)are designated as a burden, a
heavy load. It is craving for sense objects, craving
for existence, cravin~ for non-existence which is responsible
for this heavy burden being borne along. Realization
of the Noble Truth of Cessation, Nibbana, is
where the craving is completel~ erpdic~tej, where this
htavy load is finally discarded.
The Yemaka Sutta explains that the five aggregates
are of an imp~rmanent nature; they should be looked upon
as one's enemies. Understanding their real nature of
impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, insubstantiality, the
'twenty kinds of wrong views of self should be discarded
so that one may not be set upon by these enemies.
The Vakkali Sutt~ g;ves an account of the Buddha's
visit to the ailing Bhikkhu Vakkali upon his request,
The great compassion of the Buddh? becomes manifest in
this account. When Va kkali informs the Buddha that for
a long time he has bEen longing to set his eyes upon
the Buddha, the Buddha gently reproaches him: "Vakkali,
what is there in seeing the decomposing body of mine?
It is enough to see the DhDmma. He who has seen the
Dhamma has seen me. This body of mine is like all
else always rotting away, falling into decAy."
Then the Buddha teaches him the dhamma on the imperm:
mence of all things, th~ir unsatisfactoriness ,:md
insubstantiality and finally shows him the way to
liberation.
Of the fiVe aggregates, the Buddha says it is
better for B person to mist~ke his physical body as
atta, self, rAther than mine or Qonsciousness, beca~se
the physical body appears more solid and substantial
than thought or mind which constantly changes faster
than the physical body.
The Khemak~ SUtt3 records an illuminating conversation
between '3 bhikkhu n"lmed Khem1'!ka p.nd a group of
bhikkhus who want to verify the 5 tag e 0 f his
97
attairuoonts. When tht: bhikkhus ask him if he sees self
or anything pertaining to self in the five aggregates,
KhemakB replies "No." But when the bhikkhus suggest
that, if so, he must be an Arahat free from defilcllJ:3nts,
KhemakB replies that though he does not find self or
anything pertaining to self in the five kha ndha s, he is
not an Arahat free of taints. He still has a vague feeling
"I am" although he does not clearly see "This is I"
with respect to matter, sensation, perception, mental
formations or consciousness.
His vague feeling is likened to the smell of a
flower: It is neither the smell of the petals, nor of
the colour, nor of the pollen, but the smell of the
flower. He then goes on to explain that even if a person
retains the feeling "I am" at the early stages of
realization, as he progresses further and attains to
higher stages, this feeling of "I am" disappears altogether,
just as the smell of soap lingers in a freshly
washed cloth and disappears after a time when it is
kept in a box.
In the Puppha Sutta, the Buddha declares that he
~s not quarrelling or arguing with the world; it is only
the world with its devas, mras, kings and people th:lt
is disputing with him. To proclaim the truth is not engaging
in disputes. He speaks only what wise men hold to
be true. Wise men say thBt there is no cOrPOreality,
sensation, perception, mental formations or consciousness
which is stable, permanent, enduring. He says the
the same. Wise lOOn say that there is o~ corporeality,
sensation, perception, mentnl formations or consciousness
which is unstable, impermanent, unendurihg. He also
SQ's so.
"In this changing world, there are only things
which are subject. to const~nt change and decay. Perceiving
their real nature, I declare that the world is
compounded of things ~ubject to decay and decomposition,
namely, the aggregates of matter, sensation, perception,
mental formations and consciousness, which are incessantly
rising and passing away. There is nothing else
besides these perishing aggregates. Bhikkhus, I teach
this dhamma in P. brief manner. I also teach this dhamna
DDre comprehensive4r and· cOUlpletely. But if the uninstructed
cOlDlOOn worldling remt:lins unperceiving pm unknowing
in spite of very enlightening discourses, how
GT, F.?
98
can I help? Bhikkhus, various kinds of lotus grow in
water, develop in water, rise ebove water, <"nd remain
there unpolluted by water; so also I was born in this
world, I grew up in this world, I developed in this
world end rose high f.lbove it without being attached to
it, without bdng affected by it".
In the Phenapindup~ma Sutta, the aggreg~te of
• • • rupa is lik~ned to froth; it is unstable, impermanent,
constantly rising, and wmishing. It is therefore not
self. The aggregate of vedana is likened to an air bubble.
The v~rious sensations are just like bubbles, disappearing
fast, impermP.nent, untrustworthy, of the
nature of ardcca, dukkha and anatta. Sense perception
which apprehends whatever is seen, heard, smelt, tasted,
touched or kno\'m, is likened to a mirAge. What is considered
by a samana as a being, a ID"ln, a woman or self
is an optical illusion like 13 mirage. In relllity, it is
merely a phenomenon of incessllnt arising And wmishing.
sa~r~, volitional activities, are likened to plan,
ain trunks. A plantain trunk is IlIi-lde up of layers of
fibrous meteriel with no substantial, solid inner core.
~nkh~ra is like the plant~in trunk void of inner substance.
Consciousness is Jike a conjuror's trick. It
arises and vanishes instantly. Consciousness arises
not as one wishes, but as conditioned by its own cause
f.lnd circumstance.
(d) Salayatana Vagga Sa~utta P5li • •
This aivision is m-"de up of ten samyuttas or
groups. It deals m~inly with the six sense org~ns or
bases of contact lli1med internal sense bases (eye, ear,
nose, tongue, body and mind), six corresponding sense
objects, known as external sense bpses (visible form,
sound, odour, taste, t:3ngible things :~nd mind-objects),
and consciousness that arises in relation to each ~ir
of theSE: int€rn~l and external sense bases. There nre
expositions on the imparmP.nent nature of these senSG
bases and how relinquishing of attachroont to them results
in liberation. The sensation arisin5 from coming
together of the sense bases and consciousness is shown
to be of three kinds: pleasant, unpleasant, indifferent,
none of which is permanent; ea~h one of these is the
cause of craving which in turn is the root of all suffering.
Concise but illuminating expositions on NibMna
99
are found in many suttas. So also Rre there practical
guides for Vipassan§ meditation.
In the very first two suttas, the Buddha explains
that the six internal sense bases and six external sense
bases have the nature of itnpernsnence; being iIq)ermanent,
they are really suffering and not self. "Bhikkhus, realizing
their true nature, you should not regard these
twelve sense bases as 'This is miner, 'This is I', 'This is
~ self'. Contemplate on them steadfastly, constantly,
until Vipassam Insight into their real nature arises."
The Buddha continues to explain t.hat insight into the
true nature of the twelve !yatanas will develop dispassion
and disenchantment for them. Being disenchanted
with them, there is no craving, clinging, thereby
achieving the Path and Fruition.
- In the famous Aditt~ Sutta, the fire sermon, delivered
at Gayasisa to one thousand ascetics formerly devoted
to fiz:e-worship but recently converted and admitted
into the Order as bhikkhus, the Buddha explains that
each of the six sense bases and the six sense objects is
burning; each is burninl-. with the fire of lust , with the
fire of hate, with the fire of ignor:mce. Mch is burning
with the fire of birth, ageing 'lnd death; with the
fire of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.
Six forms of consciousness arising in relation to the
six sense bases are also burning; the si.x ~c.ntacts And
the six sensations resulting fro'll them a '0 burning.
The Buddha explains further that when a bhikkh~
who has practised the dhamm1 develops Vipaseana Insight
and perceives that each of the bases is burning, he beCOIleS
disenchanted with it. Then craving fades away.
With the fadiIl£ of craving, he is libertclted. And when
liberated, there is knowledgt;) that he is liberated. At
the em of the discourse, one thOUsAnd former worshippers
of fire attain ArAhet~hip.
In the P~thama ~dgaj~la Sutta, the Buddha's de-
• finition of 8 bhikkhu who lives in solitude is very
edif'ying. When a bhikkhu unmindfully takes delight in
the six sense objects, regards them wrongly as 'This is
mine', 'This is I', 'This is ~ self', craving for them
arises in him am he becomes attached to fetters. Such
a bhikkhu in whom craving has arisen is reg;\rded ;\s one
living with a companion, eVl:n if he lives alone deep in
a forest away from towns and villages. vlhen, however, he
100
mindfully perceives the trt'e n(~turE; of the six sense
bases and objects, he does not wrongly hold on to them
as 'This is mine', 'This is I', 'This is ~ self' and
craving for them does not ~rise in him. Such a bhikkhu
in whom cravinE has not ariscn is said to be living in
solitude without any companion even if he lives in the
midst of peoplE;, in towns or villpges.
The Punna Sutta givE;s ~n account of a bhikkhu by
the name of ~Unn2 who asks for instruction from the Bud- •• dha on Q suitabl~ subject on which hcl can m~ditate in
solitude. The Buddha advises him to contemplate on the
true nature of the six sense b~ses and objects. 'Nhen he
perceives their true nature, no crnving for them will
arise in him. Eradication of cr8ving will result in liberation
and attainment of Ar?hatship. After receiving
the instruction, the bhikkhu informs the Buddh~ of his
intention to reside in a very distant and remote land.
The Buddha tells him that it is a wild country inhabited
by savage tribes, and asks him how he intends to cope
with the dangers and haz:;1rds that would face him. The
answer ginn by the bhikkhu provides" Dodel lesson in
fortitude ~nd endurance.
The bhikkhu says, if he were menaced with invectives
and curses or attacked physic3lly, or if he had
stones thrown at him or if he were hit with sticks or
cut with swords, or piE;rced with spears, he would bear
them with endurance with no ffi"3lice against the s;lvage
tribes. 1ven if his head were to be chopped off he would
feel he was luckier th"3n those noble ones who h~d to
commit suicide to be released from the sufferings of the
khandhas.
The BuddhiJ rer.k3rks, "well said, bhikkhu, \oJell
said. I beliE:Vt; you '"Ire qu" lifiE:d to l~ad ;~ solit<lry
life in that wild country. You will overcom~ ~ll difficulties.
II
As prcsa~ed by the Buddh'1, th~ bhikkhu is able to
overcome all hostilities Bnd difficulties in his new
residence, and to convert five hundred men ~nd five
hundred women so that they cOlTle to take refuge in the
Buddha, the DharrJll? .md the Samgha. And durin€, the very
first vassa residence, practising the medit?tion as
instructed by the Buddha, the Bhikkhu Punna attains
Arahatship, fully accomplished in th~ thr•e•e vijjas.
In the Bh~rad~j8 Sutt~, 3n interesting interview
101
between King Udena and the Venerable Pindola Bharadvaja
is described. King Uden~ pproechcs the·Venerable Pi~dt•
roelea iBnhatrhDedvkaijna gw' shiplearhke. isThme ekdinitgatirnemg aarkt sththe:.ltf.omotanoyf a
young men have abandcned sensual pleasures and :dd the
holy life. They maintain the holy practice throughout
their life. The king enquires, "What is the means by
which they maintain the purity of their holy life?" The
bhikkhu replies that they keep to the pure life by
training themselves as instructed by the Buddha to regard
a woman 0 f their m::>ther' sage a s their mother, a
woman of their sister's age as their sister, and a girl
of their daughter's age as their daughter.
The king is not satisfied with Ure answer. He
argues that E::ven if a bhikkhu trains himself in the
said uenner, it is no guarantee for the non-arising of
impure thoughts in him in connection with a female person.
The Venerable Pindola B~radvaja explains further they practise meditatio•n• on the foulness of a body by
contemplating on the thirty-two constituent parts of
the body. The king is still not convinced; he maintains
that, for older bhikkhus with more mature experience,
who are well established in mindfulness and concentration,
contemplntion on the thirty-two constituent parts
of the body might prove to be salutory; but this type
of meditation for younger bhikkhus might h3ve an ndverse
effect, exciting lust and passion inste~d of aversion
for the human tDdy. Only when the Vener.:Jble Pil}90l.a BhSradv~
ja tells him th9t the bhikkhus prnctise restraint
of the six f.:Jculties keepir.,c a close \·/atch on the doors
of the six senses that the king ngrees that purity of
the holy life is possible under such circumstances.
In the Pethama Dlrukkhandhoparr2 Sutta, the dis-
• course given by the Buddha on the bank of the R1. ver
Ganges at Y>osambi, the Buddh'" uses the simile of a log
floating down the river. He says thAt if the log does
not get stranded on either of t.he two bDnks, nor sinks
in the middle of the river, nor' gets salvaged and deposited
on the bank by some one, nor is retrieved by men
or devas, nor sucked in by a Whirlpool, and if it does
not get decomposed on the way, it will be carried by
the current till its destinntion, the ocenn, is reached.
In this simile, the ne~r bank me~ns the six internal
sense ~8es; the far ~nk represents the six external
sense objects; sinking in the mid-river. mcnns
102
getting immersed in sensuous desires; being salvaged
and deposited on a b~nk m~ans being hindered Qy one's
own conceit; being retrieved by men means doing some
services or running errands for men; being retrieved by
devas means practising the holy life with the deva realm
as one's obj~ctive; being sucked in a whirlpool menns
wallowing in sensual pleasures; getting decomposed on
the way means becoming corrupt, i~nornl, heedless of the
disciplinary rules. If a bhikkhu manages to steer himself
clear of all these obstacles, he will be carried
along Qy the current of Right View till he renches his
destination, Nibb~na.
In the Chapp~~~kopama Sutta,the Buddha teaches
that a bhikkhu practising the holy life must exercise
control of his sense f~culties. The six sense faculties
may be likened to six ~nimAls, namely, ~ snake, P. crocodile,
a giant bird, a dog, a Jackel ~nd a monkey.
Suppose each anirn.'3l is bound by a rope and the ropes
are tied together into ~ single knot. vfuen they are left
in this state, e0ch anim~l will try to get to its own
habitat, the snake to its underground hol~, the crocodile
to the river, etc. In this way they will pull and
struggle against one another until they become exhausted
and are dragged along by the strongest of them. The mind
of 0 bhikkhu with unrestrain~d sense faculties will be
imoelled by the senees towards corresponding sen s e
• •
supp"~~ "'~~'" ... "'; ..... 1 is bound by;> "f'~:::-.,.Lo
..Lch :i" t .. p' . 1.e firrrJ.y~::"~· ,;, ~.l L. :.
6.l-ound. E.ach aniD'EJ. Wl.~ _ ....; furious attenpts to r",turn
to its home and becoming exhausted finally will
stand, sit, curl or lie down quietly near the post.Similarly
by practising contemplation of the body, ~yagaUse"'
i, the sens~ faculties are placed well under control.
Mindfulness of the body serves as the firm post
to which each of the faculties is tied down.
Dukkarapa~ Sutta states th~t in the Teaching of
the Buddha, it i~ difficult first to become a member of
the Order as a novice and as a bhikkhu. Secondly, it is
difficult to be happy and comfortable in the Order with
its disciplinary rules. Thirdly, even if one stays the
course and remains in the Order, it i~ difficult for
one to practise concentration meditation and Vipassana
meditation to attain to highGr stages of knowledge.When
fully errlowed with supporting ,p?ramts (perfections), a
103
bh.i kkhu who gets instruction in the morning and starts
• practising meditation in t~c rnprning may be fully liberated
by the evening; if he gets instruction in the
evening and starts practising meditation in thp. ~vening
he may be fully liberated by the morning.
A wealtny householder by the name of Citta
figures quite prominently in some of the suttas of this
division. In Niga~~ha ~taputta Sutta, Niga~~ha ~~aputta
finds himself unable to accept the view expressed
by the Buddha that there is jMna and sam§dhi free from
yitakka and vic~ra. He discusses this problEm with~t~
the wealtny householder, who is an Ariya disciple of the
Buddha. Citta tells him: "I believe there is jMna and
samadh! free from vitakka and vicara, not because of mY
faith in the Buddha but because of mw own achievement
and realization." Citta explains that he has personally
experienced jMna sam!ldhi unaccompanied by vitakka arn
vieira and has no need to rely on others for believing
this.
The same Citta used to have in his younger days a
close friend who later bec3nie the naked ascetic Kassapa.
Each has gone his own separate way and the two friends
meet again only after thirty years. Citta asks bis ft':im:l.
whether by living the ascetic life he has gained arvthing
more than what could be achieved by the wholesome
dhBmma o, f ordinary people. The ascetic Kassapa admits
that he has nothing to show besides his nakedness, his
shaven head and accumulation of dust ~\U n~s bC''' , •
~lhen a sked in return ;/Mt he himself ha s gained
by being a disciple of the Buddha and following the
Path as instructed by his Teacher, Citta informs him
that he has become fully accomplished in the four j~s,
and having removed the five fetters, is now an Anag1Jm!,
a Non-retUrner. The naked ascetic, impressed by his
.chievements, tells Citta that he wants to be 8 disciple
of the Buddha. Citta introduces him to the leadingbhikkhus
and helps him to get admission into the Order.With
the guidance of the theras and encouragement of his
friend Citta, the ex-ascetic Kassapa puts in such an
effort in the practice of meditation that in no time he
gains the supreme goal of Arahatship.
In the Sankhadhama Sutta, the Buddha points out
the wrong views held by Nigar:~ha ~~aputta on kamma
and its resultant effects. Accordin~ to the village
104
headman Asibandh3kaputta, his Teacher Niganth~ Nataputta
teaches that every one who commits evil' deeds of
killing, lying, etc. is definitely bound to be reborn
in states of woe. Whatever action is pt:.rforlOOd ill a
greater frequency, that 89tion tends to det~rmi.ne the
destiny of a being. The Buddha points out the fallacy
in the two statements,.one contradicting the other. An
individual does not often commit the evil deed, for instance,
of killing. Other actions besides killing are
performed by him in a more frequent manner; hence, according
to Nig~ntha ~t~putta, he will not be destined
to states of woi'for his evil act of killing.
Then the Buddha explains thl3t only very heinous
acts such as killing of ono's own p~runts, tr~ating a
schism in the Sarngha, etc. bring the dire resultant
effect of c~rtain destiny in the states of woe. Other
misdeeds, physical, vocal or mental, cannot be regarded
as to lead with certainty to unhappy destinations. Instead
of just feeling remorseful and penitent ov~r
one's particular evil deed, one should r~cogniz~ it to
be evil, and resolve not to repeat a similar unwholesome
action, and follow it, with the practice of concentration
and Vipassana meditation.
Thus abandoning all evil deeds and doing only
wholesome deeds together with development of Brahmavibara
BhAvana till accomplished in jhana, one can escape
from the unhappy consequences of one's evil actions and
look forward to a better future. This Sankhadhama Sutta
establishes the fact that as in matter of practice so
also in the matters of views, the Buddha takes the Mid-·
dle Path.
In the Bhadraka Sutta, the Buddha expl~ins the
origin of suffering by giving illuminating examples.The
village headman Bhadraka wants to know the causc:; of
suffering that afflicts mankind. In reply, the Buddha
asks him to think of his son and imagine that his son
is meeting with unexpected misfortunes, or getting
arrested by the kingls order or facing a severe punishment.
Bhadraka imagines as he is told and finds that
such thoughts give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain,
distress, grief and despair in him. When he imaeines a
stranger to be placed in a similar situation, fncing
similar predicament, he finds thAt he is not troubled
at all with any ~ntal a€,ony. He explains to the Buddha
that the difference in his mentol reaction to the two
105
situation5 lies in the fact that he lbves his son with a
parent's love 3nd is very fond of his son, whereas he
has no such feeling tow~rds the stranger.
Next the Buddha asks him if any love, passion or
desire arises in him before he meets or sees or hears
about the woman \'1ho ha s become his wife. Bhadra ka replies
that only when he meets, sees and h~ars about her that he
develops passion and att:3chment towards his wife. T·Vhen
the Buddha asks him further ~hether he will suffer from
sorrow, lamep.tation, pain, distress, grief, despair, if
anything untoward happens to his wife, he confesses that
he will suffer more than these agonies; he might even
lose his life through intense suffering.
The Buddha points out then that the root cause of
suffering in the world is craving, greed, passion and
desire that engulf mankind. It has been so in the past,
as it is now and so it will be in the future.
(e) Maha Vagga Sa~utta Pali
• • The last Vagga of Samyutta hik5ya is IMde up of
twelve ~a~uttas, the list of which gives ~ clear indi~
ation of the subjects dealt wi~h in this division:
Magga Sarnyutta, Bojjhanga Sanyutta, satipatth5na Sarilyutta,
Indriya Sa~tta, SamrnappadhBna Sarilyutt~, ~11aSamyutta,
Iddhip.-1da Sanwutta, Anuruddhe Sarhyutta, Jh~na Samyutta,
Anapana Sa~utta, Sot~patti Samyutta and Sncca
Sa~tta. The main doctrines which form the fund~mental
basis of the Buddha's Teaching are reviewed in these samyuttas,
covering both the tneoretical and pr~ctical aspects.
In the concluding suttas of the vagga, the ultimate
goal of the' holy life, Arahattn Ph.1la, Nibban:J, end
of all suffering, is constantly kept in full view together
with a detailed description of the way of achieving it,
namely, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Path of Eight
Constituents.
In the opening suttas it is pointed out how friendship
with the good Dnd associrJtion with the virtuous is
of immense help for th~ attainment of the Path and Perfection.
It is one of the supporting factors conducive
to the welfare of a bhikkhu. Not having a virtuous friend
And good adviser is a great handicap for him in his endeavours
to attain the Path.
106
In th" Kund.1liy.';! Sutt.1, the w-r.dering asc8tic • • Ku.t;lgaliya asks the. Buddha Ilh'lt his objecti ve is in practising
the hcly lif8. When the. Buddha replies that h6
lives the holy life to enjoy the Fruits of the Path and
the bliss of lib~r~tion by Y~owl~dge,th" ascetic wants
to know how to achieve the5~ r~sults. Th~ Buddha advises
him to oultivate and frequently practise restraint of
the fiv~ s~nses. This will establi&h the threefold good
conduct in deed, word and thought. When the threefold
good conduct is cultivated and fr~quently practised, the
Four Found~tions of ¥~ndfulness will be established.~lhcn
the Four Foundations of ~undfulness ~r~ well ~stablished,
th~ Seven Factors of £nlight~nm€nt will be developed.
When th~ Sevc.n Factors of Enlightenment arc developed
and frequtntly applied, th~ rruits of the Path and liberation
by knowledge will b~ nchieved.
In th~ Udayi Sutta,theru is an account of Udayi
who gives confirnntion of such achiev~ments through personal
experience;. He tells hovr hv comes to know about
the five khandhas fron the discourses, how he practises
contemplation on th~ arising and ceasing of these khandhas,
ther~by developins Uda~abbay~ ~na which, through
frequent cultivation, lTOtures into !llaggP. Insight. Progressing
still further by developing ~nd applying -frequently
the Seven F,Jctors of E.nlightenment he ultil:Jately
attains Arahatship. In mAny suttas' are recorded the personal
experiences of bhikkhus and lay disciples who on
b~ing afflicted with s~rious illness ~re advised to cultivate
and practise the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.
They recount how they are r~lieved, not only of p~ins of
sickness but also of suffering that arises from craving.
In SakUQagghi Sutta,the bhikkhU5 aN exhorted by
the Buddha to ke8p within th~ confines of their own
ground, Le., the Four Foundations of tJd.ndfuln€ss, n::!me~,
contemplation of body, sensation, ~nd ~nd mind-obj~cts.
They can roam freely in th~ safe resort guard~d by these
outposts of Four foundations of ~und1ulness, unhArmed by
lust, hate ~nd ignor~nce. Once they str~y outside their
own ground, they expose themselves to the allurt:ments of
the sensuous world. The par~ble of falcon and skylark
illustrates this point. A fi~rce falcon suddenly seizes
hold of a tiny skylark which is feeding in an open field.
Clutch(;d in thE; claws of its captor, thl:: unfortunatt::
young bird bemoans its foolishness in venturing outside
of its own ground to fall ~ victim to th0 r~iding falcon.
107
"If only I had stayed put on r:Iy own ground inherited
from ~ par~nts, I could eAsily have beaten off tlus
attack by the fa leon. 11 Bemused by this challenging
soliloquy, the fDlcon asks the skyli'lrk where th.:?t grcund
I would be that it has inh<:rit(.d frolil its pi'lrents. The
skylark replies, "The interspaces beh/een clods of earth
in the ploughed fields are ~ ground inherited from lI\Y
Farents." "All right, tirw tot, I shall release you
now. See if you can escape QY clutches even on your own
ground. "
Then standing on A spot wher~ three big clods of
earth meet, the skyl~rk derisively invites th8 f~lcon,
"Com6 and get me, you big brute." Burning with fury,
the falcon sweeps down with fierce speed to gr~b the
mocking little bird in its claws. The s~JI~rk quickly
disappears into the interspaces of th~ earth clods, but
the big falcon,unable to arrest its O\'1n sp(;ed,sr,~"lsh6s
into the hard protruding clods to med its pAinful dellth.
In Bhikkhunupassaya Sutta,thL Buddha ~xpl3ins - for Ananda' s benefit two m(-.thods of l"cdit~tion. ':lhen
established in the Four Foundations of Lindfulness, a
bhikkhu will experience a benefici"ll result, gradually
increasing. But should his mind be distracted by external
things during the cont~mpldtion on Lody, sensation,
mind or mind-object, the bhikkhu should dir~ct
his mind to SOrn6 confidenc~-inspiring OQj~ct, such ~s
recollection of the virtues of tht. Buddha. By doing so,
he experiences joy, rapture, tranquillity and happin~ss,
which is conducive to concentri'ltion. He Ci'ln then revert
back to the original object of meditDtion. ~lh..:n his mind
is not distracted by extern?l things, no n~ed arises
for him to direct his mind to any confidence-inspiring
object. The BuddhD concludes his exho-rtation thus: "Here Are tre-es a nd secluded places, Ananda. Practise meditation, Anande. Be not neglectful lest you regret
it afterwards."
- As set out in the Cir".l.tthiti Sutt~, th£ V(;ner~bl(; Anands takes this injunction to heart ~nd reg~rds the
practice of the Four Methods of Steadfnst ~undfulness
as of supreme importance. _When a bhikkhu by the mmc of
Badda asks the Venerable Ananda, after the de3th of the
BBuuddddhhl1a,'sW~T"letacwhiinlgl , btrhinegVaenbcoru"t~btlheeA-dniAsnadappreenpr~linecse,o"fSothe
long as the practice of the Four Methods of Steadf~st
Mindfulness is not neglected, so long will the Teaching
108
prosper; but when the practice of the Four ~ethods of
Steadfast Mindfulness declines, ~he Teaching will gradually'
disappea r."
Anap5nassati ~editation, one of the methods of
body contemplation, consists in watching closely one's
in-breath and out-brenth ~nd is rated highly as being
very beneficial. In the H'1hA Kappina Sutta~ the bhikkhus
inform the Buddh~, I~we notice, Venerable Sir, that bhikkhu
MoM KAppina is nlwAys calm :.md collected, never
excited, vlhether he is in company or al~ne in the forest!'
"It is so, bhikkhus. One who practises Anap1'inassati
meditation vath mindfulness nnd full compr~hension rernnins
calm in body and collected in mind, unruffled,
unexcited."
The Icchannngale Sutta describes how the Buddha
himself once stnyed for the rains-residence of three
msionngthA-s nianpaIncacshs~ant~i nmgcadliatf~otrieosntmgorsotvoe finthesotliimtued. eA-p~rpnac-tinassaU
meditation is known as tht; 3bode of the Enlightened
Ones, the ~bode of the Noble Ones.
When fully accomplished in the cultiv~tion of the
Seven Factors of Enliehtenment, through practice of
body contemplation or An~panass~ti meditation, one becomes
firmly tstnblished in unshak~ble confidence in the
Buddha, the Dhammn end the Samgha. The moral conduct
of such a person, throUbh observance or precepts, is
also without blemish~ He hrs reached, in his spiritual
development, the stage of the Stranm-winner, Sot~patti
Magga, by virtue of which, he will never be reborn in
states of woe and misery. His p~th only leads upwards,
towards the three higher st~ges of nccomplishment. He
has only to plod on steadf~stly without looking backwards.
This is explained in the PathAIIl'l tiJBhBnJ!irna Sutta,
by the simile of an earthern pot f•illed pertly with
pvels and stones and. p:'lrtly with fat and butter. By
throwing this pot into water and smashing it with a
stick, it will be seen' th~t ~ravels and stones quickly
sink to the bottom while fat ~nd butter rise to the
surface of the water. Likewise, when a person who ha s
established himself in the five wholesome dhalllWl s of
faith, conduct, learning, charity and insight dies,
his body rem~ins to get decomposed but his extremel,
purified mental continuum continues in higher states of
109
existence as birth-linking conscio~sness, Eatisan~hi
citts.
In the concl~ding SuttAS Are expositions on the
Middle Path, the Four Noble Truths end the Noble Path
of Eight Constituents.
The Buddh~' s first serron, the DhClInm-1cnkkappavattan~
sutta, appears in the l?st samyutta, namely,
Sacca sa I•l\YUtta •
The Buddha did not rnnke his claim to supremely
perfect t::nli£htcnment until he hed acquired full understanding
of the Four Noble Truths. liAs long, 0 bhikkhus,
as ~ knowledge of r~ality ~nd insi[ht regarding
the Four N:>blc Truths in three .:Jspects nod twelve ways
wa s not fully clea r to mc;, so long did I not adr.d.t to
the world with its devas, ~ras 8nd br~hm~s, to the
mass of beings with its recluses, brahmins, kings and
people that I had understood, attained ~nd realized
rightly by myself the incom~rAble, the most excellent
perfect enlightenment. II
The Buddh~ conclud~d his first sermon with the
words IIThis is my last existence • .Now there is no more
rebirth for 100. II
110
Chapter VII
This Collection of Discourses, Ahguttara NikBy8,
containing 9557 short suttas is divided into eleven divisions
known as nipitas. Each nipata is divided again
into grQups called vaggas which usually contain ten
suttas. The discourses are arranged in progressive numerical
order, each nipita containing suttas with items
of dhamma, beginning with one item and IIDving up by
units of one till there are eleven items of dhamma in •
each sutte. of the last nipata. Hence the name Ailguttara
meaning 'increasing by one item'. The first nipata, Ekaka
Nipita, provides in each sutta single items of dhamme
called the Ones; the second nipata, Duka Nipata, contains
in each sutta two items of dhanuna called the Twos,
and the last nipita, Ekadas:Jka Nipata, is made up of
suttas with eleven items of dhallllll3 in each, called the
Elevens.
Aliguttara Nikaya constitutes an important source
book on Buddhist psychology and ethics, which provides
an enumerated S\lJllMry of all the essential features
concerning the theory and practice of the DhallllDa. A
unique chapter entitled Etadagga Vagga of Ekaka Nipata
enumerates the names of the forellDst disciples' amongst
the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upisikas, who h::ld
achieved pre-eminence in one spher\l of attainment. or
meritorious activity, e.g. the Venerable sBriputta in
Intuitive Wisdom :md Knowledge (f::lnna); the VenerAble
Matta Moggallana in supernorlll8l powers (Iddhi); Bhikkhuni
Khema in Panna'; Bhikkhuni Uppal:JvaQt:JI in Iddhi; the
Upisaka Anatna.pir:<p-ka and the Upasika VisakM' in alms-
giving (Dana); and so on.
( 1) Ekaka. Nipata Pafi
This group contains single items of dMDlJI}1 which
form the subject IMtter of discourses given by the Buddha
at savatthi to the numerous bhikkhus residing there.
But some of the suttas were given by the Vener.,ble S.3riputta
or the Venerable Xnanda.
(a) There is no one sight, sound, smell, taste and
111
touch other than that of l' wOlMn which can captiv3te
and distract the mind of ~ manj conversely there is no
one sight, sound, smell, taste ~nd touch other than
that of a man which can captivate and distract the miOO
of a 'WOman. (paras 1 to 10 )
(b) There is no other single thing that brings about
so much disadvantn-ge and unhappiness .'lS an undeveloped
and uncultivated mind .. A developed and cultivated mind
brings about benefit Mrl happiness. (paras 28 to 31)
(e) No other single thing changes so quickly as t~
mind .. The mind is intrinsically pure and bright; it is
defiled by greed, hatred and ignorance. (paras 48, 49)
(d) If a bhikkhu practis~s the meditation of loving-
kindness, and develops it even for the short duration
of a fingersnap, he is regarded as following the advice
of t~ Buddha, acting according to his instructions.
Such a bhikkhu deserves to cat the Alms-food offered by
the people. (paras 53, 54)
(e) There is only one person whose appearance in the • world brings welfare and happiness to the many, brings
benefit, welfare ani hoppiness to devas and men. It is
a Teth§gata, a full~ Enlightened Buddha.
It is irrpossible for two Enlightened Buddhas to
appea.r simultaneously in the same world system. (paras
170 to 174)
(f) It is impossible for a person possessed of right
views, i.e. ? Sot~panna, to regard any conditioned formation
as permanent, h~ppiness, Self (nicca, sukha,atta~
It is possible only for an uninstructed worldling to
regard 8IVthing as permanent, h,'lppiness, Self. (paras
268 to 270)
(g) If onE: thing is developed And fr~uent~ pr'lctised,
the body is calmed, the mind is calmed, discursive
thinld.ng is stilled, ignorance is shed, koowledgE:
arises, delusion of self is e1bl1nated, evil tendencies
are eradicated, the fetters are removed. That one thing
is the mindful contemplaticn of the bod;yo. (p-'r~s 571 to
576)
112
(2) Duk~ Nipate pali
•
(I) There are two things to J:>e borne in mind: not to
be content with what has been achieved in the process
of development, i.e. even with the attainment of j~nas
or inner lights (which indicates a certain stage of Insight
meditation), and to resolve tv struggle unremitting~
and strenuously until realization of the goal,
the enlightenment. (parA 5)
(b) There are two potentialities of men, to do good
or to do evil. It is possible to 3bandon evil; abandoning
of evil brings benefit 1300 happiness. It is also
possible to cultivate the good. Cultivation of the good
brings benefit and happiness too. (parl3 19)
(c) Two things are conducive to attairurent of liberation
in two ways: Concentration Meditation and Insight
Meditation. If concentration is developed, the mind
becomes developed and passion fades away resulting in
liberation of mind. 1f insight is developed, wisdom is
developed 2nd ignorance fades away resulting in liberation
by knowledge. (para 32)
(d) There are two p~rsons one can never repay: mother
and father. Even if one should live a hundred years
during which one attends upon one's nx:>ther and father,
heaps all one's attention, love and personal service on
them, one can never repAy them for havint brought up,
fed and guided one through this life.
But if a person causes his parents who are non-
belivers to become established in the faith and to
take refuge in the Buddha, the DhmDlOO and the Sarrghll;
if he causes his parents who do not observe the precepts
to b~come established in morolity; if he causes
his miserly parents to. become generous so that they
come to share their wealth with the poor and the needy;
if he causes his ignorant parents to become established
in the knowledge 0 f the Four Truths, then suc h a person
repays and more than repays his :parents for "That they
have done for him. (paras 33, 34)
(e) There are two kinds of happiness. The happiness
of the home life and the h8ppiness of homelessness; the
happiness of homelessness is superior.
113
The happiness of the senses and the happiness of
renunciation; the happiness of renunciation is superior.
Tainted happiness and untainted happiness; •••••••
Carnal and non-carnal happiness; ••• and ignoble and noble
happiness; •••••• Bodily and mental happiness; mental
happiness is superior. (paras 65 to 71)
(3) Tika Nipata' P:!li
•
(a) The fool can be known by three things, by his
conduct in deed, word and thought; so also the 'Id.se rmn
can be known by three thin{;s, by his conduct in deed,
word and thought. (para 3)
(b) Th~rE) are three plac-as a sovereign king should
not forget: his birth plece, the place where he was
crowned as king and the site of battle in which he conquered
his enemies. There art.: three places a bhikkhu
should not forget: the pl':ce of renunciation, the place
where he achieved the knowledge of the ~ur Noble Truths
and the plac~ where he ~ttain~ Ar?h~tship. (para 12)
(c) He who devotes himself earnestly to his business
in the roorning, in the daytime and in the evening, will
prosper, and grow in wealth; the bhikkhu whe devotes
himself earn~stly to development of concentrDtion in
the roorning, in the dayti~ and in thE. evening will pr0gress
and gain advancement in his spiritual work.
(para 19)
(d) These three types of persons ~re found in the
world: One with a mind lik~ an open sore; one with a
mind like a flash of 1i[htning; one with ~ mind like 0'3
diaroond.
One who is irascible and very irritable, displaying
anger, hatred nnd sulkiness; such 8 one is
said to be a person with a mind like an open sore.
OnE;. who understl:! nds t he Four Noble Truths correctly
is said to have n mind like n fl~sh ~f li[htning.
One who has d~stroyed the mind-intoxicnting defilements
and realized the liber~tion of mind and the liberction
by lmowledge is snid to hl:!v~ ::l mind like t: diamond.
(p.:Jra 25)
G!', F.a
114 -
(e) There ar~ these thre~ kinds of individu~ls in the
world: One who speaks words reekinf with foul smell;
one who speaks words of fragrance; and one who speaks
words swe£:t as honey. (p.~rlJ 28)
(f) Ther~ ~rE three root c~uses for the origination
of actions (kernm1): Greed, hatred and ignorance. An
~ction done in greed, h~tr~d ~nd ignorance will ripen
wherever the individual is reborn; and wherever th~
action ripens, there the individual rc~ps th~ fruit
(vip~ka) of th~t nction, be it in this life, in the
next life or in future existences. (pnr~ 38)
(g) He who pr~vGnts ~nothGr from giving ~lms hinders
and obstructs three persons. He causes obstruction to
the merit~rious 3ct of the donor; he obstructs the recipient
in getting his gift; hu undermines and h~rms
his own chnrActer. (p~lr() 58)
(h) ThreE d~ngers frem which D mother c~nnot shield
her son nor the son his mother: Old rge, diseAse Dnd
deAth. (para 63)
(i) The well-known sutt~, Kes~mutti Sutta also known
as Kalama Sutta, ~ppc~rs 3S th~ fifth suttA in the K1havagga
of the Tika Ni.p~ta. At Kesamutta, fI sfMll town
in the Kingdom of Kos<lla, t he Buddha thus exhorted the
~Uimas, the inhabit.'.lnts of the town: "Do not be led
by reports or traditions, or h~Drsay. Do not b~ l~d by
the authority of r~ligious texts, nor by mere logic or
inference, nor by considering ?ppe~rances, nor by specu
lative opinion, nor by seeming possibiliti~s, nor because
one's own te~cher has said so. 0 K5la~,s, when
you know for yourselves th~t certain things ~re wrong,
unwholesolOO, bad, then givo:; them up; when you know for
yourselves th1t certain .tr~ngs 1re right, wholesome,
good, then acct:pt them, follow them." (p~r1 66)
(j) A bhikkhu devoted to the holy life should pay
equa 1 attention to three ft) ctors in tum, nl'lJooly, concentration,
energetic effort and equ?nimity, nnd not
exclusively to one of these factors only. If he gives
regular attention to each of them, his mind will beco~
sort, pliant, malleeble, lucid ~nd well concentrnted,
ready to be directed to whDtever m€nt~l st~tes is realizable
by sup~rno~zl knowledge. (~r~ 103)
115
(k) Ther~ ~r~ three rare persons in the world: a
Tath~gDt9 who is a perfectly Enlightened One is r~re
in the world: ~ pErson who can expound the TeC"ching and
Discipline as taught by the BuddhP. is r~re in this
world; and. ,<J p~rson who is grateful ;md thankful is
rare in the world. (p~r9 115)
(1) Whether a Tath~gata ~ppE:;Drs in the world or not,
the fact remains as a firm and ineYitable condition of
existence that all conditioned form~tions are impermanent,
that all conditioned forlWtions are subjl::ct to
suffering, that all things ~re devoid of self. (para
137)
(4) Catukka
(3) These four persons ~re found in the world: he
who boes with the strc~!!l; he who boes '!gJinst the
stream; he who st.-mds firrt; he who h"lS crossed ov.r to
the other shore and stnnds on dry l·'1nd.
The person ~/ho indulges in 5~nS0 dtsirl::s nnd
comrrits wron~ 9€~ds is Qn~ who goeS \rith the strenm. He
who does not indulrE in se-ns( d(.sirc.s or commit -",Tong
deeds, tout lives th~ pUN, ch':'!stc lif"" struggling pninfully
and with difficulty to do so, is on~ who goes
~gainst the str~am. He who stands firm is the person,
who having dc.stroyed th~ five lower fetters is r~born
spont3n~ously in Brahrna r~p.lm, wh0nc~ he realizes Nibb~
na without c.v(.r returning to the sensuous sphere.The
one who h~s gonG to the othc.r shore standing on dry
land is th~ p~rson who h~s destroyed all the mental
intoxicants, and. ~/ho hJs realized, in this very life,
by himself, the liber~tion of the mind and liberation
by kno\-rledge. (pn r:) 5)
(b) There are four right efforts: (i) The energetic
effort to prevent evil, unwholesome states of mind
from arising; (ii) the energetic effort to get rid of
Evil, unwoolesome states of mind that hnve Illre:ady
arisen; (iii) the energetic effort to 3rouse good,
whol<:some states of mind that. Mve not yet orisen;
(iv) the energetic effort to develop and bring to perfection
the good and whol~some states of mind alrcndy
arisen. (para 13)
(e) As a TC"tMgata spe:;ks, so he ."lcts; :'s he nets,
116
SO h~ sp0~ks. Ther~for~ ht is cAlled a Tath~gata.
(par;) 23)
(d) Th~r~ ~re four high~st kinds of faith: Th~ Tathagata,
the holiest I'mcl fully enlightened, is the highest
among all livint beings. Among all conditioned things,
the Noble Path of Eight Constituents is the highest.
Among all conditioned and unconditioned thin£s, NibbAna
is the highest. Arr~ngst all groups of men, the Order of
the Tath~gata, the Saffigha made up of the four pairs of
noble men, the eight Ariyas, is the highest.
For those who have faith in the highest, namely,
the Buddha, the Path, the NibbAna and the hriyas the
highest resultant effects (result of action) will be
theirs. (para 34)
(e) There are four ways of dealinb wi th questions:
(i) Som~ should be given direct answers, (ii) otr~~o
should be answered by way of analysing them, (iii)
some questions should be; answered by countel'-questions,
(iv) lastly, Borne questions should simply be put aside.
~para 42)
(f) There are four dis~ortions (vipallAsAs) in perception,
thought !'lnd vie.l. To hold thet there is permanence
in the ir.~~~lncnce; to hold that there is
happiness in suffering; to hold that there is atta
where there is no attn; to hold thnt there is pleAsantness
(subha) in that which is foul. (parA 49)
(g) 'h'hcr. Nakulapit§ and r~nkulam-~tfj express their wish
to the Buddha to be in on~ another's sight as long as
the present life lasts And in the future life as well,
the Buddha 3dvises th~~ to try to have the same fnith,
the same virtue, th~ S3me tenerosity and the same wisdom;
thtn they will hove their wish fulfilled. (paras
55-56)
(h) He who giv~s food gives four things to those who
receive it. He gives them long life, benuty, happiness
~nd strength. The donor himself will be endovted with
long life, bceuty, happiness and strength wherever he
is born in the human or the devs world. (pnra 57)
(i) There are four subjects not fit for speculative
117
thought (Acinteyy:lini). 'Ir,.::., ar€: the specific qualities
of a Buddha (BuddhfJvisayo); a person' s j~n8 attainment;
the results of Kamma; and the nature of the world (loka
cinU). These imponderables ore not to be pondered upon;
which, if ~ndered upon, would lec-d one to menta I distress
and insanity. (parn 77)
(j) Th~re are four thines concerning which no one
whether sama~a, brahma~a, deva, Mara or anyone else in
the world can gi.ve a guarantee:
that no resultant effects should come forth
fro~ those evil d~eds done previously. (~ra
182)
li~b16 to die should not die; and
(i)
(ll)
(iii)
(iv)
That what is
that what is
ill; .
that "'That is
liAble to
liable to
dec~y should not decay;
illness should not fall •
(k) There are four ways by which a person's ch'lracter
my be judged:
His virtue can be known by a wise and intelligent
person paying close attention after living together with
him for a very long time. His integrity C!J n be known by
a wise am intelligent person by having dea:Iings with him,
paying close attention over a long period of time. His
fortitude can be known by a wise and intelligent person
by observing him with close attentiop in times of misfortune.
His wisdom can be judE;ed by a wise and intelligent
person when conversing with him on ¥arious subjects
over a long period of time. (para 192)
(1) There are four things conducive to the growth of
wisdom: associAting with a good person; hearing the good
Dhamm8j neintaining n right attitude of mind and leading
a Ufe in accordance with the Dhamma. (para 248)
(5) Pancaka Nip~ta P~li
•
(8) There are fiv& strengths possessed by a person in
training for higher knowledge: faith, sht'lme (to do evil)"
moral dread, energy and insight-knowledge. He believes
in the enlightenment of the Buddha; he feels ashAmed of
wrong conduct in deed, word :md thought; he d rea d s
118
anything evi~ and unwholesome; .he arouses energy to
abandon everything unwholesome and to acquire everything
that is wholesone; he perceives the phenomenon
of constant rising and ceasing anLis thus equipped
with insight which will final4r lead him to MbbAna,
destruction of suffering. (para 2)
(b) There are also other five strengths, namely,
faith,energy, mindfulness, concentrAti~n and insight-
knowledge. The strength of faith is seen in the four
characteristic qualities of a Stream-winner; the stre~h
of energy is seen in the four Right Efforts; the strmgth
of mindfulness is seen in the Four Methods of Steadfast
Mindfulness and the strength of concentration is seen
in the four jMnas; the strength of insight-knowledge
is seen in t he perception of the phenomenon of constant
rising and ceasine, an insight which will finally lend
to Nibbllna. (para 14)
(c) Impurities that defile gold are iron, tin, lead,
silver, and other metals. Impurities that defile mind
are sensuous desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness
and worry, sceptical doubts. (para 23)
(d) A giver of alms surpasses a non-£iver in five
aspects, namely, in life-span, be~uty, happiness, fame
and power, ~nether both be reborn in the deva world or
the human world. This difference in five aspects will
persist till liberlltion is achieved. There is then no
distinction between the liberation of one and the oth~r
or between one arahat and the other. (p~ra 31)
(e) There are five conter~laticns which ought to be
practised by everyone, bhikJrJ1Us or leyfolks, men and
women:
'I am certain to become old. I cannot avoid ageing.
'I am certain to become ill and diseased. I cannot
avoid illness.
II am certain to die. I cannot avoid death.
'All things dear and beloved will not last. They
will be subject to ch"lng& and separation.
I~1¥ kalIUil3 (past and present actions) is Il\Y only
property, kamma is II\V only herita ge, ka IIlIIIa is the only
cause of nu being, kauma is II\V only kin, II\V only protection.
Whatever actions I do, good or bad, I shall
become their heir.' (para 57)
119
(f) Five stendards which should be set up for teaching
the DhaIID1l8: the DhAnllIl8 should be taught in €rDduated
discourses; the Dhamna should be given as a "tell-reasoned
discourse; the Dhamma should be given out of co~ssion
and synq:>at1V; the Dhamma should not be eiven for
the sake of worldly gain and advantage; the Dhmlllls sh~
be taught without alludi.nt, to oneself or others. (para
159)
(g) There are five WAyS of getting rid of a grudge: If
a grudge arises towards any person, the!'! one should cultivate
loving-kindness, or compassion or equanimity towards
him. Or one should pay no attention to him and
give no thought to him. Or one uey apply the thought:
his only property is his actions; whatever he does, good
or bad, he will be heir to thAt. In these ways, all
grudges th~t have arisen can be removed. (pAra 161)
(h) Wrong occupAtions which should not be followed by
a lay disciple: 1rading in ~rms and we~pons; tradinr in
living beings; trading in meat; trading in intoxicDnts;
trading in poison. (para 177)
(6) ChakkA Nip~ta PHi •
(a) There are six things which Are unsurpassed: The
noblest things scen, the noblest things heard, the noblest
gain, the noblest learning, the noblest service,
and the noblest reflection. The sight of the Tath~gata
or the Tathagata's discipl~s is the noblest thing seen.
The hearillb of the Dhamm1 from the Tathagata or his disciples
is the noblest thing heard. Faith in the Tathagata
or his disciples is th~ noblest gAin. Learning
supreme virtue (adhisila), supreme mind development
(adhicitta), supreme wisdom (lIdhipaPiM) is the noblest
leRrning. Serving the Tathagata or his disciples is the
noblest service. Reflecting on the virtues of the Tathagata
or his disciples is the noblest reflection. (para
30)
(b) There are six kinds of suffering in the world
tor one who indulges in sense-pleasures: poverty, indebtedness,
owine interest, being demnnded repaying,
.being pressed And harassed by creditors, imprisonment.
120
Similnrly in the Teaching of the Ariyns, a person
is regarded to be poor And destitute who l~cks faith in
things that ~re illeritorious, who hns no shame nnd no
scruples, no energy nnd no underst~nding of things thnt
are good, and who conducts himself bndly in deed, word
and thoughts. (para 45)
(c) There are six steps to gain lib.::;rntion: Sense-control
provides the bASis for morality. fbr~lity gives the
foundation to Right Concentration. Right Concer.tr~tion
provides thE; ba sis for understanding of tht:; trUl: nature
of physicnl and rnentCll phenomen:1. ~lith undE.;rst.:Jndil1[. of
the true nature of physic1.ll :md mentr.: 1 phf.:nomenr> cones
disenchantment :'lOd non-attAcr.rnent. Hbt:re there is disenchantment
,1nd non-attachment, there "rises the knowledge
and vision of liberation. (para 50)
(d) Th8re are ~ix things to be known: Sense-desires,
feelings, perc~ptions, morAl intoxicants (~savAs),kernma
and dukkha should be known, their cnusnl origin should
be known, their diversity, their resulting effects,their
cessation ;md the way leading to their cessation should
be known.
The way leading to the cessation of all these
dhamrnas is the l~ble Path of Eight Constituents. (para
63)
(e) There are six things which Appear very rArely in
the world: fwre is the appe~rance in the world of a Perfectly
Enlightened Buddha; rare is the appearance of one
who teAches the Dhamm1 And Vinaya AS proclaimed by the
Buddha; rare it is to be reborn in the 1.c1nd of the Ariyas;
rare it is to be in possession of unimpaired physical
and mental faculties; rAro it is to be free from
dumbness And stupidity; rAre it is to-be endowed ~~th
the desire for doing good, wholesome things. (pArn 96)
(f) There are six benefits in realizing the Sot~pRtti
Fruition: (i) firm faith in the Dhamrne; (ii) impossibility
of falling back; (iii) limit to suffering. in the
round of existences (only seven more existences); (iv)
being endovlt;;d with suprArlundane knmrledC;E: which is not
shared by th~ common worldling; (v) And (vi) clear understanding
of CAuses .:Jnd phenomena nrising therefrom.
(para 97)
121
(7) Sattaka Nip~ta Pali
•
(a) There are seven fActors for winning respect And
esteem of fellow bhikkhus: having no desire for gDin;
not wanting to be shown reverence but indifferent to
attention; being ashnmed of doing evil; being fearful of
doing evil; and having little want; and hcving the right
view. (para 1 )
(b) A bhikkhu becomes an eminent field for sowing
seeds of merit, when he knows the text of the Teaching,
knows the meaning of the Teaching, also knovlS himself,
knows the proper lirni.t for accept;.lnce of offerings, knows
the proper time for various l'lctivities, knows his audienctl,
and knows the spiritu.-1l tendency of an individual.
(p:.lra 68)
(c) If a bhikkhu develops his mind in the four methods
of Steadfast Hindfulness, the four Right Efforts, the
four bases of Psychic Power, the five Fflculties, the five
Strengths, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble
Path of Eight Constituents, he will be freed of the mental
intoxicants, without arv attachment, whether hewisres
or not for liberation. (pFlrn 71 ) .
(d) Short is the life of Iran, just like the dew-drop
on the tip of a blade of grass; a bubble appe~ring on
the water when rain falls; a line drFlwn on water with a
stick; a mountain stream; a lump of spittle on the tip
of t.he tongue; A J:lece of meat thrown into an extremely
hot iron pot; and a cow being led to be slaughtered,
whenever she lifts a leg, she will be closer to slaughter,
closer to death. (p:.lra 74)
(e) Those teachings thnt lead to disenchnntuent,
entire turning away trom worldliness, non-attachment,
cessation and calm, direct knowledge, enlightenment and
Nibbana such teachings ~~y be tFlken ~s the trUE
UhamIll'l and Discipline, :1 s the Buddhe! I s Teaching. (para
83)
(8) A~~hakB NiplIta P~+i
(a) There are eight benefits nccruing from practice
of IOOditation on loving-Idndness: vlhosoever practises
meditation on loving-kindness enjoys sound sleep, wakes
122
up fr~sh ~nd w~ll, is not disturbed by b~d dr~~~s, is
regarded with esteem by men, is treated with respect by
non-humans, is Accorded protection by devas, is not hurt
by fire, poison or weapons and is d~stined to r~appcar
in the Brehm') realm. (par;' 1 )
(b) ThLre ar~ eight worldly conditions, the vicissitudes
of life tlli1t keep the world turnint round: gain,
loss, fame, disrepute, praise, bl~~e, happiness, suffering.
(porn 546)
(c) There are eight strengths: The stren~th of ?
child li~s in crying; of ~ wo~n in her anger; of a
bandit in his arms; of ~ king in his sovereignty; of an
unwise m,-m in censure and reviline; of fj wise mnn in
CAreful consideration of pros ~nd cons; of a ffiDn of
knowledge in caution; and the strength of a bhikkhu lies
in his fortitude And forbearence. (parp 27)
(d) Eight great reflections of the Ven~rable Anuruddha
on the DhallllW: This DhamnD is for one with few wants,
not for one who wants much. This DhallUW is for the contented,
not for one hard to be satisfied. This Dh2mma
is for one who loves solitude, not for one who loves
conpany. This Dh2mIIil is for the cnereetic, not for the
indolent. This JJhalllfXl is for one of vigilnnt mindfulness,
not for the heedless. This Jhnl'lLkl is for one of
concentrated mind, not for the distracted. This Dha~
is for the wis~, not for the unintellibent. This Dhamma
is for one who delights in Nibbana, not for one who rejoices
in worldliness (conceit, cr~vinG and wrong view).
(para 30)
(E;) 'There ,1n, eight types of spt'(;ch by an Ariyn:
Having not scco,he says he hns not seen; heving not
heard, he says he has not heard; having not sensed, he
says he has not sensed; helYing not mown, he says he
h8s not mown. HnYing seen, he says he has st;cn; h;>ving
heard, says h~ has heard; having sensed, he s~ys he h~s
sensed and having known,he says he h~s knO\~. (pc,rn 68)
(a)
Arahat
Nine
does
(9) t~vaka Nipa ta Piiti
practices not indulged in by Ar?h3ts: An
not intentionnlly tnke the life of n being;
123
does not take, with the intention of stealing, what is
not given; does not eng:3ge in sexual intercourse; does
not speak what is not true knowing that it is not true;
does not enjoy the pleasures of the senses; is not biased
through favouritisJil, through hatred, through delusion or
through fear. (parI) 7)
(q) There: are nine characteristics of () laymnn's resi'dence
which a bhikkhu should not visit or stay in:
Where ~ bhikkhu is not grE;etcd or shown signs of welcolOO,
or offered a saat; where alms are kept hidden; where
little is given away although much can be ;}fforded;where
inferior alms are orf~red Althoueh better alMs are av~ilAble;
where the offering is m3de in I} disrespectful
IMnner; where the 1<lyt:\3n does not coce near the bhikkhu
to listen to the, dh::lnm/l, nnd \'lhere little intE:rcst is
shown in the ~xposition of the dh1 rnnr.. (ptJr<~ 1?)
(c) There are nine wn:; s in which [,rt4ge is formod : He
ha 8 dono<: Ct: h~ rm, he is doing 1.1<:: h:' rLl, h", will do me
harm; he hro s done h<lIT.'l to oni: do~r to I:!", ho is doing
harm to one d.::nr to me, ho \,..ill do h:~rm to one derr to
100; he ha s done good to cnl. disliked by T"L; hI. is ooin!,;
good to one disliked by ne; hQ \'till do good to one disliked
by nee (para 29)
(d) There arc nine things which should b~ elir.~nated
in order to achi~v<:: realizntion of ArDhntta Fhnla: Lust,
ill will, ignort!nct.!, anger, ~rudge,ingratitude, (;nvy,
jealousy, l:ICannoss. (p.'lrll 62)
( 10) Da saka Nip5t,"l PHi •
(0) Th~re are ten benefits of being ~st~blished in
eila, morality: One who is est~blishcd in sill) feels
pleased; feeling pleased he feels g~!d; feeline glnd, he
is delightfully satisfied; beinE delightfully satisfied
he bE;comee calm; when he is ca~n, he feels ~'ppiness;
when he feels hAppiness, his mind b\..coToos conc~ntrp.t~d;
with concentrcted mind, he sees thill[<s as they reDlly
are; seeing things as they ronUy ;Jrc, he bccomt;s disenchanted
and dispRssiollClte townrds them; \'men there is
no IOOre pr1ssion or nttachment, he achievbs liberation of
mind :!In liberation by knowledge. (p.,ra 1)
(b) Th~re arc ten fetters: P~rson~lity helief
124
(SakkayadiHhi), sceptical doubts, mistaking mere rites
and ceremony a8 the true t'8th, sense-deeire, ill will,
attachment to Riipa realm, attacbment to Ariipa realm, conceit,
restlessness, ignorance. (para 12)
(0) Just as a young ~n or a woman looks into the
mirror to find out if there are any blemishes on the
face, 30 also it is necessary for a bhikkhu to engage
in occasional self-examination to see whether covetousne.
s, ill will, sloth and torpor have arisen in him or
not; whether worry and excitement, and doubts exist in
him; whether he is tree from anger and his mind is defiled
or not by tmWholeeome thoughts; whether his ~
is at ea se without restlessness; whether he is beset by
laziness or not; and whether he ha s concentration of
mind with clear comprehension. (para 51)
(d) There are ten dhamrnes possessed by one who has
becolOO accomplished, an !rahat: Right View, Rig h t
Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood,
Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration,
Right KnoWledge, Right Liberation. (para 112)
(11) Ekidasaka Nipita Pill •
(a) There are eleven kinds of destruction any one ot
which is likely to befall a bhikkhu who reviles the
fellow bhikkhus of the community: Lack of progress in hie
efforts; dec11n1ng from the stage already achieved; tainted
and defiled understanding of the Dhamma; Qeing overcome
by his own conceit; unhappines::; in leading the ho~
life; liability to commit offences against the diec1pl.
tnary rules; likelihood of reverting to the household
lite; likelihood of being afillcted with an incurable
disease; likelihood of becoming mentally deranged; dying
with a confused mind and likelihood of being reborn in
the Nether Worlds. (para 6)
(b) There are eleven benefits derived trom cultivation
and developlmnt of loving-kindness, when trequent~ practised
and firmly established: One sleeps sound~ and wakel
peacefully with no bad dreams; one is regarded with esteem
by men; is treated with respect by non-hWllBns; 1e protected
by devas; is unharmed by fire, poison or weapons; his mind
is easily concentrated; the features of his face are
serene; he will die with a unconfused mind; if he does not
attain to ArahBtship, he will be reborn in the Brahne realm.
(para 15)
125
Chapter VIII
Khuddaka Nikiya
or the five N1ki;:ras, Khuddaka N1kiya conteins
the largest n\Uli)er of treatises (as lined below) and
the IIDst numerous categories of dhauma. Although the
word. "JDNddaka" literall3' means "minor" or "emall",
the aRual oontent of this collection can by no means
be regarded a. Dd.nor, including a8 it does the two
IIBjor dividone of the Pi~ka, namely, the Vinaya
Pitab ahd the Abh1dhamma Piteka according to one e;ysteD
of claalit1cation. The mhcellaneous nature of this
collection, containing not o~ the discoursee by the
Buddha but co~Uetions of brief doctrinal notes Jll)stly
in vene, accoWlte of personal etrU8g1es and achievemente
by theres and thena aleo in verse, the birth
atonee, the history of the Buddha etc., lilly acco\Dlt
tor ita title.
The fol.low1ng is the list of treatises a~
approved by the Sixth International Buddhiat Syr.od.
Khoodaka Nik!.Y.A
IV
~-----t---'l
(a) Vinaya
Pitaka
•
(b) AbhidhalIlllo9
Pitaka •
(c) Sutta,. not
included in the
first fow' I.ik.iyaa
I
(1) Khuddaka Pi~ha
(2) Dhammapada
(3) Udlna
(4) IUYUttaka
(S) Suttanipata
(6) Viminavatthu
(7) Petavatthu
(8) Theragatha
(9) Therlgitha
(10) Jataka
(11) N1ddesa
(loiahi, C\i1.8)
(12) Pat1sambtd.da
•
Magge
(13)Apad8na
(14)Buddhavamea
(15)Cariyi Pitaka
(16)Netti
(17)Pe~akopadeaa
(18)Hilinda panha
126
(1) KhuddakapathA Pali
• •
First of the treatL:3ts in this IJikaya, dluctd:lkapa~
hD, corli_"ins "rucdings of mirlor p'~':,]~gLs" l:~st of
'/'/hich arc :~lsc fou.'1d in other pDl'tS of Tipi~aka. Itie.
n colh:ction of nine short forr.lUli.Je and sutt:Js used .is
a lili3rlual for novic0s under training, namely, (n) thf"
three refuges (b) the T~n Precepts (c) the thirty-two
p!3rts r)i' th~ body (d) simple Dharruras for novic(;s in the
forn of 3 c:ltcchisr.l (e) t·mlgala Sutt.::! (f) fl8tQna Sutta
(g) TirokuH,') Sutt;> (h) l'li?hikaJ;l?t3 Sult;; nnd (i) I·jettn
Sutta.
T.1 kinE refuge in th0 Three Ger.lS, the Buddha, the
Dhar:lY.k1 <'lnd the SntJeha, by reciting thc: forr.iUl?, "I t?ke
rt.;fuge in the Buddhn, I tr!ke r<:fuge in the Dh"lr.u.t3, I
take nfut'''- in the Sa6gha, 11 is a conscious act of expression
of cor,plcte f[lith in the Three Gens, not mere
profession of SlJDf.:7' f ici'l beli.;f nor ::l rite of trr-ditionC'l
pid.y. It i'ilpli'JS (i) one's hunility; (ii)nccept.::!
nce of the 'I'rir}e G(;~ as one's guiding principles ;)nd
id~01s; (iii) acc~pt~nce of discipleship arrl (iv)hon'ge.
In the. s0ction "r: I Kum'irA pai'\ha, I questions for
yOUl;g l,(Jys, the: dh<lf'lI:r' is tailored to suit the young
intell~ct of nrwiCfJS:
What is the One':'
ifuat nre the Six?
'ifua t () r" t he So:. vl::n?
',n1at are the E.ight?
- Th", Nutri. 1\.'I!t which sustoins
the l' :', of LJ(; ints.
- Nijr:lt~ 1~nl1 r~G.pa
- Ple:) sa nt, Unpl€C' snnt, l!cut~a1
Vodnn2s. .
- The Four lioble Truths.
- The fi vo brouPS of gra sping.
- The six bAses of &enses.
- The seven fnctors of enlightenment.
- The r~bl; P~th of ~ight Constituents.
'Hhat are the Nine? - The nine ~bode5 or types of
beings.
What nr~ th~ ~~o?
What are th'~ Thri..)e?
vfuat ~re the Four?
~1t Dre th~ Five?
'N!lpt ar~ the Ten? - The ten deneritorious courses
of Action.
Maha llangalu Sutt,'), the discourse on the gre~t
127
blessini,s, is a famous S'.ltt:~ cherisht:d highly in ell
Buddhist countries. It is .'1 cor-.preheu,i V(; S' :";:\<=ry of
Buddhist ethics for the ir.dividur>l <'3S \'1~'}1. ;15 fei" society,
conposed in elegant verses. The thil'ty·-eight
blessings enUl:;t:r,1ted in the sutta as unfailing guides
throughout ont;'s lifu start with advice ou '2voidance
of bad company' and provide idcnls and practices b0sic
to all moral ~nd. spiritual progress, for the welfare
and happiness of the individual, the facily 000 the
community. The final blessing is on the development of
the mind \'lhich is unruffled by vngeries of forhmc, unaffected
by sorrow, cleansbd of defilements and which
thus gains liberation the mind of p.n Ar~hat.
The Ratana Sutta was delivered b'" the Buddha when
Vesali was plngued by faIT~ne, dise~se etc. He had been
requested by the LicchAvi Princes to come fron PEjagaha
to Vesall. The sutt;) '''15 delivered fc}' t!'":t:': purpose of
countering the pJ...1gues, by invocntion of t >:(: trut.h of
the speci~l qualities 01 the Three Gens, the 3udd~a,
the DhamI1la and the S;3rncl:a.
The l-iatta Suttn NOS taueht to a !Iroup of bhikkhus
who were troubled by nOn-hUl1lBn beinfs ",'!lile sittin[ in
meditation et the fOG";' of secluded forest tret:.s. Th~
ouddha showed th0m how to develop loving-kindness towards
all beings, the pr!?cticG which "till not only protect
them fror'l harm but also will serve <JS ::: brtsis for
insight through nttainment of jh~nn.
'The Khuddaknp3~ha which is A collection of these
nine formuJ...')c and suttas :Jppl:ars to be arr:>nged in such
a way as to form 0 continuous theme demonstrating the
practice of the holy life: how a person accepts the
Buddha's Teaching by taking refuge in the Three Gems;
then how he observes the Ten Precepts for moral purification.
Next he takes up a meditation subject, the
contemplation of thirty-two constituents of the body,
to develop non-attachment. He is shown next the virtues
and merits of giving and how one hAndicaps oneself by
not performing acts of marit. In the meanwhile he safeguards
himself by reciting th~ H3ngala Sutta and provides
protection to others by reciting the R~tana Sutta.
Finally, he develops loving-kindness townrds all beings,
thereby keeping himself safe fro~ harm; at the sa~e tim0
he achieves j~nj.c concentration which \iill evcntuaJlv•
h'::.:d him tu rl:~ ..... oJ_, 6:.>.Jl of spiritunl L ..i U, : .....')'.
by means of knowledge of Insight and the Path.
128
(2) Th~ DhammapadP. Pali
•
It is a book of thu Tipitak8 which is popu18r and •
well-known not only in Buddhist countries but also elsewhere.
The 'Dh~mmapada' is a collection of the Buddha's
words or b,'Jsic :-nd essenti:ll principlGs of the Buddha's
Tv~cr~ng. It consists of 423 verses ~rranged according
to topics in tw~nty-six v3ggas or chnpters.
V~rse 183 giv0s the teachings of the Buddha in a
nutshell: Abstain from all evU; ProJrote (develop) what
is good r1nd p'.1I'ify your mind. Each stanza is packed with
the essence of Truth which illumines the path of a wriyf;:,
rer. £11ny are the Dhar.l...nap~da verses lmich find their
way into the ·...ritings tlnd c;:vt:rydJy speech of the Buddhists.
One c:'ln get much sustenancG "nd encourDgement
from th\:; Dh!llJIa3p:'da not only for spiritual development
but also fOi' L:vl:rydc'Jy living.
The Dh['lThilLl p.1da describes the path which a wayfarer
should follo\\'. It sttltes (in verses 277,278 and 279) that
all conditioned things nre transitory am impermanent;
that nll conditioned things ~re subject to suffering;
and that all things (dhammRs) are insubstantial, incapable
of being called on~ls own. When one sees th6 real
nature of things with (Vipassana) insight, one becomes
disillusioned with the chorIrls Dr':! attrDctions of the
Five Aggrp.gates. Such disillusionment constitutes the
path of purity (Nibbana).
Verse 243 defines the highest form of impurity as
ignorance (Dvijja) and states that the suffering. in the
world can be brought to an end only by the destruction
of craving or hc3nk~ring after sensual pleasures. Greed,
ill will roo ignornnce pre described t) s dl1ngerous as
fire curl unless "t-hey are held under NstrAint, tl happy
life is impossible both now and thereafter.
AvoidinC the two <Jxtremes, n~melJ·, indulgence in
a life of Gensuous plu~sur~s and the pr~ctice of self-
rortific;ltior., one must follow t;ll: l-liddle Path, the
r~ble P'Jth of Eight Constituents to nttain perfect
Peace, rabb~na. AttAinment to the lowest stage (Sotapatti
Hagga) 011 this Path shown by the Buddha is to be
preferred even to the possession of the whole world (V.
178). ThE: lJhamr.epcHk1 emphnsizes th"t one m'lkE;;S or {Mrs
oneself, and no one else CQn help one to rid oneself of
ililPlJri tJ--' L'I('n thl: Buddhas cannot render help; they can
129
only show the way aOO guido; a J:lLln must strive for
himself.
The DharmIQpada reco~nds a life of peace end
non-violenctl and points out the €ott-mal law that hatred
does not cease by hatred, enmity is never overcome by
enmity but only by kindness and love (V.5).It advises to
conquer alllgCr by loving-kindness, evil by good, miserliness
by generosity, and f~lsehood by truth.
. The Dhammapada contains gems of literary excellence,
replete with appropriate similes and universal
truths and is thus found appealing and edifying by
readers all the world oVt::r. It serves as a..digest of
the essential principles ~nd features of the Buddha
Dhamna as well AS of the wisdom of all the ages.
(}) Ud~na Pall
•
An udana is an uttGl'cnce Irostly in IMtricfll form
inspir~d by a pClrticularly intense f:J.Y:>tion. This treAtise
is <l cellection of eighty joyful uttE;r;mces r.lr"de
by the Buddha on unique occasions of sheer bliss; crych
»dana in verse is acco~nied by an account in prose of
the circumst~nces that led to their being uttcr~d.
For example, in the first BodhivaggCl Sutt:': ere
recorded the first words spoken aloud by the newly Enlightened
Buddha in thr"3e stanz<:ls beginning with the
famous opening lines: "Ynd5 helve p~t\1bh:JvClnti dlklllllil5,
Atapino jh.iiyAto brllhJ:wjIlt:! SS:'I. n
•
For seven dJys after his Enlightenment, the Buddha
sat at the foot of the Bodhi tre~ feeling the bliss
of liberation. At the cnd of seven days, he emerged
from this (Fhala s,1map.<ltti) sustained absorption in
Fruition-lund, to dellber<lte upon the principle of Dependent
Origination: Hhon this is, thAt is (Iro smim
sati, idam hoti); this h.1ving 3rist:n, th... t arist.:S
(Imassupp;jd5, idnt! uppajjati); when this is net, that
is not (Imasmim asati, idAm na hoti); this h~ving
ceased, that ceaSE:S (Imassa nirodhli, idam nirujjheti).
In the first watch of the night, when the principle
of the origin of the whole mnss of suffering was
thoroughly grasped in a det.~ilod manntr in the order
of arising, the Buddha uttered thE; first stanza of
"OTs
GT, F.9
130
"\fuen the real nature of things becomes
clear to the ardently meditating recluse, then
all his doubts vanish, because he understands
what that nature is as well as its cause."
In the second watch of the night, his mind was
occupied With the principle of Dependent Originatioli in
the order of ceesing. ifuen the manner of cessation of
sufferine was thoroughly understood, the Buddha was
moved again to utter the second stanza of jubilation:
!'~Jfuen the real natm'e of things becomes
clear to the ardentl:r T:leditating recluse, then
all his doubts vanish, because he perceives the
cessation of causes. n
In the third \latch of the night, the Buddha went
oOvreifr;itnhaetiodne,taPilaetdiccfoamSualamuoppf-adthae, ipnrinbcoitphletheofoDrdeepresndoefnt
arising and ceasing. Then hnving mastered the doctrine
of Dependent Origination very thoroughly, the Buddha
uttered the third stanza of solemn utterance:
"When the real nature of things becomes
clear to the ardently meditatine recluse, then
like the sun that illumines the s~, he stands
repelling the dark hosts of Nfira .11.
(4) Itivuttaka Pali
•
The fourth treatise contains 112 suttas divided
into four nip~tas \dth verses and prose mixed, one supplementing
the other. Although the collection contains
the inspired sayings of the Buddha as in Ud:ina, each
passage is preceded by the phrase 'Iti vuttam Bhagavata',
'thus was said.~ the Buddha,' and reads like a
personal note book in which are recorded short pithy
sayings of the Buddha.
The division into nipatas instead of vaggas denotes
that the collection is classified in ascending
numerical order of the categories of th~ dhamma as in
the nip~tas of the Anguttara. Thus in Lkaka Nipata
are passages dO::Jling with single i.tems of the dhamma:
IIBhikkhus, abandon craving; I guarantee attairunent to
the stage of an Anfigami if you abandon craving. II In
Duka Nip§ta, each passabe deals with units of two
items of the dharruna: There are two forms of Nibbana
131
dhAtu, namely, sa-upadisesa Nibbana dh~tu, with the
five khandhas still renainil1f" and Anupadisesa Nibbana
dMtu, without any khandhi.l remaining.
(5) Suttp.nipata Pali
•
As well-known as Dhammapada, Sutte Nipata is also
a work in verse \-Tith occasional introductions in prose.
It is divided into five vaggas: (i) Uraga Vagga of 12
suttas; (ii) Clua VDggn of 14 6uttas;(iii) Maha Vagga
of 12 suttas; (!v) Atthaka Vagga of 16 suttas and (v)
Parayana Vagga of 16°questionso
In the twelve suttas of the Uraga Vagga are found
some important teachings of' the Buddha which lTh'3y be
practised in the course of one's daily life:
"True friends nre rare to come by these
days; a Shovi of f: iendship very often hides some
private ends. ~1nls mind is defiled ~. self-interest.
So, becomin[ disillusioned, r~1m alone
like a rhinoceros. II
(Khag~avisal}a Sutta)
IINot by birth docs one become an outcast,
not by birth does one become a brlihmana;
o
B,y one's action one becomes an outc~st,
by one's action'onc becomes A brhhmana. 1I
o
(Vasala Sutta)
liAs a IIX>ther even with her life protects
her only child, so let one cultivate immeasurable
loving-kindness towards all living beings."
(MetM Sutta)
Par5yana V~gga d6~ls vdth sixteen qu~stions esked
by sixteen brahmin youths while the Buddha is staying
at Pasanakn Shrine in the country of 11Pgadha. The Buddha
gives his answers to each of the questions asked qy
the youths. Knowing thl': meaning of eDch question and of
the answers given by the Buddhn, if one practises the
Dhamma as instructed in this sutta, one can su~;ly reach
the other Shore, which is free from ~geine and death.
132
The Dhamma in this sutta is known as ~r~yana because
it leads to the Other Shore, Nibbana, .
(6) Vimax VCltthu P~li
•
Vimana means mansion. Here it refers to celestial
mansions gained by beings who have done ncts of ~Grit.
In this text are eighty-five vcrS8S grouped in seven
vaggasj in th~ first four vaggas, celestial females
give an account of what acts of m6rit they have done
in pr~vious existences as h~n beine and how they are
reborn in deva realm where m1gnificent mAnsions flwait
their appear?nce. In the lnst three v3ggas, the celestial
males tell their stories.
The Venerable ~~h5 MoggallDna Who c~n visit the
deva re~lm brings back these stori~s as told him by the
deva concerned and recounts them to the Buddhn who confirms
the stories by supplying more backcround details
to them. These discourses ore given with .P. view to bring
out the f~ct that the hum,n world offers plenty of opportunities
for performing meritorious ?cts. The other
• objective for such discourses is to refute the wrong
views of those who believe thClt nothing exists after
this life (the onnihilationists) and those who ~intain
that there is no resultant effect to any action.
Of the eighty-five stories described, five ~or~
concern those who hAv~ been reborn in deve world hBving
developed themselves to the stage of Sotapanna in their
previous existences; two stories on those who hf.ve ~~de
obeisance to the Buddhn with cl~sped hands; one on those
who had expressed words of jubilation at the ceremony
of building a m:mastery for the &1mgha; two stories on
those who had observed th~ moral precepts; two stori~s
on those who had observed the precepts and given ~lms;
and the rEOst dea 1 with thOSe who h;lve been reborn in
the deva world as th(; whole::omt rl:sult of giving <llms
only.
The vivid accounts of the lives of the devas in
various deva abodes serve to show clearly that the
higher bein£:s are rot ilJlIlOrtals, nor creators, but '" re
also evolved, conditioned by the resultn of their pr~vious
meritorious deeds; i:,h"'+:' th8Y too ar<=: subject to
the laws of anicca, dukkha and anatta ~nd h?ve to striv~
themselves to achievl; the deathless state of lJibMna
133
(7) Peta Vatthu Pali
•
"The stories of pets s" are graphic accounts of
the miserable states of beings who have been reborn in
unhappy existences as a consequence of their evl: deeds.
There are fifty-one stories, divided into four vaggas,
describing the life of misery of the evil doers, in
direct contra st to the magnificent life of the devas.
Emphasis is again laid on the beneficial effects
of giving; whereas envy, jealousy, miserliness, greed
and wrong views are shown to be the causes for appearance
in the unhappy state of petas. The chief suffering
in this state is dire la ck of food, clothing and dwelling
for the condemned being. A certain and ~diate
release from such miseries can be given to the unfortunate
being if his former relatives perform meritorious
deeds and share the merit with him. In TirokuHapeta
Vatthu, a detailed account is given on how King Bimbisara
brings relief to his former relatives who are unfortunately
suffering as petas, by making generous
offer of food, clothing and dwelling places to the Buddha
and his compa rw of bhikkhus and sharing the merit',
thus a~crued, to the petas who have been his kith and
kin in previous lives.
(8)
(9)
The
The
Thera catha
and
Theri catha
Pali •
Pali
•
These two treatises form a compilation of delightful
verses uttered by some two hundred and sixty-four
theras and seventy-three theris Ithrough sheer exultation
and joy tha t ari se ,out of their religious devotion
and inspiration. These inspiring verses gush forth from
the hearts of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.after their attainment
of Arahatship as an announcement of their
achievement and also as statement of their effort which
ha s led to their fina 1 enlighterunent.
It may be learnt from these jubilant verses how
a trifling incident in life, a trivial circumstance
can become the starting point of spiritual effort which
culminates in supreme liberation. But for some of the
tbW.§., the call ha s come early to them to forsake the
homelife and take to the life of a homeless recluse.
Their struggle has been hard becRuse of the inner fight
134
between the forc~s of good ~nd evil. They h~vc h~d a
good fight and they hBvc won qy dint of resolution And
ardent determination. The crippling bonds of. greed,
hatred And ignornnc~ h~ve been broken asunder ~nd they
are freed. In sheer exult~tion, they utter forth these
inspiring verses, proclaiming their freedo~ ~nd victory.
Some of these theras reAch the sublimt; height of poetic
beauty,when they recount their solit~ry life in the
quiet glAdes and groves of forest, the bc~uteous n?ture
thAt form their surrounding, And the pe..... cc :'!nd cnlm that
have f~cilitAtcd their meditation.
Although the verses in the Theri G~tha Inck the
poetic excell(:ncl: and ilIJlilssioned expression of lov(:; of
solitude that chiJr·'Jcterise the verses in the Thl;;rn
~tha, they nevertheless r~flect the gre~t piety nnd
unflinching resolution with which the ~ have
struggled to reach the goal. One distinguishing f~~ture
of the struggh of the ther!!!. is thnt l!IDny of them receiv~
th~ final impetus to se~k solace in holy life
through emotional imbalance they hav(:; been subject to,
for exar~le, loss of the denr ones ~s in the C?sc of
Pa\ecari, or through intense person~l suffcrin~ over
the death of a beloved son as suffered by Kis~ Got~mi.
Both the TherA Gath~ nnd the Theri Gath~ provide
us with shining, inspiring mod~ls of excellence, so
consoling and so uplifting, so hurmn and true to life,
leading us on to the pAth of the holy life, stimulating
us when our spirit drops, our mind flags, and guiding
us through internal conflicts and set-backs.
These gath§s may be enjoyed silIJlly DS beautiful
peoms with exquisite imgery and plensing words or they
may be contemplated on as inspiring messAges with deep
meaning to uplift the ~nd to the highest levels of
spiritual attainment.
IlRain god! It' abode h:'l s a roofing no\'{ for my comfortable
living; it will shield IDe from the onset of
wind and storm. Rain god! Pour down to thy h(;<!rt I s content;
~ mind is c~lm ~nd unsh~keable, free from fctt~rs.
I dwell striving strenuously vlith untiring Zeal. Hnin
god! Pour down to thy heart I s content. II (Verse 325)
The bhikkhu h~s now his I~bode' of th~ five
kh;mdhas well protected by 'the roofing end WGllls' of
sense restraints and pann~. He lives thus cornfortab~,
135
well shielded from the t'Clin nnd storm of lust, cravingand
attachments. Undisturbed by the pouring rain, and
whirling wind of conceit, ignorance, hatred, he remains
calm ilnd composed, unpolluted. Although he livpe thus
in securit,r and comfort of liberation and calm, he keeps ~ alert and mindful, ever ready to cope with any emergency
that ooy Arise through lack of mindfulness.
(10) Jataka P~li
•
Birth-stories of the Buddha
These are stories of the previous existences of
Gotane Buddha, while he \'Ia s as yet but a Bodhisatta.
The J~taka is an extensive work in verses containing
rive hundred and forty-seven stories or previous existences
as recounted by the Buddha, (usUDll¥ referred
to in Burma as 550 stories). The treatise is divided
into niWtas according to the number of verses concerning
each stOr,yi the one verse stories are classified
as Ekaka Nipata, the two verse stories come under Duke
Ni~ta etc. It is the commentary to the verses which
gives the complete birth-stories.
In these birth-stories ~re embedded moral principles
and practices which the Bodhisatta had observed
for self-development Pond perfection to attain Buddhahood.
(11) Niddesa ~li
•
This division of Khuddak.."1 Nik8ya consists of two
parts: Maha Niddesa, the major exposition which is the
cormnentary on the fourth v<lgga (A\lt.haka) of the Sutta
Nipata and C\U.B Niddesa, the minor· exposition which is
the commentary on the fifth vaggn (P~r~yana) and on the
tKhheagVgeanveisraan•baleSSut8tfrlipiuntttah,ethfeirsset evxaegggeat.icaAl twtroirbkustecdonttaoin
much material on the Abhidhammo and constitute the earliest
forms of cOlllllv:mtaries, providing evidence of commentarial
tradition Dal1iY centuries before the Venerable
Buddhaghosa appeared on the scene.
(12) Patisambhida Magga pali
• •
This treatise, entitled the Path of Ana~si8, is
136
attributed to the Venerable sariputta. Dealing with
salient tea~hings of the Buddha analytically in the
style of the AbhidhalIlIla, it is divi.ded into three DlIin
vaggas, namely, ~h8 Vagga, Ytlganaddha Vagga and Panns
Vagga, 'Each vagga consists of ten sub-groups, named
~ such as Na~ Katha, DiHhi Katha etc,
The treatment of each subject m3tter is very detailed
and provides theoretical foundation for the practice
of the Path.
(13) Apadana Pali
•
It is a biographical work containing the lite
stories (past and present) of the Buddha and his Arahat
disciples. It is divided into two divisions: the TherapaciBna
giving the life stories of the Buddha, of forty-
one Paccekabuddhas and of five hundred and fifty-nine
Arahats from the Venerable Sariputta to the Ven~rable
Rd~thapal.J and Therlpactana with the life 'stories of
forty tharl Arahats from Sumedh~ Therl to Pesa15 Ther!.
Apadana here means a biography or a life story of
a particularly accomplished person, who ha s rwd(' .'l firm
reeolution to strive for the goal he desires, nrd "'ho has
ultiIMtely achieved his goal, namely, Buddhahood for an
Enlightened One, Arahatship for his disciples. Whereas
the Thera catha and the Ther! Gatha depict generally the
triumphant moment of achievements of the theras "nd
UwrIIl, the Apadana describes the up-hill work they have
to undertake to reach the summit of their ambition. The
GBth&e and the Apadanas supplE:ment one aoother to unfold
the inspiring tales of hard struggles and final conquests
(14) Buddhavamsa Pali
•
History of the Buddhas
Buddhavamea Pali gives a short historical account
of Gotama Buddha and of the twenty-four previous Buddhas
who had prophesied his attainment of Buddhahood. It consists
of twenty-nine sections in verse.
The first section gives an account of how the
Venerable Sariputta asks the Buddha when it was that he
first resolved to work for attai~nt of the Buddhahood
and what paramIs (virtues towards perfection) he had fulfilled
to ac hieve hi s goa 1 0 f Perfect Enlightenment. In
the second section, the Buddha describes how as Surnedha
137
the hermlt, being inspired by D!paflkara Buddha, he J!8kes
the resolution for the attainmant of Buddhahood, and how
the Buddha D!paDkara gives the hermit Swnedha his blessings
prophesying that Sumedha would becoue a Buddha by the name
ot Gotama atter a lapse of tour asailkhem. and a hundred
thousand ka~a~ (world cycles).
From then onwards, the Bodhisatta Sumedhe. keeps on
practising the ten pSrambJ namely, alms-giving, mrality,
renunciation, wisdom, perseverance, torbearance, truthtulnels,
determination, loving-kindness and equaniudty. '!be
Buddha relates how he fulfils these E,iramis. existence
after existence, and how each ot the twenty-tour Buddhas,
who appeared a f't,er Dipankara Buddha at different intervals
of world cycles, renewed the prophesy that he would becoDl)
a Buddha by the nama of Gotama.
In ~ections three to twenty-seven are acccunts of
the twenty-five Buddha s including Gotama Buddha., givil.g
details about each of them with regard to birth, status,
names of their parents, names of their wives anrt children,
their life-span, their way of renunciation, dur£lticn of
their efforts to attain Buddhahood, their teaching of the
Dhaumacakka Sutta in the Migadayavana, the na~s of their
Chief Disciples and their chief lay disciples. Eaoh section
is closed with an account of where the Buddhas pass away
and how their relics are distributed.
In the twenty-eighth section is given the names ot
three Buddhas, namaly, Ta¢'lankars, Medhailkara and Sarar:ahkera
who lived before D!paJ\kara Buddha at different intervals
of the same world cycle. 'l'he names of other Buddhad
(up to Gotama Buddha) are also enumerated together with
the name of the ka~as in which they have appeared. Final~
there is the prophesy by the BuddhA that Metteyya Buddha
would arise after him in this world.
The last section gives an account of how the Buddha's
relics are distributed and where they are preserved.
(15) Cariya Pitaka •
'Ibis treatise contains thirty-five stories of the
Buddha's previous lives retold at the request of the
Venerable Sariputta. Whereas the Jataka is conct:rned with
the Buddha's previous existences from the time or SU"ledha,
theherudt, till he becolms Gotama Buddha, Cariy5 Pit.<lka
deals on4r with thirty-five of the existences of the·
;38 •
~tta in this last world cycle. The Venerable Siriputts'
I:f ob~ in making the request is to bring out into
bold relief the indomitable will, the .upreme effort, the
peerless saerifice with which the Bodhisatta conducts him"
11' in tuU1lment of the ten piramh (virtues towards
Perfection).
The Bodhi8&tta has, throughout innumerable ages,
fulfilled the tea pSrams for countless number of tig,s.
C8riyi Pit.liKa records such performances in th-irty-five e.x1.tences, seleoting seven out of the ten a a and
recounts how each pSrami. is accomplished in eac of theee
existences. Ten atories in the, first vagsa are concerned
with accumul.stion of virtues in alms-giving, the second
vegga has ten stories ort the practice of morality and the
last vagga mentions fifteen stories, f1ve of them dealing
with renunciation, one with firm determination, six ..1.th
truthfulness, two with loving-ldndness aOO one ...·ith equanimity.
(16) Netti and (17) Petakopadeea
•
The two small works, Netti, made up of seven chapters,
and Pe~akopadesa, made up of eight chapters, are
different from the other books of the T1pi~8ka because
they are exegetical and methodological in nature.
(18) Milindapaiiha Pall •
M1l1ndapailha Pili is the last of the books which
constitute Khuddaka NikBya. It records the questions asked
by King Milinda and the answers given by the Venerable
Nigaeena some five hundred years after the Parinibbana of
othfeSB-aguadldlh!.a.HKe iwngasMv1e1r1yndlaeawransedYoannadkah(igGhrlayecsok-UBalectdriiann)torouler
art of debating. The Venerable Nagasena, a fully aecomplished
Arahat, was on a visit to Sagala at the request
of the Samgha.
King M1.linda, who wanted to have some points on the
Dhamma clarified, asked the Venerable Nragasena abstruse
quastions eoncerning the nature of man, his survival after
death, and other doctrinal aspects of the Dhamll~. The
Venerable Nigasena gave him satisfactory replies on each
question asked. These erudite questions and answers on the
Teaching of the Buddha are compiled into the book Imown
as the Milindapanha Pal1 •
•
139
Chapter IX
WHAT IS ABHIDHAMMA PITAKA? •
(a) Abhidhamna, the Higher Teaching of the BudC:h~.
AbhidhaJmDa is the third great elivision of the
Pitaka. It is a huge collection of systenetically arrarJged,
tabulated and classified doctrines of the Buddha,
representing the quintessence of his Teaching.
Abhidhamma means Higher Teaching or Special Teaching;
it is unique in its abstruseness, analytical approach,
i.mmens1t;y of ¥ope and conduciveness to one's liberation.
The Buddha dhamna has only one taste, the taste
of liberation. But in Suttanta discourses, the Buddha
takes into consideration the intellectual level of his
a\r1ienee, am their attainments in paraml. He therefore
tea ches the dhamna in conventiona1 terms (vohira va cana) ,
making references to persons and objects as I, we, he,
she, mn, woman, cow, tree, etc. But in AbhidhaIlllm the
Buddha makes no such concessions; he treats the dhamma
entire~ in terms of the ultimate reality (paramattha
sacca). He analyses every phenomenon into its uJtimate
constituents. All relative concepts such as man, IW ntain,
etc. are reduced to their ultimate elements whi ~h are
then preci8e~ defined, classified and system'!!';:ica1l3r
arranged.
Thus in AbhiJhamma everything is expressed in
terms of khandhas, five aggregates of existence; ayatanas,
five sensory organs and mind, and their respective sense
objects; dhitu, elements; indr~a, faculties; s~cca,
fundamental truths; and 80 on. Relative conceptual objects
such as man, woman, etc. are resolved into ultimate components
of khandhatl intenss, etc. and viewed as an
iDpersonal psycho-physical phenomenon, which is conditioned
by various factors and is in;>ermanent (anicca),
suffering (dukkha) and is without a perm3nent entity
(anatta).
Having resolved all pheno~na into ultimte components
analytica~ (es in DhalIllIliUSn&snl and Vibhanga)
it aims at synthesis by defining inter-relatiol18 (peccaya)
between the various constituent factors (as in Pa~~h6na).
'n\us AbhidhaDIIIS forms a gigantic edifice of knowledge
relating to the ultimte realities which" in its iDlDensity
of scope" grandeur" sUbtlety" and. profundit1" properly
belongs onq to the intelectual domin of the
Buddha.
(b) The seven books of AbhidhalIlIlB.
The Suttanta Pitaka also contains discourses
dealing with analytica1 discussions and conditioMl
relationship of the five aggregates. Where the need
arises subjects such as the five aggregates" ayat~nns"
etc. are mentioned in the sutta discourses. But they
are explained only briefly by what is knoj11 as the
Sutta Metlxld of Analysis (Suttanta bh8jamya)" giving
bare definitions with limited descriptions. For cxauple"
khandhas" the five aggregates" are enumerated as the
corporeal aggregate" the aggregate Of sensation, the
aggregate of perception" the a~gregate of mental toruetions
(volitional activities) aIXl the aggregate of
consciousness, They may be dealt with a little more
comprehensively; for instance" the corporeal aggregate
may be further defined as corporeality of the past"
the present or the future; the corporeality whieh is
internal or external" coarse or fine" inferior or superior"
far or near. The Sutta Method of Analysis does
not uaual1¥ go further than this definition.
But the Abhidhamma approach is more thorough"
more penetrating" breaking down each corporeal or mental
component into the ultimate, the roost infinitesimal unit.
For exallple" RupakkhaIXlha" corporeal aggregate, has been
analysed into twenty-eight constituents; Vedanikkhandha,
the aggregate of sensation, into five; Sannakkhandha, the
aggregate of perception, into six; Sankharakkh!ndha, the
aggregate of mental formations, into fifty; and Vinnsl}akkhandha"
the aggregate of consciousness, into eighty-nine.
Then each constituent part is minutely described 'N.ith
its properties and qualities and its place in the well
arranged system of classification is defined.
A complete description of things require:; also a
statement of how each component part stands in I'cl:~tion
to other component parts. This entails thereforu a
141
8)'1lthetical approach 8S well, to st~ the 1ntcr-
relationship between constituent parts and how they
are related to other internal or external factors.
Thus the Abhidhamma approach covers a wide
1'1.eld of study, consisting of anaJ¥tical and syn•.
tbetical methods of investigation, describing an:!
defining m1nutely the constituent parts of aggregates,
classifying them under well ordered heads
and well arranged systems an:! final:q setting out
conditions in which they are related to each other
Such a large scope of intellectual endeavour needs
to be enconpassed in a volum1nous and classified
cc:llq)Uatim. Hence the Abhidhamma Pitaka is IIIIlde up
ot seven IIBssive treatises, namely, (i) DhalllDl:lsa~g8n1,
containing detailed enumeration of all phenome~ with
an anal.yeis of consciousness (citta) and its concomitant
mental factors (cetesikas); (ii) Vibhanga, consisting
of eighteen separate sections on ana:qs1s ot
phenomena quite distinct from that of Dhammasallganl;
(iii) DhitukathS, a small treatise written in the'
form of a catechism, discussing ell phenomena of
existence with reference to three categories, khandhs,
jyatana and dhitu; (iv) Puggalapannatti, a small
treatise giving a description of various types of
individuals according to the stage of their achieveuent
along the Path; (v) Kathavatthu, s conpilativn by
the Venerable Moggaliputta, the presiding thera of the
third Great Synod in which he discusses and refutes
doctrines of other schools in order to uproot all
points of controversy on the Buddha dhamma; (vi) Yamaka,
regarded as a treatise on applied logic in which
ana4rtical prvcedure is arranged in pairs; (vii) Pa~t-hana
a gigantic treatise which together with Dhammasarig~ni.,
the first book, constitutes the quintessence of the"
Abhidhauma Pi~aka. It is a mi.nutely detailed study of
the doctrine of conditionality, ba sed on twenty-fou:pSQcayes,
conditions or relations.
(c) Conventional Truth (Sammut! Sacca) ~J ••j Ultimcte
Truth (Peramattha Sacca).
Two Idnds of Truth are recognised in the Abhi.dhellUlB
according to which only four categories of things,
namely, mind (consciousness), mental concomitants,
142
M:lteriality and NibbaM are classed as the UJt.;m-"l."
Truth; all the rest are regarded as apparent truth.
When we use such .expressions as 'I' l' 'you I, I man I,
'woman', 'person', 'individual", we are speaking
about things which do not exist in reality. By using
such expressions about things which exist only in
designation, we are not telling a lie; we are merely
speaking an apparent truth, ID3king use of conventional
language, witoout which no cOlll!lunication will be possible.
But the Ultimate Truth is that there is no
lperson t , 'individual' or 'I' in reality. There exist
oniy khan<!bas made up of corporeality, mind (con~1ousness)
and mental concomitants. These are real in that
they are not just designations, they actual.1¥ exist in
us or around us.
143
Chapter X
ABHIDHAMMAPITAKA
•
• . -- I. The Dh:HDrms:mga~i Pa~i
The Dh:n:una s~ llg3J;li, the first book of the Abhidhamna,
nnd the Pn~~hana, the last book, are th~ most
importAnt of th~ seven tre:'ltises of Abhidhar.m'3, providing
ns they do the quintessence of th~ entire Abhidhamma
•
Scheme of ClnssificAtion in the DhA 1I1m-"l SAm.-mn.-i
(1) The ?'~~tika
The Dh.:1ll'lIMs:1I1gaQi \.mumcr~tes nll the dhBmm:,s
(phunomenn) i.e., all cDtcgories of nam:, n~mely, Consciousness
<lnd l'1~nt.,l concomit"nt,Clnd rupn, Corport:fllity.
Having enwncr~ted the phenomena, they ar~ p.rranged
under diff~rcnt hCClds to bring out their exact n~ture,
function And mutue.l r~lntionship both intcrn~lly (in
our own being) and with the outside world. ThE:; Dhamnas~
Dgapf bcgins_wit~ a complete list of heAds cPllcd the
Matika. The r.~tika serves ClS n cl<,ssific<i tAble of'
mental constituents treated not only in the Dh~mm;sanga~
I but in th~ entire system of the Abhidha~~.
The MatikB consists altoeeth€r of one hundr<.:d :md
twenty-two groups, of which the first twenty-two are
called the Tikas or Triads, those th~t or~ divided under
three heads; and thG r€~ining one hundred arc c~ll~d
the Dukas or Dyads, thosu toot :Ire divided under two
heads.
r.lorA l, kusnIn ,
inmnr.<ll, nkus--"l~,
ind<.:t~. ~n~te"byakata.
,1re
,"re
th<lt
th.-·t
th:'!t
:\rt::
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
E.xa rq:>lt::s of Triads
(a) Kusala Tika:
dhammns
(b) Ved;ma Tik;):
dha~1s thnt (i) with pl<.:~s~nt f~~ling,
are associ~ted (ii) with ~inful feeling,
(iii) with n~utr:l fecling.
144
Examples of Dynds ~re:
(a) Hetu Duka: dharnIll:"ls (i) th~t are roots, hetus
(ii) thnt nre not roots,
n."-I-h",tu.
(11)
(iii)
(iv)
(b) Sahetuka ~~:dh~mwas (i) that eru associnted with
the hetus
(ii) that ore not associnted
with the hctus".
The l1-itiktl concludes with a lis-t of- the categor- ie8 0 f dharnm" entitled Suttflntik;~ l'i..,tikn l1l"de up of
forty-two groups of dhf'1JlIll.1 found in the sutt;, s.
(2) The; four Divisions
Bnscd on these r15tik:3's of Tik:1s and Dukns, the
DhalllJllllsaiiga¢ is divided into four Divisions:
(i) CittuppAd~ KAnda, Division on the ~rising of con-
• • sciousness ond mlmt,.'1l concorni
t,.."'lnt s •
nup~ KA~~n, Division concerning corpor~nlity.
Nikkhepn Kand~, uivision thnt ~voids el~boration• • •
Atth:lk"'lth~ ~1ndn, Division of Supplement~ry Digest.
• • • •
Of the four divisions. the first b:o, ncme1y,
Cittuppada K..·H~.;:I and Rupa Ka~~n form th(;; ID-"in am essential
portion of the book. They set the model of thoro~h
investigation into the nnture, properties, function Bnd
int8rrelEtionship of each of the dlv'JlllIIIDs listed in the - - M8tikcl, by providing a SAmple analysis and rt:view of
the first Til<." Mroo1y, the Kusn1a Til<." of Kusala, Aku513113
And Aby5kfltn DhrJl11Jll3. Cittupp5da KaQq.a de'"1s with
a complete enum(;ration of nIl the st<-tes of mind thnt
cone under tht; ht:-ndings of Kust:'l.A r'nd Akusll1D; the Rupa
KA.nd.a is conc-.;rncd with a-ll stntes of ITlClttl.:r th.,t come under the ht:ndinb of AbYAk~t"1; Mention is () Iso m,de of
A5~U\klvlt"~ Dh5tu (Nibb;~ntl) without discussing it.
Th~ Nikkh0p~ ~1~~n, th~ third division, giv~s,
not too elnbor~te1y nor too bri~fly, th~ surnm~ry of
distribution of all tht Tiles "nd Dukr:ls, so th?t their
full cont0nts and signific~nc~ w~ll become comprehensible
and fully covc;rcd.
145
A~~hakath5 KaQq.a, the last division of the book,
is of the SAme nature as the third division, giving a
sUllllmry of the dhanmas under the different heads of the
Tika and the Duka groups. But it provides it in e more
condensed manner, thus forming a supplementary digest
of the first book of the AbhidMJnIJe for easy memrizing.
(3) Order and c1.8ssificAtion of the types of Consoiousness
as discussed in CittuppP.d~ Ka~a.
Thoa Cittuppcida KaQga first gives a statement of
the types of Consciousness arran~ed under the three
heads of the first Tika, nelOOly, (i) KuStlla Dhan:ma i.e.,
Meritorious Consciousness ~md its concomitants (ii)
Akusala Dha~' i.e., Demeritorious Consciousness and
its concomitants (iii) Abyak,ta Dhe~ i.e., Indeterminate
Consciousness and its concomit~nts. The list
of mental concomitants for erich dhalIllW is fair~ long
And repetitive.
The statement of th~ typ~s of Consciousness is
followed by identification of tho particular type e.g.
Kusal.a Dhamma, in thl;; form of quustion nnd answer. with
re-ga-rd to tho planE.. or sphere-(b-humi) of Consciousness: KamavaCAra, sensuous plAnt:; Rup8V'?cera, plane of form;
ArUpavacllrll , plane of no-form; Tebhiim3ka, pertaining to
all the three planes; or Lokuttara, supramundane, not
pertaining to the. three planes.
The type of Consciousness for each plnne is
further divided into various kinds e.g.,there are eight
kinds of Kusaln Dhamm-1 for the sensuous plllne: first
Kusala Citta, second Kusala Citta ~tc; twelve kinds of
Akusala Citt;]; eight kinds of Aht:t~ Kusala Vipaka
Citta Find eight kinds of Sahetuka Vipakrl Citta under
the heading of Abyakrlt~ DhtHIlIIB.
Then these various kinds arc further anDlysed
a ccording to:
(i) Dhamma Vavatthana Vtira e.g.,the particular
quality, whether acconpanied by joy etc. Le., som.·massa,
nAssS sukha, dukkha, or ~kkha.
(ii) Kotthisa Vara, the grouping of dhtlrJr.lns.
There arc twenty-three categori<:s of dhaur.es which
result from synthetiCAl grouping of dhallJll'lS into scp8ratecategories
such as khandhAs, ~tDnas,dhitus etc.
m, F.10
146
•
(iii) Sufiil~U1 Varn, which lAys stress on the
f~ct that there is no 'self' (atta) or jiva behind :'Ill
these dhaJIUIes; they ~re only composites, causally formed
and conditioned, devoid of any ~biding substnnce.
Tht=. same method of tre:'ltment is Adopted for the
akusal;l and abyaknta types of Consciousness.
(4) Riipa K'lI}9a
BeC!lU50 Dh:'IIIIm'lsangacl. tr"",.,ts ;)11 the dhmIlm~s
(namas PS well ;>5 rupDs) in the S:'lIOO uniform system of
classification, Rupa KaQ4a is only A continuntion of
the distribution of the DhnlIlllla under the hl:o'lds of the
first Tikn, which begins in the fir~t division, Cittupptrda
KnW8. In the Cittuppad03 !5BIJga, the enumeration of
the Dhp.1llIIfl under the hend 'Abyakat~' hns be..m only pcrtially
done, beC::lusc abyakatn type of DhalllIla includes
not only all the states of nind which nre neither meritorious
nor de~ritorious but ,1150 nll st~t~s of matter
and the ASilnkhatn Dh8tu or Nibbana. The portion of
OhalID'lla under the he13ding of Aby:ikat,." l-mich h;:l s been
It::ft out from Cittuppada ~lQQ~,is nttGnded to in this
k.1~.
The m~tt~d of treptm~nt h~r~ is similar, with the
difference th~t instead of mentnl conconitants, the
constituents of m1tter, nnrely, the four primflry elements
and the m;;terial qu<!lltics derived from them with
their prop~rties and their relationships :'Ire analysed
and classified.
II. Vibhanga Pall
Book of Analysis /
The second book of the Abhidh~Jn'l PitAka, Vibhafl.ga,
together with the first book Dha~s~~gaQl ;)nd the
third book Dhcituketh-1, forms 1" closely related faundntion
for the proper and deep understanding of the
. • y BuddhA's DhnI:llm. Wherens Dhnmr...1sangan1 provide:> a • bird's eye view of th~ whole of the Tikn r.>nd Duka
groups with further systcm.,tic arrangem~~ts under ClAssified
honds, Vibhailga and Dh';tukntha give a closer view
of selected portions of those groups bringing out
minute detnils.
Thus, Kotthasn Vara in Dhnmo1sangpnl t::xplpins
• • •
147
what and how lMny khnndh~, fur;>t.:!nn, dh,;tu, ;;hara, indri·
2, jhanailga etc. are included in tht: Tik;l :md Duka
groups. But it docs not furnish cOr.lplete ~nforI:lntion
about thli,;sE:: dh~IIl1~')s. It is Vibhm\gll which provides full
knowledge concerning thc~, stating th~ tX8ct n~ture of
each d~'mmA, its constituents and its rel~tionship to
other dhr'H:-amas.
The Vibhanga is divided into 0ightean Ch~pters
e-1ch d~aling "d.th ('l pr:rticulEr nspbct of the Dh;:JIIllIIQ;
its full analysis :>"nd investigetion into ench constituent.
The ArranLement And cl~ssificntion into groups
and heads follow the S·!Ii1':' systera :l S in the Dha mm"l sangaJ)
l.. Vibhanea m1y therefore be rel!:>rded ;:Js complemen-
D
...
tRry to hprnn~s8ng~J)~.
Vihh1ngD expl~ins compreh0nsivcly the following
cp.tegorics of Dh~mm~.
(i ~;:jndha
(11 Jryatann
(iii Dhatu
(iv) SrlCCD
(v) Indriya
(vi) PaticcnsamuppTtdR
(vii) Sntipatthnnn
(viii Sc~PE~dh~na
(ix Iddhipada
(x)
(xi)
(xii)
(xiii)
(xiv)
(xv)
(xvi)
(xvii)
(xviii)
Bojjhnilga
H~gga
JhAna
Appamm-"Jnno
Sik'<hiip.'lde
pntiscmbhida
Nana • Khuddhak~ v~tthu
Dh,' rrm~ h?d:>y.~
Each cp.'tegory is t'nr>lysed end discussed in two or
Rll the three of th8 following methods of Analysis:
Suttanta" bhajaniya the m~aninf of the term3 ~nd
the classifici!tion of th~ dhnr.u~s determined ~ccording
to the Suttant~ method; Abhidh0rnm1 bh~j~nIyn the
meAning of the terms nnd the cL~ssific?tion of the
dha-mmas deter:ni.ned according to the hbhidhr1r.Jr.l.~ ra<.:thod; Pailha pucchClkn I discussions in thu form of questions
and answers.
It may be seen fron th~ ~bovc list of the eighteen
categories thnt they lllay be divided into thr€:e se;,p<1r.qte
groups. The first group containing numbers (i)-(vi) deals
with mental and corpore"~l constituents of beings ~nd two
laws of I1l!ture to which they nre constnntly subj(;cted
viz: the Lc1W of Imperm1nencl. nnd the Law' of Depc:nd(;nt
OrigiJ'lDtion. The second group contl'ininf. numbors (v1i)-(Jdj)
is concbrned with the pr~cticc of th~ holy lif~ which
14~
will take beings out of suffering and rounds of existence.
The ~cmaining six cntegories serve as a supplement
to the first two groups, supplying fuller information
and details where necessary.
III. Dhatukatha Pali •
Although thi.s third book of Abhidhamma Pi~aka is
a small treatise, it ranks with the first two books
forming an important trilogy, which must be thoroughly
digested for the complete understanding of the Abhidhammao
Vibhanga, the second book, has one complete chapter
devoted to the analysis of dhatus, but the subject
matter of dhatu is so important thAt this se~'rate treatise
is devoted to it for a thorOUgh consideration. '!he
method of analysis here is different from that employed
in the Vibha nga •
Dhatukatha studies how the dhamrnas listed in the
Tika sand Duka s of the 1-1Atika are related to the three
categories of khandha, ~&tal~ and dhatu in their complete
distribution Le., five khandhas, twelve mtanas
and eighteen dhatus. These are discussed in fourteen
ways of analytical investigations which constitute the
fourteen chapters of Dhatukath~.
IV. Puggalapannatti Pali
•
Abhidhamma is lMinly concerned with the study of
abstract truths in absolute terms. But in describing
the dhamrnas in their various aspects, it is not possible
t~ keep to absolute terms only. Inevitably, conventional
terms of €very day language have to be employed
in order to keep the lines of communication open at all.
Abhidhamma states that there are two'main types of conventional
usage; the first type is concerned with terms
which express things that actual!;{ exist in reality and
the second type describes things which have no existence
in realit;}r.
The first three books of the Abhidhamma investigate
the absolute Truth of DhaIlllM in a planned system
of deta iled analysi s employing such terms as Kha ndha ,
ly8tana, Dhatu, Sacca and I~driya. These terms are
mere designations which express things that exist in
reality and are therefore classed as the conventional
149
uSAge.of the first type. To th~ second type of conventional
usnge belong such expNssions "~s man, wOlMn,deva,
individual etc., which h.3ve no existence in rcnlity, but
nevertheless are essential for cormnunic::ltion of thoughts.
It becom~s necessary therefore -to distinguish
between these two types of npparent truths 4 But as the
terms KhandhA, AyP.tana, Dhatu, Sacc~ ~nd Indriya have
been elabor::lt61y dealt with in the first three books,
they are dealt with here only briefly. Tht:; terms used
in the second type concerning individUt1ls are given
m:»re weight and space in the trentise, hence its title
Puggalapannatti, designAtion of individuals. Different
types of individunls are clrtssified, in ten chapters of
th.e book, af.te-r the manner of enumer.'ltion eaployed in Anguttara NikAya.
V. Kathavatthu Pali
•
KatM'vatthu, like Puggal.apannatti, falls outside
the regular system of the AbhidhnlllJlk9. It does not directly
deal with the nbstruse nature of the Dhamn:a. It
is mainly concerned with \>Jrong views sueh as "Person
exists; Self exists; Jiva exists" which were prevalent
even in the Buddha t stice, or wrong views such as
"Arahat falls llway from Ar.'1hatship" which ;>rose ~fter
the Parinibbana of the Buddh.3.
About two hundred c:nd eighteen yE:nrs ~fter the
Parinibb.ina of the Buddha there were altogether ~ghteen
Sects, all claiming to be followers of the Buddh~'s
Teaching. Of these only the Ther::lvadins were truly
orthodox, while the rest were nll schismatic. The Emperor
Asoka set about removing the impure elements from
the Order with the guidance and assistance of the EJ.der
Hoggaliputtatissa who was an accomplished ArAhnt. Under
his direction, the Order held in concord the yPosatha
ceremony which hod not been held for seven years because
of dissensions :md the presence of false bhikkhus
in the Order.
At that assembly, the Venerable Moggaliputtatiss8
expounded on points of views, nede up of five hundred
orthodox statements and five hundred statements of
other views, in order _to refute the wrong views that
had crept into tho Samgha and that might in the future
arise. He followed the heads of discourses, M5tika,
150
outlined by the Buddha hirn.self and analysed them in detail
into one thousand statements of views. This collection
of statements of vie-Is was recited by one thousand
selected theras who formed the Third Great Synod, to be
incorporated into the Abhidhamme Pitaka.
The style of compilation of this treatise is quite
different froT:1 that of other treatises, written as it is
in the form of dialogue between two imagin~ry debators,
one holding the heterodox views of different sects and
the other representing the orthodox views.
VI. Yamaka Pall •
- The Dhammasanga.ni, the Vibhanga and the Dhatu- katha examine the DhaT:lrne end their clnssifications as
they exist in the world of reality, named Sankharaloka.
Puggalapannatti and Kathavatthu deal with beings and
individuals which ~lso exist in their own world of apparent
reality, known ~s Snttalok3. Uhere the dhall'UTi:l of
Sankharalok~ and beings-of the sattaloka co-exist is
termed the Okasaloka. Yamnka sets out to define and
analyse the interrelationship of dhn~s and alas
as "-hey exist in these three _lOrlds.
This is accomplished in th~ form of pairs of questions,
which gives it the title of Yemaka. The logical
process of conversion (anuloma) and complete inversion
(pa~iloma) is applied to determine th~ cOT:1plete import
and limit of a term in its relntionship _nth the others.
An equivocal n~ture of n term (sums~yn) is ~voided by
showing, through such arrangement of questions, how
other meanings of the term do not fit for a parti~ular
consideration.
The following pAirs of questions may be taken as
an example:
To the question 'l1ay all rupn be called Rupakkhandha?'
the answer is 'Rupa is ~lso used in such expressions
as ~ rupa (loveable nature), eva rUpa
(of such nature), but there it does not me~n R~pakkhandha.
'
But to the question '!-lay All RupakkhAndha be
called rupa?1 the answer is'yes',becaus€ RUpakkhandha
is- a very w-ide term ~nd includes such terms 1\5 E.!ri ~ eva rupa etc.
151
VII.Pntthan~ Pali
• • •
Pa~1th5na Fal1, the seventh :llld 1::> st book of the
Abhidha~1, is cniled the ~ha PakErn~n, the 'Great
Book' :lnnouncing the suprE:mu position it occupies 8nd
the height of excellence it hRS renched in its investigations
into the ultimate n.'lturE. of all the dhal:Jr.l<ls in
the Universe.
The Dh1I:1r.flsang;Jnl gives an enUJ:l<:.-rl'ttion of these
dhann1s cl<tssifying th•em under the Tilvl i'lnd Juke") groups.
Vibhailga analyses them to show ••h8t dhAlIUO<.IS nre contAined
in the In."] jor cAtegori~s of khl'ndhi'ls, E,,":!t:lllIlS,
dhatus etc. Dhatuk~tb8 studies the rel~tionship of
dhallllMs listed in the if'itik7? with e:ch cor:1ponent of
these major categori~s of khnndh~s, 5ynt~nDs 2nd dh~tus.
Yamalm rl;;solvcs Rubiguity in the intcrnul ,'?nd external
relationship of <:::Jch dhiilIllm. PntthAna forming the last
•• book of the Abhidhnl:ll!ln brings togtthcr illl such relrJtionship
in,a co-ordinated fona to show that the dhnmrncs do
not exist as isolated entities but they constitute a
well ordered system in which thE:; sl:1c311est unit conditions
the r~st of it and is also being conditioned in
return. The arr~ngement of the:: systei<\ is so very intricate,
cOlilplex, highly thorough flnd conplete thnt it
eArns for this tre~tise the reputation of being deep,
profound nnd unfllthom''lble.
An outline of the Patthnnll
••
5ysten of relations. - - PnHhAna, wde up of tht'; words"pa and ~h;"n8",
means_a system of rt:.:lIJtions. The Greet Treatise' of
Patthana arranges nIl conditioned things, (twenty-two
Tikas and one hundred Dukl:s of the H":~tika), under
twenty-four kinds of relations, descr~bes pnd classifies
them into a complete system for underst~nding
the m3ChAniCS of the universe of Dhflrnrna. The whole work
is divided into four great divisions, n:>m3ly:
(i)Anulona Patthina which studi~s the instnnccs
• • in which pacc~:£2. rt:lI:'\tions
do exist between the dh~~s.
(ii) Paccnnlya Pntthana which studi,es the in-
• •
st3nces in which pncc~
152
relations do not exist between
the dhelllllas.
(iii) Anulorna Pacc~nIya Pa~~hana which studies the
inst~ncbs in which so~ of
the paccaX2 relations do
exist betw~en the dhamrnas but
the others do not •.
(iv) Paccanlya Anuloma Patthana which studies the
inst8nc~s in which some of
the paccaYjL relations do not
~xist ~etween the dhamrnas,
but the oth0rs do exist.
The t\'1(;nty-four paccay.£. rel<itions arc applied to
these four great divisions in the following ~ix wcys:
(ii) Duka Patthana
• •
(v) Tika-Tika
Patthana
• •
(iv) Tika-Duka
Pntthana
• •
(vi) Duka-Duka
Patthana
• •
- The twenty-four paccayas ere
applied to the dnammas :Ln
their twenty-four Tika groups
- The tw~nty-four paccayas are
applied to the dha~s in
their one hundred Duke
groups.
- The twenty four paccayas
applied to the dhsrrull3 s in
their one hundred Dukas
mixed with twenty-two Tiks
groups.
- The twenty-four paccnyas
applied to the dha~s in
their twenty-two Tikas mixed
with one hundred Duke groups.
- The twenty-four paccaY3s
applied to the dhammas in
the tw~nty-two Tika groups
mixed with one another.
- The twenty-four paccayas
applied to thl;; dharnm9s in
their one hundred Duka
groups mixed with one
another.
•
P<itthana •• (i) Tika
(iii) Duka--Tika Patthana
• •
153
The four pa.t.tbanas of the -four gr(;at divisions
when permuted with the six patthanas of the six ways
•• result in twenty-four treatises which constitute. the
tghiega~nhtaic-packo:m-lprial.n:A~toironaos fthAebsctorca:cntenAt<b'hryidha-anmdmasulmbo-wcno~ans - tary name it "Anantanaya Sarn,'1ntn Fa~~hanall to denote
its profundity and fathomless depth.
THE END
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