[naturaherbal]

I understand the ideas of "mundane" and "supramundane" dhamma to be later contrivances that attempt to elevate superstition and speculative view to the same level as the Buddhadhamma (or higher). The Buddha spoke of the worldly to describe superstitions and speculative views that preceded him, and of that which is "beyond the world" to describe his own Dhamma, based in discernment and empirical reason, which transcends and allows one to rise above worldly concerns, including superstitions and speculative views.

There is a popular but erroneous view that holds that one must begin with (and end up with, as well) beliefs in various superstitions and speculative views in order to practice according to the Buddha's teachings. But the Buddha set all that aside with statements like:

"Enough, Udayi, of former times and future times. I will teach you the essence of the Dhamma: When there is this, there is that. With the arising of this, that arises. When there is not this, that cannot be; when this ceases, so does that."

and:


"Good, Bhikkhus! You say this and I also say it. Thus when this is present, that happens. When this arises, that arise. That is, because of ignorance, [volitional] formations arise. Because of [volitional] formations, consciousness arises. Because of consciousness, name and form arise. Because of name and form, the sixfold sense base arises. Because of the sixfold sense base, contact arises. Because of contact, feelings arise. Because of feelings, craving arises. Because of craving, clinging arises. Because of clinging, becoming arises. Because of becoming, birth arises. Because of birth, old age, sickness, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness, displeasure and distress arise. Thus arises the complete mass of dukkha.

"Bhikkhus, you who know thus and see thus, would your mind run to the past: 'Was I in the past or was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what did I become?'" "No, venerable sir." "Bhikkhus, would you who know and see thus, run to the future: 'Will I be in the future, or will I not be in the future? What will I be in the future? How will I be in the future? Having been what, what will I become?'" "No, venerable sir." "Bhikkhus, would you who know and see thus have doubts about the present: 'Am I, or am I not? What am I? How am I? Where did this being come from? Where will it go?'" "No, venerable sir."