Bodhipakkhiyādhammā

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Part of a series on
Dharmas leading to Awakening
Satipaṭṭhāna
  • Mindfulness of the body
  • Mindfulness of feelings (vedanā)
  • Mindfulness of the mind (
    citta
    )
  • Mindfulness of principles (dhammas)
Four Right Exertions (sammappadhāna)
  • Prevent the unwholesome
  • Let go of present unwholesome states
  • Make wholesome states arise
  • Sustain /cultivate the wholesome
Four bases of power
(iddhipāda)
  • Will (chanda)
  • Heroic effort (
    viriya
    )
  1. Mind (
    citta
    )
  2. Analysis (vīmaṁsa)
Five faculties (pañca-indriya)
  • Conviction (
    saddhā
    )
  • Heroic Effort (viriya)
  • Mindfulness (sati)
  • Samādhi
  • Wisdom (
    paññā
    )
Five Strengths (pañcabala)
  • Conviction (
    saddhā
    )
  • Heroic Effort (viriya)
  • Mindfulness (sati)
  • Samādhi
  • Wisdom (
    paññā
    )
Seven Factors of Awakening (sattabojjhaṅgā)
Noble Eightfold Path

In Buddhism, the bodhipakkhiyā dhammā (

bodhi), i.e. the factors and wholesome qualities which are developed when the mind is trained (bhavana
).

In the

Buddha throughout the Pali Canon. Within these seven sets of bodhi-related qualities, there is listed a total of thirty-seven repetitious and interrelated qualities (sattatiṃsa bodhipakkhiyā dhammā).[2]

These seven sets of qualities are recognized by both

Mahayanan Buddhists as complementary facets of the Buddhist path to bodhi.[3]

Seven sets of thirty-seven qualities

In the

AN
7.67), the Buddha is recorded as saying:

Monks, although a monk who does not apply himself to the meditative development of his mind [bhavana[note 1]] may wish, "Oh, that my mind might be free from the taints by non-clinging!", yet his mind will not be freed. For what reason? "Because he has not developed his mind," one has to say. Not developed it in what? In the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right kinds of striving, the four bases of success, the five spiritual faculties, the five spiritual powers, the seven factors of enlightenment and the Noble Eightfold Path.[4][note 2]

Elsewhere in the Canon,[5] and in numerous places in the āgamas of other early schools,[6] these seven sets of thirty-seven qualities conducive to Enlightenment are enumerated as:

Four establishments/presences of mindfulness (cattāro satipaṭṭhānā)

Main article: Satipatthana
  1. Mindfulness of the body (kāyānupassanā, S. kayānupasthāna)
  2. Mindfulness of feelings (vedanānupassanā, S. vedanānupasthāna)
  3. Mindfulness of mental states (cittānupassanā, S. cittanupasthāna)
  4. Mindfulness of mental qualities (dhammānupassanā, S. dharmanupasthāna)

Four right exertions/efforts/strivings (cattāro sammappadhānā)

Main article: Four Right Exertions
See also: Vīrya
  1. Effort for the preventing of unskillful states to arise [anuppādāya]
  2. Effort for the abandoning of the already arisen unskillful states [pahānāya]
  3. Effort for the arising of skillful states [uppādāya]
  4. Effort for the sustaining and increasing of arisen skillful states [ṭhitiyā]

Four bases of spiritual power (cattāro iddhipādā)

Main article: Iddhipada
  1. Intention or will (chanda, S. chanda)
  2. Effort (
    viriya
    , S. vīrya)
  3. Consciousness (
    citta
    , S. citta)
  4. Skill of Analysis (vīmaṁsa or vīmaŋsā, S. mimāṃsā)

Five spiritual faculties (pañca indriya)

Main article: Indriya
  1. Conviction
    saddhā
    , S. śraddhā)
  2. Effort (viriya, S. vīrya)
  3. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
  4. Concentration/Unification (samādhi, S. samādhi)
  5. Wisdom (
    paññā
    , S. prajñā)

Five Strengths (pañca bala)

Main article: Five Strengths
  1. Conviction (saddhā, S. śraddhā})
  2. Effort (viriya, S. vīrya)
  3. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
  4. Concentration/Unification (samādhi, S. samādhi)
  5. Wisdom (paññā, S. prajñā)

Seven Factors of bodhi (awakening, understanding) (satta bojjhaṅgā)

Main article:
Seven factors of awakening
  1. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
  2. Investigation (dhamma vicaya, S. dharmapravicaya)
  3. Effort (viriya, S. vīrya)
  4. Joy (pīti, S. prīti)
  5. Tranquillity (passaddhi, S. praśrabdhi)
  6. Concentration/Unification (
    samādhi
    , S. samādhi)
  7. Equanimity (
    upekkhā
    , S. upekṣā)

Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga)

Main article: Noble Eightfold Path
  1. Right Understanding (sammā diṭṭhi, S. samyag-dṛṣṭi)
  2. Right Intention (sammā saṅkappa, S. samyak-saṃkalpa)
  3. Right Speech (sammā vācā, S. samyag-vāc)
  4. Right Action (sammā kammanta, S. samyak-karmānta)
  5. Right Livelihood (sammā ājīva, S. samyag-ājīva)
  6. Right Effort/Energy (sammā vāyāma, S. samyag-vyāyāma)
  7. Right Mindfulness (sammā sati, S. samyak-smṛti)
  8. Right Concentration/Unification (sammā samādhi, S. samyak-samādhi)

Forty-one and forty-three qualities

A sutta found in

rūpajhānas which the Pali tradition does not.[8] Salomon notes this forty one numbered list appears in both a Chinese translation of the Dirghagama which current scholarship believes to be of the Dharmaguptaka school of Buddhism and a Chinese translation of the Dharmaguptaka vinaya.[8]

In the Pali Canon's Nettipakaraṇa (Netti 112) forty-three qualities connected with awakening (tecattālīsa bodhipakkhiyā dhammā) are mentioned which, according to the commentaries, include the aforementioned thirty-seven plus the following six contemplations (also found in the suttas, e.g. Saṅgīti Sutta D iii 251)

  1. impermanence (
    aniccasa
    ññā    )
  2. suffering (
    dukkhasa
    ññā    )
  3. non-self (
    anattasa
    ññā    )
  • abandoning (pahānasaññā)
  • dispassion (virāgasaññā)
  • cessation (nirodhasaññā)

In the Pali literature

The technical term, bodhipakkhiyā dhammā, explicitly referring to the seven sets of qualities identified above, is first encountered in the Pali commentaries;

Abhidhamma Pitaka.[9]

Sutta Pitaka

In the

Maha-parinibbana Sutta (DN 16), which recounts the Buddha's last days, in the Buddha's last address to his assembly of followers he states:[10]

Now, O bhikkhus, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you—these you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men. And what, bhikkhus, are these teachings? They are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four constituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. These, bhikkhus, are the teachings of which I have direct knowledge, which I have made known to you, and which you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice....

In the Majjhima Nikāya's "Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin" (MN 77),[11] when asked why his disciples venerated him, the Buddha identified five qualities he possessed: highest virtues (adhisīle ... paramena sīlakkhandha); highest knowledge and vision (abhikkante ñāṇadassane); highest wisdom (adhipaññāya ... paramena paññākkhandha); his explanation of the Four Noble Truths (ariyasaccāni); and, his identification of numerous ways to develop wholesome states.

The Buddha's elaboration of the last item included the seven sets of thirty-seven bodhipakkhiya dhammas which are enumerated individually in this discourse.[12]

In the

Samyutta Nikaya, the fifth division's first seven chapters are each devoted to one of the bodhipakkhiya dhammas. While there is a great deal of repetition among these chapters' discourses, these seven chapters include almost 900 discourses.[13]

In the

Anguttara Nikaya's "Upajjhāyasuttaṃ" (AN 5.6.6), the Buddha recommends five things for a monk to overcome spiritual hindrances: control mental faculties; eat the right amount of food; maintain wakefulness; be aware of merit; and, develop the bodhipakkhiya dhammas throughout the day.[14]

In the Khuddaka Nikāya, the bodhipakkhiya dhammas are mentioned at Iti. 82,[15] Th. 900,[16] and Nett. 31, 112, 197, 237, 240 and 261.[17]

Abhidhamma Pitaka

The bodhipakkhiyā dhammā are mentioned in several passages of the

Abhidhamma, such as at Vbh. sections 571 and 584.[18]

Commentaries

In the

arahant (Vism. XXII.39-40). In addition, Buddhaghosa factors the 37 qualities in a manner so as to describe fourteen non-redundant qualities (Vism. XXII.40-43); thus, for instance, while nine qualities (zeal, consciousness, joy, tranquility, equanimity, intention, speech, action, livelihood) are mentioned only once in the full list of 37 qualities, the other five qualities are mentioned multiple times. Table 1 below identifies the five qualities spanning multiple bodhipakkhiya-dhamma sets.[19]

7 SETS OF QUALITIES
4
Establishments of Mindfulness
 4
Right
Exertions
4
Bases of
Power
5
Faculties
5
Powers
7
Factors of
Awakening
 Noble
Eightfold
Path
5

Q
U
A
L
I
T
I
E
S
Faith
 saddhā saddhā
Energy 4
sammā-
padhāna 		viriya viriya viriya viriya sammā
vāyāma
Mindfulness
 4
sati-
paṭṭhānā 		sati sati sati sammā
sati
Concentration
 samādhi samādhi samādhi sammā
samādhi
Wisdom
 vīmaṁsa paññā paññā dhammā
vicaya 		sammā
ditthi
Table 1: Five qualities mentioned 28 times across seven sets of qualities conducive to Enlightenment (based on Vism. XXII.41-43).

In terms of other Pali commentaries, the bodhipakkhiyā dhammā are also mentioned in Dhammapada-Aṭṭhakathā (DhA i.230), Suttanipāta-Aṭṭhakathā (SnA 164), and Jātaka-Aṭṭhakathā (J i.275, iii.290, and v.483).[20]

See also

Notes

  1. ^
    Threefold training
    (regarding "mental training").
  2. ^ Regarding the ordering of the seven sets, Bodhi (2000), pp. 1486–87, notes: "The presentation of the seven sets in a graded sequence might convey the impression that they constitute seven successive stages of practice. This, however, would be a misinterpretation. Close consideration of the series would show that the seven sets are ranked in a numerically ascending order, from four to eight, which means that their arrangement is purely pedagogic and implies nothing about a later set being more advanced than the earlier sets.... By presenting the course of practice from different angles, in different keys, and with different degrees of detail, the texts are able to finely modulate the practice of the path to suit the diverse needs of the people to be trained...."

References

  1. ^ For the various Pali spellings, see Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), p. 491, under the entries for "bodha" and "bodhi." In this article, the variants are listed from most frequently used to least, deduced from Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25) and other sources.
  2. ^
    Sutta Pitaka
    :
    1. DN
      27 (Aggañña Sutta)
    2. SN
      48.51 (Sālā Sutta)
    3. SN 48.55 (Sāra Sutta)
    4. SN 48.67 (Rukkha Sutta)
    5. AN
      5.56 (Upajjhāya Sutta)
    6. AN 6.17 (Kusala Sutta or Soppa Sutta)
    7. AN 9.1 (Sambodhipakkhiya Sutta)
    8. Iti. 82 (Devasadda Sutta)
    9. Iti. 97 (Kalyāṇasīla Sutta)
    The
    Samyutta Nikaya (48.51, 48.55, 48.57), all three explicitly associate the term bodhipakkhiyā dhammā (and variant spellings) solely with the five faculties (indriya
    ) of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom (Bodhi, 2000, p. 1695). Perhaps summing up the vagueness and apparent inconsistencies in these identified discourses and their translations, in an end note to the Sālā Sutta (
    SN
    48.51) Bodhi (2000, p. 1937 n. 235) comments: "In the commentaries bodhipakkhiyā dhammā is the umbrella term for the seven sets of training factors repeatedly taught by the Buddha, but in the suttas the expression has a more flexible, less technical meaning." Bodhi then refers to Gethin (1992), pp. 289–98, for further discussion.
  3. ^ Ven. Walpola Sri Rahula (December 1–7, 1981). "One Vehicle for Peace". Proceedings: Third International Congress World Buddhist Sangha Council. Third International Congress World Buddhist Sangha Council. Taiwan. pp. 32–35.
  4. ^ Nyanaponika & Bodhi (1999), pp. 192–3.
  5. SN
    43.12 "The Unconditioned" (Bodhi, 2000, pp. 1374–78), where each quality is deemed "the path leading to the unconditioned" (asaṅkhatagāmī maggo), which is in turn defined as the destruction of lust, hatred and delusion (rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo).
  6. ISBN 90-04-10231-0
    pg 11
  7. ^ Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2011). "Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon". Access to Insight.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1-61429-168-8
    .
  9. ^ For a survey of references to these qualities, see, for instance, Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), p. 491, entries on "bodha", and on "bodhi". Bodhi (2000), pp. 1485–86, notes:
    "In the Buddhist exegetical tradition, beginning very soon after the age of the canon, these seven sets are known as the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment (sattatiṃsa bodhipakkhiyā dhammā). Although this term is not used in the Nikāyas themselves as a collective appellation for the seven sets, the sets themselves frequently appear in the Nikāyas as a compendium of the practice leading to enlightenment."
  10. ^ Vajra & Story (1998).
  11. MN
    77), pp. 629–647, 1284 n. 762; Upalavanna (n.d.-a); and, SLTP, n.d.-b
  12. higher knowledge
    (such as recollecting past lives) as contributing to his disciples' veneration. Note that the phrase, "ways to develop wholesome states," is not actually in the original Pali sutta itself but is a square-bracketed sectional title inserted by Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi (2001) to demarcate the fifth quality set that the Buddha self identifies as the basis for his disciples' veneration.
  13. ^ Bodhi (2000), chs. 45-51, pp.–1523–1749. The number of discourses identified here is based on Bodhi (2000) — which includes 894 separate discourses — but the actual number of discourses varies depending on which edition of the Samyutta Nikaya one is referencing.
  14. AN
    5.6.6.
  15. ^ Thanissaro (2001), Iti. 82 is at available at https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than.html#iti-082 (retrieved 2007-05-22).
  16. āsavas
     [mental intoxicants]; so it is said by the great seer."
  17. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), op. cit.
  18. ^ SLTP (n.d.-a), §§ 571, 584 (PTS pages 244, 249). Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), p. 491, entry for "bodhi," states that the bodhipakkhiyā dhammā are "mentioned at many other passages of the Abhidhamma."
  19. Five Powers
    (from faith to understanding) to facilitate reader comprehension as there is potentially a developmental facet to this classical ordering.
  20. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), op. cit.

Sources

Further reading

External links
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