Guide to
Tipitaka
4. Suttanta
Pitaka
Professor Ko Lay
For free
distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Digha
Nikaya
Collection
of Long Discourses of the Buddha
This Collection in the Suttanta
Pitaka, named Digha 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)
Silakkhandha Vagga
Pali Division
Concerning Morality
This division contains thirteen
suttas which deal extensively with various types of morality,
namely, Minor Morality, basic morality applicable to all; Middle
Morality and Major Morality which are mostly practised by Samanas
and Brahmanas. It also discusses the wrong views often prevalent
as well as brahmin views of sacrifice and caste, and various
religious practices such as extreme self-mortification.
(1) Brahmajala Sutta, Discourse
on the Net of Perfect Wisdom
An argument between Suppiya, a
wandering ascetic, and his pupil Brahmadatta, with the teacher
maligning the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha and the pupil
praising the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha gave rise to this
famous discourse which is listed first in this Nikaya.
In connection with the maligning
of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, the Buddha enjoined his
disciples not to feel resentment, nor displeasure, nor anger,
because it would only be spiritually harmful to them. As to the
words of praise for the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, the
Buddha advised his disciples 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, panna. A worldling
could touch on only "matters of a trifling and inferior
nature, mere morality." The Buddha explained the three
grades of morality and said that there were other dhammas
profound, hard to see, subtle and intelligible only to the wise.
Anyone wishing to praise correctly the true virtues of the Buddha
should do so only in terms of these dhammas.
Then the Buddha continued to
expound on various wrong views. There were samanas and brahmanas
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,
(ii) Four Kinds of Dualistic
belief in Eternity and Non-eternity, Ekacca Sassata Ditthi,
(iii) Four Views of the World
being Finite or Infinite, Antananta Ditthi,
(iv) Four Kinds of ambiguous
evasion, Amaravikkhepa
(v) Two Doctrines of
Non-Causality, Adhiccasamuppanna Vada.
There were samanas and brahmanas,
who, speculating on the future, adhered to and aserted their
wrong views in forty-four ways, namely,
(i) Sixteen Kinds of Belief in
the Existence of Sanna after death, Uddhamaghatanika Sanni Vada,
(ii) Eight Kinds of Belief in
the Non-Existence of Sanna after death, Uddhamaghatanika
Asanni Vada,
(iii) Eight Kinds of Belief in
the Existence of Neither sanna nor non-sanna after death,
Uddhamaghatanika Nevasanni Nassani Vada.
(iv) Seven Kinds of Belief in
Annihilation, Uccheda Vada,
(v) Five Kinds of Mundane
Nibbana as realizable in this very life, Ditthadhamma Nibbana Vada.
The Buddha said that whatever
samanas and brahmanas speculated on the past, or the future or
both the past 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 also 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 asserted in sixty-two ways and 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 wrong views, in him feeling gives rise to craving;
craving 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 them, he realizes the dhammas, not only mere
morality, sila, but also concentration,samadhi, and liberation,
vimutti, wisdom, panna, that transcend all these wrong views.
All the samanas and brahmanas
holding the sixty-two categories 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 fisher man
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 Rajagaha at the mango grove of Jivaka this
discourse 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 or a landholder cultivating the King's own land
becoming a samana 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 established 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 be comes endowed with mindfulness and clear
comprehension and remains contented; (v) how, by dissociating
himself from five hindrances, 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 Power of Creation by Mind, the Psychic Powers, the
Divine Power of Hearing, Knowledge of the Minds of others,
Knowledge of Past existences, Divine Power of Sight, Knowledge of
Extinction of moral 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 samana, personally
experienced, more pleasing and higher than this.
(3) Ambattha Sutta
Ambattha, a young disciple of
Pokkharasati, the learned brahmin, 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
Brahmana. 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 Sonadanda who approached the Buddha while he was residing
near Lake Gaggara at Camps in the country of Anga. He was asked
by the Buddha what attributes should one possess to be
acknowledged as a brahmin. Sonadanda 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
morality and knowledge without which no one would be entitled to
be called a brahmin. On his request, the Buddha explained to him
the meaning of the terms morality and knowledge, 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) Kutadanta Sutta
On the eve of offering a great
sacrificial feast, the brahmin Kutadanta went to see the Buddha
for advice on how best to conduct the sacrifice. Giving the
example of a former King Mahavijita, who also made a great
sacrificial offering, the Buddha declared the principle of
consent by four parties from the provinces, namely, noblemen,
ministers, rich brahmins and house holders; the eight qualities
to be possessed by the king who would make the offerings; the
four qualities of the brahmin royal adviser 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 Kutadanta then asked the Buddha if there
was any sacrifice which could be made with less trouble and
exertion, yet producing more fruitful result. The Buddha told him
of the traditional practice of offering the four requisites to
bhikkhus of high morality. Less troublesome and more profitable
again was donating a monastery to the Order of Bhikkhus. Better
still were the following practices in ascending order of
beneficial effects. (i) Going to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the
Samgha for refuge; (ii) observance of the Five Precepts; (iii)
going forth from the homelife and leading the holy life, becoming
established in morality, accomplished in the four jhanas, and
equipped with eight kinds of higher knowledge resulting in the
realization of extinction of asavas, the sacrifice which entails
less trouble and exertion but which excels all other sacrifices.
(6) Mahali Sutta
Mahali Otthaddha, a Licchavi
ruler, once came to see the Buddha to whom he recounted what
Sunakkhatta, a Licchavi prince, had told him. Sunakkhatta had
been a disciple of the Buddha for three years after which he left
the Teaching. He told Mahali how he had acquired the Divine Power
of Sight by which he had seen myriads of pleasant, desirable
forms belonging to the deva world but that he had not heard
sounds belonging to the deva world. Mahali wanted to know from
the Buddha whether Sunakkhetta did not hear the sounds of the
deva world because 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 Power of Sight but not the Divine Power of
Hearing.
The Buddha explained further that
his disciples practised the noble life under him not to acquire
such divine powers but with a view to the realization of dhammas
which far excel and transcend these mundane kinds of
concentrations. Such dhammas are attainments of the Four States
of Noble Fruition - states of a stream-winner, a once-returner, a
non-returner, and the state of mind and knowledge of an Arahat
freed of all asavas that have been rendered extinct.
The Path by which these dhammas
can be realized is the Noble Path of Eight Constituents: Right
View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right mindfulness, Right Concentration.
(7) Jaliya Sutta
Once when the Buddha was residing
at Ghositarama Monastery near Kosambi, two wandering ascetics
Mundiya and Jaliya approached him and asked whether the soul was
the physical body or the physical body the soul, or whether the
soul was one thing and the physical 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 physical body
another.
(8) Mahasihanada Sutta
This discourse defines what a true
samanas, what a true brahmana is. The Buddha was residing in the
Deer Park of Kannakathala at Urunna. Then the naked ascetic
Kassapa approached him and said that he had heard that Samana
Gotama disparaged all practices of self-mortification 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-mortification, and of those who practised
less extreme forms of self-mortification, how could he revile all
systems of self-mortification.
Kessapa then maintained that 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 samanas and brahmanas. The Buddha explained to him the
futility of extreme self-mortification and said that only when a
recluse practised to become accomplished in morality,
concentration and knowledge; cultivated loving-kindness, and
dwelt in the emancipation of mind, and emancipation through
knowledge that he would be entitled to be called a samana and
brahmana. Then the Buddha gave full exposition on morality,
concentration and knowledge, resulting in Kassapa's decision to
join the Order of the Buddha.
(9) Potthapada Sutta
Once the Buddha was staying at the
Monastery of Anathapindika in the Jeta Grove at Savatthi he
visited the Ekasalaka Hall where various views were debated. At
that time Potthapada the wandering ascetic asked him about the
nature of the cessation of Consciousness (sanna). Potthapada
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 form of Consciousness arose through practice (Adhicitta
sikkha) and a certain form of Consciousness ceased through
practice.
The Buddha then proceeded to
expound on these practices consisting of observance of sila and
development of concentration which resulted in arising and
ceasing of successive jhanas. The meditator progressed from one
stage to the next in sequence until he achieved the Cessation of
all forms of Consciousness (nirodha samapatti).
(10) Subha Sutta
This is a discourse given not by
the Buddha but by his close attendant, the Venerable Ananda, on
the request of young Subha. The Buddha had passed a way by then.
And young Subha wanted to know from the lips of the Buddha's
close attendant what dhammas were praised by the Buddha and what
those dhammas 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
dhammas, dwell in them, and have them firmly established. Ananda
explained these aggregates of dhamma in great detail to young
Subha, in consequence of which he became a devoted lay disciple.
(11) Kevatta Sutta
The Buddha was residing at Nalanda
in Pavarika's mango grove. A devoted lay disciple approached the
Buddha and urged him to let one of his disciples perform miracles
so that the City of Nalanda would become ever so much devoted to
the Buddha.
The Buddha told him about the
three kinds of miracles which he had known and realised by
himself through supernormal knowledge. The first miracle,
iddhipatihariya was rejected by the Buddha because it could be
mistaken as the black art called Gandhari magic. The Buddha also
rejected the second miracle, adesana patihariya which might be
mistaken as practice of Cintemani charm. He recommended the
performance of the third miracle, the anusasani patihariya, the
miracle of the power of the Teaching as it involved practice in
Morality, Concentration and Knowledge leading finally to the
extinction of Asavas, Asavakkhaye Nana.
(12) Lohicca Sutta
The discourse lays down three
types of blame worthy teachers: (i) The teacher who is not yet
accomplished in the noble practice and teaches pupils who do not
listen to him. (ii) The teacher who is not yet accomplished in
the noble practice and teaches pupils who practise as instructed
by him and attain emancipation. (iii) The teacher who is fully
accomplished in the noble practice and teaches pupils who do not
listen to him
The praiseworthy teacher is one
who has become fully accomplished in the three practices of
Morality, Concentration and Knowledge and teaches pupils who
become fully accomplished like him.
(13) Tevijja Sutta
Two brahmin youths Vasettha and
Bharadvaja came to see the Buddha while he was on a tour through
the Kingdom of Kosala. They wanted the Buddha to settle their
dispute as to the correct path that lead straight to
companionship with the Brahma. 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 Brahma, they were like a line of
blind men each holding on to the preceding one. Then he showed
them the true path that really led to the Brahma realm, namely,
the path of morality and concentration, and development of
loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity
towards all sentient beings.
(b) Maha Vagga
Pali
The Large Division
The ten suttas in this division
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 Mahaparinibbana
Sutta which gives an account of the last days and the passing
away of the Buddha and the distribution of his relics. Mahapadana
Sutta deals with brief accounts of the last seven Buddhas and the
life story of the Vipassi Buddha. Doctrinally important are the
two suttas: the Mahanidana Sutta which explains the Chain of
Cause and Effect, and the Mahasatipatthana Sutta dealing with the
four Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness and practical aspects of
Buddhist meditation.
(1) Mahapadana Sutta
This discourse was given at
Savatthi 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
emancipation from defilements.
The Buddha explained that his
ability to remember and recall all the facts of past existences
was due to his own penetrating discernment as well as due to the
devas making these matters known to him.
(2) Mahanidana Sutta
This discourse was given at
Kammasadhamna market town to the Venerable Ananda to correct his
wrong view that the doctrine of Paticcasamuppada, 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 doctrine, deep with
respect to the manner in which it was taught, and deep with
regard to the facts on which it was established.
He then gave a thorough exposition
on the doctrine and said that because of lack of proper
understanding and penetrative comprehension of this doctrine,
beings were caught in and unable to escape from, 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 with many discourses on some of the most fundamental
and important aspects of the Buddha's Teaching. Being the longest
discourse of the Digha Nikaya, it is 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 the bhikkhus.
Then he set out on his last
journey going first to the village of Patali where he taught on
the consequences of an immoral and a moral life. He then
proceeded to the village of Koti where he expounded on the Four
Noble Truths. Then the Buddha took up his residence at the
village of Natika where the famous discourse on the Mirror of
Truth was given.
Next the Buddha went to Vesali
with a large company of bhikkhus. At Vesali he accepted the park
offered by the Courtesan Ambapali. From Vesali, the Buddha
travelled to a small village named Veluva where he was overtaken
by a severe illness that could have proved fatal. But the Buddha
resolved to maintain the life-process and not to pass away
without addressing his lay disciples and without taking leave of
the Samgha. When Ananda informed the Buddha how worried he had
been because of the Buddha's illness, the Buddha gave the famous
injunction:
"Let yourselves be your
own support, your own refuge. Let the Dhamma, not anything else,
be your refuge."
It was at Vesali that the Buddha
made the decision to pass away and realize parinibbana in three
months' time. Upon his making this momentous decision, there was
a great earthquake. Ananda, on learning from the Buddha the
reason of the earthquake, supplicated him to change the decision,
but to no avail.
The Buddha then caused the Samgha
to be assembled to whom he announced his approaching parinibbana.
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 discourses
to the accompanying Samgha on sila, samadhi and panna. Proceeding
further on his journey to the north, he gave the discourse on the
four great Authorities, Mahapadesa, at the town of Bhoga.
From there he went on to Pava and
stayed in the Mango Grove of Cunda, the Goldsmith's son, who made
an offering of food to the Buddha and his community of bhikkhus.
After eating the meal offered by Cunda, a severe illness came
upon the Buddha who nevertheless continued on his journey till he
reached Kusinara where in the Sal Grove of the Malla princes he
urged Ananda to lay out 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 there are four places which
arouse reverence and devotion, four persons worthy of a stupa,
and answering Ananda's questions on how to conduct oneself with
regard to women, or on what should be done regarding the remains
of the Buddha. His last 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 about the
Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, the Buddha uttered his last
words: "Inherent, in all compounded things is decay and
dissolution. Strive well with full mindfulness."
Then as the assembled bhikkhus,
princes and people paid homage to him with deep reverence, the
Buddha passed away, realizing parinibbana.
(4) Mahasudassana Sutta
This discourse was given by the
Buddha while he was lying on his death-bed in the Sal Grove of
the Mallas. When Ananda implored him not to realize parinibbana
in an insignificant, barren, small town, the Buddha told him that
Kusinara was not an insignificant, small place. In times long
past, it was known as Kusavati, 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 Mahasudassana was
the ruler there. He also told how the King ruled over his
dominions righteously and how finally abandoning all attachments
and practising jhana he passed away and reached the blissful
Brahma realm.
The Buddha revealed that he
himself was King Mahasudassana of that time. He had cast off the
body in this place (former Kusavati) for six times as a Universal
Monarch. Now he was casting it off for the seventh and last 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 discourse 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 Magadha had reached the deva world by virtue of their faith
in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha. This information was
given him by Janavasabha Deva who was formerly King Bimbisara. He
informed the Buddha that there were regular assemblies of devas
in the deva realm on uposatha days when the king of the devas and
Sanankumara Brahma taught the Dhamma on development of the Bases
of Psychic Power, on the Three Opportunities, on the Four Methods
of Steadfast Mindfulness and the Seven Accessories of
Concentration.
(6) Mahagovinda Sutta
In this discourse, Pancasikha, a
gandhabba deva, told the deva assembly where Sanankumara Brahma
taught the Dhamma as shown by Mahagovinda, the Bodhisatta who had
reached the Brahma world. The Buddha said that Mahagovinda was
none other than himself and explained that the Dhamma he taught
at that time could lead one only to the Brahma World. With his
Teaching now as Enlightened Buddha, higher attainments such as
the Sotapatti, Sakadagami, Anagami and the highest achievement
Arahatta phala were possible.
(7) Mahasamaya Sutta
The Buddha was residing in the
Mahavana forest at Kapilavatthu with a company of Arahats
numbering five hundred. Then devas and Brahmas from ten thousand
Cakkavalas came to see the Buddha and, the community of bhikkhus.
The Buddha told his disciples the names of the devas and Brahmas
as listed in this sutta.
(8) Sakkapanha Sutta
Once when the Buddha was residing
at the Indasala Cave near Rajagaha, Sakka, the king of devas,
came to him to ask certain questions. He wanted to know why there
was hostility and violence among various beings. The Buddha told
him it was envy and selfishness that brought about hostility
among beings. He further explained that envy and selfishness were
caused by likes and dislikes, which in turn had their roots in
desire. And desire grew from mental pre-occupation (vitakka)
which had its origin in samsara-expanding illusions (papanca-sanna-sankha).
The Buddha then gave an outline of
practices to remove these samsara-expanding illusions including
two types of quests, quests that should be pursued and quests
that should not be pursued.
(9) Mahasatipatthana Sutta
This sutta is one of the most
important doctrinal discourses of the Buddha. It propounds the
only way for the purification of beings, for overcoming sorrow
and lamentation, for the complete removal of pain and grief, for
the attainment of the right path, and for the realization of
Nibbana.' This discourse, given directly to the bhikkhus at the
market town of Kammasadhamma, defines 'the only way' as the Four
methods of Steadfast Mindfulness made up of fourteen ways of
contemplating the body, nine ways of contemplating sensation,
sixteen ways of contemplating the mind, and five ways of
contemplating the dhamma. It ends with a definite assurance of
fruitful results: Arahatship in this very existence or the state
of an anagam within seven years, seven months or seven
days.
(10) Payasi Sutta
This discourse recounts how the
Venerable Kumarakassapa showed the right path to Governor Payasi
of Setabya town in Kosala country. Governor Payasi 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 Kumarakassapa showed him the right
path, illustrating his teaching with numerous illuminating
similes. Ultimately Payasi became full of faith and took refuge
in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha. The Venerable
Kumarakassapa taught him also the right kind of offerings to be
made and that these offerings should be made with due respect, by
one's own hands, with due esteem and not as if discarding them.
Only under these conditions would the good deed of offerings bear
splendid fruits.
(c) Pathika
Vagga Pali
This division is made up of eleven
shorter discourses of a miscellaneous nature. They deal with the
Buddha's rejection 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, Singala
Sutta, addressed to a young brahmin showing the duties to be
performed by members of the human society. The last two suttas,
Sagiti and Dasuttara, are discourses given by the Venerable
Sariputta and they contain lists of doctrinal terms classified
according to subject matter and numerical units. The style of
their composition is different from the other nine suttas of the
division.
(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 development of the universe, and on the performance of
wonders and miracles. Sunakkhatta, 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 Buddha, and made slanderous attacks on the Buddha and his
disciples. In Pathika Sutta are short discourses in which are
accounts of the Buddha's refutation and explanation with
reference to many of Sunakkhatta's accusations.
(2) Udumbarika Sutta
This discourse was given to
Nigrodha the wandering ascetic and his followers in the Park of
the Queen Udumbarika near Rajagaha, 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 Matula, in the
country of Magadha, 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
Wheel as one of his seven treasures. He and his successor ruled
over the four continents, 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 Dhamma their only support, providing shelter
and security, offering wealth and necessities to the needy, their
dominions remained at peace, prosperous and progressing.
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 fulfil their duties towards parents, samanas and
brahmanas. 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 brahmanas. In consequence of improved morality, their
life-span expanded again until it reached eighty thousand years
when a Universal Monarch appeared once more to rule righteously.
Bhikkhus were thus enjoined to keep within the confines of the
Dhamma, making it their support, their refuge. The Dhamma would
show the way for their physical and mental development until they
attained Arahatship.
(4) Agganna Sutta
This discourse was given at
Savatthi to two novices under training, Vasettha and Bharadvaja,
pointing out the wrong beliefs of brahmins as regards caste. The
brahmins claimed that among the four classes of people,
recognised at that time, brahmins were the noblest; next came the
Khattiya class, the nobility 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 dissolution and describing how human
beings first appeared on earth and how the four social classes
emerged. He explained further that the nobility of a person was
decided not by his birth and lineage but by his morality and
knowledge of the Noble Truths.
Whoever holds wrong views and
commits misdeeds
Whoever holds wrong views and
commit misdeedsis not noble whatever his birth. Whoever restrains
himself in deed, word and thought and develops the Bodhipakkhiya
Dhammas until he attains complete eradication of defilements in
this very life is the chief, the noblest amongst men and devas
irrespective of birth."
(5) Sampasadaniya Sutta
The Venerable Sariputtat's deep
confidence in the Buddha was once proclaimed aloud in an eloquent
eulogy of the Buddha spoken in the Buddha's presence. For making
this bold utterance on the virtues of the Buddha, the Buddha
asked him whether he had personal knowledge of the minds of all
the Buddhas, those of the past, of the future and of the present,
their Morality, their Concentration, their Wisdom, and the manner
of their emancipation.
The Venerable Sariputta said he
did not claim to have such knowledge but justified himself by
stating in detail the course of the Dhamma taken by all the
Buddhas - their accomplishment in sila, abandonment of Live
hindrances, establishment in the four Methods of Steadfast
Mindfulness and cultivation of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment
- the only course that could lead to unsurpassed Supreme
Enlightenment.
(6) Pasadika Sutta
The Venerable Ananda accompanied
by bhikkhu Cunda went to see the Buddha to give him the news
about the death of Nigantha Nataputta, the leader of a well-known
sect, and the schism that had arisen amongst his disciples.
The Buddha told them that it was
natural and to be expected to happen in a Teaching which was not
well taught, not well imparted, not conducive to emancipation,
and not taught by one who was supremely enlightened.
In contrast, the Buddha explained
that when the Teaching was well taught, well imparted by one who
was supremely enlightened, there were no wrong views, no
speculations about past or future or about atta. In the Teaching
of the Buddha, bhikkhus were taught the Four Methods of Steadfast
Mindfulness by which wrong views and speculations were laid
aside.
(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.
"If he lives the household
life, he will become a Universal Monarch 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 explained the thirty
two bodily marks in detail, together with accounts of meritorious
deeds previously performed by virtue of which each of these
thirty-two bodily marks were acquired.
(8) Singala Sutta
This discourse was given by the
Buddha at Rajagaha for the edification of a young man named
Singala. The youth Singala used to worship the six cardinal
points, namely, the East, the South, the West, the North, the
Nadir and the Zenith in obedience to the last advice given by his
dying father. The Buddha explained to the young man that
according to his Teaching, the six directions were: The East
standing for parents; The South standing for teachers; The West
standing for the wife and children; The North standing for
friends and associates; The Nadir standing for servants,
employees; The Zenith standing for samanas, brahmanas.
The Buddha explained further that
the six social groups mentioned in the discourse were to be
regarded as sacred and worthy of respect and worship. One
worshipped them by performing one's duties towards them. Then
these duties were explained to the youth Singala.
(9) Atanatiya Sutta
Four Celestial Kings came to see
the Buddha and told him that there were non-believers among many
invisible beings who might bring harm to the followers of the
Buddha. The Celestial Kings therefore wanted to teach the
bhikkhus the protecting incantation known as the Atanatiya
Paritta. The Buddha gave his consent by remaining silent.
Then the four Celestial Kings
recited the Atanatiya Paritta, which the Buddha advised bhikkhus,
bhikkhunis and lay disciple to learn, to memorise so that they
might dwell at ease, well guarded and protected.
(10) Sangiti Sutta
The Buddha was touring through the
country of the Mallas when he came to Pava. The death of Nigantha
Nataputta had taken place only recently and his followers were
left in dissession and strife, wrangling over doctrines.
The Venerable Sariputta who
delivered this discourse attributed this schism among Nataputta's
followers to the fact that Nataputta's Teaching had not been well
taught nor well imparted, and was not conducive to release from
the round of existences, being taught by one who was not
supremely enlightened.
But the Buddha's Teaching was well
taught, well imparted, conducive to release from the round of
existences, being taught by the Buddha who was supremely
enlightened. He advised the bhikkhus to recite the Dhamma as
taught by the Buddha, in concord and without dissension so that
the Teaching should last long. Then he proceeded to enumerate the
Dhamma classified under separate heads as Group of the Ones,
Group of the Twos, etc., up to the Group of the Tens to
facilitate easy memorising and reciting.
(11) Dasuttara Sutta
This discourse was also delivered
by the Venerable Sariputta, while the Buddha was staying at
Campa, in order that the bhikkhus should get liberated from
fetters, and attain Nibbana, bringing about the end of suffering.
He taught the Dhamma classified
under separate heads as Group of the Ones, Group of the Twos,
etc. up to the Group of the Tens.