ME01

Buddhist Doctrines of the Pāli Nikāyas: Analysis and Interpretation

ME01  04-03-2011       (2:00 to 3:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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In the 19th century Buddhism was virtually extinct in India. In far eastern Bengal and Assam, a few Buddhists preserved a tradition. By the end of that century, a very small number of Indian intellectuals had become interested in Buddhism, through Western scholarship or through the activities of the Theosophical Society. History of the development of Pāli canon with reference to the three Buddhist Council held in India.

Diganikāya: Contemporary religious and philosophical traditions in India. Brahmajāla Sutta-Sixty two views related to eternalism(sassatavāda) and nihilism(ucchedavāda), emphasis on the views connected with saññā (perception). Sāmaññaphala Sutta- views of the six famous teachers. The literal meaning of the word Sutta is an aphorism, thread or cord. (Sutta= su+ tā, su+ nta, sud + tā, Jā + nat).

In the Brahmajāla Sutta, two doctrines of non-causality (Adhiccasamuppanna Vāda) Paribbājaka kathā: about the wandering ascetics Cūla Sīla (minor morality), Majjhima Sīla (middle morality) and Mahā Sīla (major morality). Exposition on wrong views: eighteen wrong views relating to the past four kinds of eternity view (Sassataditthi), four views of eternity and non-eternity (Ekacca Sassata Ditthi), Four views of the world being finite or infinite (Antānanta Ditthi), Four kinds of indecisive evasion (Amarāvikkhepa Ditthi).

Forty-four views relating to the future (Aparantanuditthi). Eight kinds of belief in the non-existence of Sañña after death- (Uddhamaghatanika Asaññi Vāda). Eight kinds of belief in the existence of neither Sañña nor Non-Sañña after death (Uddhamaghatanika Nevasaññi Nasaññi Vāda). Seven Kinds of Belief in An-nihilation (Uccheda Vāda). Five kinds of belief in Nibbana as realizable in this very life (Diṭṭhadhamma Nibbāna Vāda). Agitation conditioned by wrong views and craving (Paritassita Vipphandita Vāra). Contact as cause (Phassa Paccaya) no possibility of feeling without contact (Netam Thanam Vijjati Vāra), of the round of suffering caused by wrong views (Ditthigatikadhitthana Vatta Katha).

The Brahmajala Sutta sets forth sixty-two kinds of wrong views which are held by Samanas and Brahmanas. These sixty-two kinds of wrong views are classified into two categories, namely, Pubbantanuditthi and Aparantanuditthi. Pubbantanu ditthi is further classified into five sub-categories. They are as follows: (1) Sassata ditthi, (2) Ekacca sassata ditthi, (3) Antānanta ditthi, (4) Amarāvikkhepa ditthi and (5) Adhiccasamuppanna ditthi.

Sassata ditthi is a group of false views of eternity, which says that atta as well as loka is eternal. There are four different views in this group.

               Kevalasassata Vāra             4
               Ekaccasassata Vāra             4
               Antānanta Vāra                    4
               Amarāvikkhepa Vāra             4
               Adhiccasamuppanna Vāra     2
               Saññi Vāra                          16
               Asaññi Vāra                           8
               Nevasaññi Vāra                     8
               Vechada Vāra                        7
               Diṭṭhadhammanibbāna Vāda 5
Sañña means perception in Pāli. Sañña is mostly understood as perception and at many Dhamma sites, Sañña appears as perception. At another time, it may appear in the name of consciousness which is a bit confusing with citta which is consciousness.

The Atthasālini then gives a definition: perception has the characteristic of perceiving by on act of general inclusion, and the function of making marks as a condition for repeated perception, as when woodcutters 'perceive' logs and so forth. Its manifestation is the action of interpreting by means of the sign as apprehended, as in the case of blind persons who 'see' an elephant or it has briefness as tusks believes that it is like a ploughshare, and so on. Thus, there is recognizing of a sign or label which was made before. The Visuddhimagga gives a similar definition.

We have not attained to the stage of Pañña which knows the impermanence of Nāma and Rūpa, we may still think that people and things can stay, be it for a long or a short time. Nāma and Rūpa are impermanent and thus they are Dukkha, they cannot be true happiness. We still take what is Dukkha for happiness and we still cling to the concept of self. We also take the foul for the fair. The body is foul, it is not beautiful. However, we cling to our body and take it for something beautiful. So long as one has not attained the First Stage of Enlightenment, there are still the perversions of sañña, citta and ditthi. The Sotapanna, who has attained the first stage of enlightenment, has eradicated ditthi, and thus he has no more perversions which are connected with wrong view.

The commentary refers to a story in the "Udāna Pali", about blind people who touch different parts of an elephant. Each of them interprets in his own way what an elephant is like: the Person who touches the head believes that the elephant is like a pot, since he remembers when a pot is like; the person who touches the manifestation, like lightning, owing to its inability to penetrate the object. Its proximate cause is whatever object has appeared, like the perception which arises in young deer mistaking scarecrows for men.

The Sotapanna still clings to objects and therefore he can still have the perversions of Citta and Sañña, while he takes for happiness what is not happiness and takes for beautiful what is foul. When we think of a concept such as a flower, we may take the flower for something which lasts. The Ariyans, those who have attained Enlightenment, also think of concepts but they do so without wrong view. We don't think it's easy to explain what Sañña is. I except for
you to experience it during meditation.

Ᾱtappamanvāya, Padhanamavāya, Sammamaasikavāya

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)