DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - why 37 enlightenment dhammas when originally 8 was enough?

**Lydiaswingert** · 04-19-2012, 05:31 PM

I think the answer is simple, Buddha developed better idea of what 'enlightenment' is, and different ways to teach to people with different 'dispositions' in his 49 years of teaching. His earlier students were probably all similar in their 'fundamentals' (e.g. practicing asceticism/Brahmanism for a long time.) But as the number of students grew, his students probably become diverse, and he had to adjust his materials and method to meet the need of his students, like any good teachers would do. So while the core stays the same, the detail changed.

Someone asked about upāya-kauśalya in another thread, I think this is an example.

In other words, I believe that Buddha himself grew and learned, as a 'enlightened being' and as a 'teacher.'

04-19-2012, 05:31 PM	#2
Lydiaswingert Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 535 Senior Member	I think the answer is simple, Buddha developed better idea of what 'enlightenment' is, and different ways to teach to people with different 'dispositions' in his 49 years of teaching. His earlier students were probably all similar in their 'fundamentals' (e.g. practicing asceticism/Brahmanism for a long time.) But as the number of students grew, his students probably become diverse, and he had to adjust his materials and method to meet the need of his students, like any good teachers would do. So while the core stays the same, the detail changed. Someone asked about upāya-kauśalya in another thread, I think this is an example. In other words, I believe that Buddha himself grew and learned, as a 'enlightened being' and as a 'teacher.'
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