Teachings¶
The Four Great References
Cattāro mahāpadesā
[AN 4.180]
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā bhoganagare viharati ānandacetiye
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bhoganagara near the Ānanda shrine.
katame bhikkhave cattāro mah'āpadesā?
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| mahā- | adj | great, large, powerful | |
| apadesā | noun | masc.nom.pl | reasons, causes, arguments, statements references |
What monks are the four great references?
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ vadeyya — sammukhā m'etaṃ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṃ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṃ — ayaṃ dhammo, ayaṃ vinayo, idaṃ satthusāsanan'ti.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| idha | ind | here, in this regard, in this case | |
| bhikkhu | noun | masc.nom.sg | a monk |
| evaṃ | ind | thus, this, like this, just as, such | |
| vadeyya | verb | opt.3.sg | could say, can speak |
| sammukhā | ind | (+gen) | face to face (with), in front (of) |
| me | pron | 1.ins.sg | by me |
| etaṃ | pron | nt.nom.sg | this |
| āvuso | noun | masc.voc.pl | brother(s), friend(s) |
| bhagavato | noun | masc.gen.sg | of the Buddha |
| sutaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | heard |
| sammukhā | ind | (+gen) | face to face (with), in front (of) |
| paṭiggahitaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | received, got, learned, taken |
| ayaṃ | noun | masc.nom.sg | this |
| dhammo, | noun | masc.nom.sg | Teaching |
| ayaṃ | noun | masc.nom.sg | this |
| vinayo | noun | masc.nom.sg | Discipline |
| idaṃ | noun | nt.nom.sg | this |
| satthusāsanan'ti | noun | nt.nom.sg | Teacher's instruction, Teacher's message Teacher's doctrine |
Here a monks could say thus: in the presence of the Buddha this has been heard by me, in (His) presence (this) has been learned - this is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.
asukasmiṃ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho. tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṃ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṃ.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| asukasmiṃ | adj | masc.loc.sg | in such and such; so and so; a certain. |
| nāma | ind | called, by the name of, namely | |
| āvāse | noun | masc.loc.sg | in home, dwelling place, residence |
| saṅgho | noun | masc.nom.sg | Community, assembly of monks |
| viharati | verb | pr.3.sg | lives, stays, remains, continues |
| sathero | adj | masc.nom.sg | including the elders |
| sapāmokkho. | adj | masc.nom.sg | including chiefs, first, excellents, eminents |
| tassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| me | pron | 1.ins.sg | by me |
| saṅghassa | noun | masc.gen.sg | of Community, assembly of monks |
| sammukhā | ind | face to face (with), in front (of) | |
| sutaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | heard |
| sammukhā | ind | face to face (with), in front (of) | |
| paṭiggahitaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | received, got, accepted, appropriated, taken |
In a certan residence the Community stays, including the elders and eminent monks. In the presence of that Community this was heared by me, in (its) presence this was received by me.
asukasmiṃ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā tesaṃ me therānaṃ sammukhā sutaṃ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṃ
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| asukasmiṃ | adj | masc.loc.sg | in such and such; so and so; a certain. |
| nāma | ind | called, by the name of, namely | |
| āvāse | noun | masc.loc.sg | in home, dwelling place, residence |
| sambahulā | adj | masc.nom.pl | many, numerous, plenty of, lit. lots together |
| therā | adj | masc.nom.pl | old, elderly, senior |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| viharanti | verb | pr.3.pl | live, stay, remain, continue |
| bahussutā | adj | masc.nom.pl | well learned, knowledgeable, lit. much heard |
| āgatāgamā | adj | masc.nom.pl | to whom scriptures has been arrived, heir to the heritage, who has mastered the tradition |
| dhammadharā | adj | masc.nom.pl | who knows the Dhamma by heart, lit. Dhamma bearer |
| vinayadharā | adj | masc.nom.pl | expert in vinaya, lit. vinaya bearer |
| mātikādharā | adj | masc.nom.pl | expert in tabulated summary, in Abhidhamma lit. tabulations bearer |
| tesaṃ | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| me | pron | 1.ins.sg | by me |
| therānaṃ | noun | masc.gen.pl | of elders |
| sammukhā | ind | face to face (with), in front (of) | |
| sutaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | heard |
| sammukhā | ind | face to face (with), in front (of) | |
| paṭiggahitaṃ | pp | nt.nom.sg | received, got, accepted, appropriated, taken |
In a certan residence many senior monks stay. Who knowledgeable, heir of the heritage, who knows the Dhamma by heart, expert in vinaya and expert in tabulated summary. In the presence of that elders this was heared by me, in (their) presence this was received by me.
asukasmiṃ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṃ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṃ
In a certan residence one senior monk stays. Who knowledgeable, heir of the heritage, who knows the Dhamma by heart, expert in vinaya and expert in tabulated summary. In the presence of that elder this was heared by me, in (his) presence this was received by me.
ayaṃ dhammo ayaṃ vinayo idaṃ satthusāsanan'ti
this is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the teacher's instruction.
tassa bhikkhave bhikkhuno bhāsitaṃ n'eva abhinanditabbaṃ nappaṭikkositabbaṃ.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| tassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| bhikkhuno | noun | masc.gen.sg | of monks |
| bhāsitaṃ | noun | nt.nom.sg | saying, speech, statement, utterance, talk, words lit. what was said |
| neva | ind | neither | |
| abhinanditabbaṃ | ptp | nt.nom.sg | can be delighted in, should be approved of applauded |
| na- | ind | not | |
| paṭikkositabbaṃ | ptp | nt.nom.sg | should be rejected, should be disdained |
Statement of that monk neither should be approved nor should be rejected.
anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā padabyañjanāni sādhukaṃ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| anabhinanditvā | verb | abs | having not approved (of), having not applauded |
| appaṭikkositvā | verb | abs | having not disapproved, having not rejected |
| pada- | noun | word, phrase, sentence, saying | |
| byañjanāni | noun | nt.acc.pl | words; terms; expressions; phrases |
| sādhukaṃ | ind | well, thoroughly, fully | |
| uggahetvā | verb | abs | having learned, having grasped |
| sutte | noun | nt.loc.sg | in discourse |
| otāretabbāni | ptp | nt.nom.pl | should be gone into, should be checked |
| vinaye | noun | masc.loc.sg | in discipline, training |
| sandassetabbāni | prp | nt.nom.pl | should be compared, verified; lit: should be caused to be seen together with |
Having not approved or not disapproved (them), having thoroughly learned (those) words and phrases, they should be checked in discourses, should be compared with discipline.
tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭham'ettha gantabbaṃ:
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| tāni | pron | nt.nom.pl | those |
| ce | ind | if | |
| sutte | noun | nt.loc.sg | in discourse |
| otāriyamānāni | prp | nt.nom.pl | being causing to go into, being checked |
| vinaye | noun | masc.loc.sg | in discipline, training |
| sandassiyamānāni | prp | nt.nom.pl | being compared, verified; lit: being caused to be seen together with |
| na | ind | not | |
| ceva | ind | only if, if just | |
| sutte | noun | nt.loc.sg | in discourse |
| otaranti | verb | pr.3.pl | descend (into), go down (into), flow down fit |
| na | ind | not | |
| vinaye | noun | masc.loc.sg | in discipline, training |
| sandissanti | verb | pr.3.pl | are agree with, live conformably with lit. 'is seen together with' |
| niṭṭham- | noun | fem.acc.sg | end, conclusion, perfection, height, summit |
| ettha | ind | here, in this place, in this regard | |
| gantabbaṃ | ptp | nt.nom.sg | should be made, lit. should be gone |
If those (statements) being checked in discourses and being compared with discipline, if those (statements) does not fit to the discourses, does not agree with discipline, in this regard conclusion should be made.
addhā idaṃ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṃ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca therassa duggahitan'ti. iti hetaṃ bhikkhave chaḍḍeyyātha.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| addhā | ind | most certainly! for sure! definitely! | |
| idaṃ | pron | nt.nom.sg | this, this thing |
| na | ind | not | |
| ceva | ind | and even, as well as | |
| tassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| bhagavato | noun | masc.gen.sg | of the Buddha |
| vacanaṃ | noun | nt.nom.sg | word, utterance, talk, statement |
| arahato | noun | masc.gen.sg | of the arahant, of the worthy one |
| sammāsambuddhassa; | noun | masc.gen.sg | of perfectly awakened one, fully enlightened |
| tassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| ca | ind | but | |
| therassa | noun | masc.gen.sg | of elder |
| duggahitan'ti | adj | nt.nom.sg | incorrectly understood, poorly grasped, taken in the wrong wayincorrectly understood, |
| iti | ind | thus, this is, and so | |
| h'etaṃ | ind+pn | nt.acc.sg | indeed this, certainly this |
| chaḍḍeyyātha | verb | opt.2.pl | you should throw away, discard, drop |
Definitely this is not the word of the Blessed One, the worthy one, the perfectly enlightened one, but incorrectly understood by that elder. Thus indeed you should discard it.
sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭham'ettha gantabbaṃ – addhā, idaṃ tassa bhagavato vacanaṃ arahato sammāsambuddhassa;
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| sutte | noun | nt.loc.sg | in discourse |
| ceva | ind | only if, if just | |
| otaranti | verb | pr.3.pl | descend (into), go down (into), flow down fit |
| vinaye | noun | masc.loc.sg | in discipline, training |
| ca | ind | and | |
| sandissanti | verb | pr.3.pl | are agree with, live conformably with lit. 'is seen together with' |
| niṭṭham- | noun | fem.acc.sg | end, conclusion, perfection, height, summit |
| ettha | ind | here, in this place, in this regard | |
| gantabbaṃ | ptp | nt.nom.sg | should be made, lit. should be gone |
| addhā | ind | certainly, surely | |
| idaṃ | pron | nt.nom.sg | this, this thing |
| tassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of that |
| bhagavato | noun | masc.gen.sg | of the Buddha |
| vacanaṃ | noun | nt.nom.sg | word, utterance, talk, statement |
| arahato | noun | masc.gen.sg | of the arahant, of the worthy one |
| sammāsambuddhassa; | noun | masc.gen.sg | of perfectly awakened one, fully enlightened |
Only if (those statements) are fit the discourses, and agree with discipline, in this regard conclusion should be made: Surely this is the words of the Blessed One, the worthy one, the perfectly enlightened one”
imassa ca bhikkhuno suggahitaṃ
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| imassa | pron | masc.gen.sg | of this, his |
| ca | ind | and | |
| bhikkhuno | noun | masc.gen.sg | of monk |
| suggahitaṃ | adj | nt.nom.sg | well learned, well grasped |
It has been learned well by that monk.
tassa ca saṅghassa suggahitaṃ
It has been learned well by that Community.
tesañ'ca therānaṃ suggahitaṃ
It has been learned well by those elders.
tassa ca therassa suggahitan'ti
It has been learned well by that elder.
ime kho bhikkhave cattāro mahāpadesā ti
Indeed, o monks, these are the four great references.