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The Mahācattārīsaka-sutta in the Light of its Parallels — Tracing the Beginnings of Abhidharmic Thought

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The Mahācattārīsaka-sutta is a discourse of particular significance in the Pāli canon, as it is the only canonical instance in the four Nikāyas that presents a supramundane version of the path-factors.

From the outset, what is written seems to have miscontrued the meaning of supramundane (lokuttara). The Buddha defined 'supramundane' as follows:

...discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent (lokuttara), connected with emptiness...

Ani Sutta The Nikāyas, when detailing the Noble Eightfold Path, exclusively present a supramundane version of the path-factors, beginning with the Four Noble Truths, which are supramundane, because they prescribe the abandoning of attachment and 'self-view':

What is right understanding? It is this knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the arising of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering — this is called right understanding.

Saccavibhanga Sutta:An Analysis of the Truths The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, is the Noble Eightfold Path? Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

"And what, monks, is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the stopping of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the stopping of stress: This, monks, is called right view.

Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path For those who are not completely confident about how attachment & 'self-view' are related to suffering, the following sutta offers clarity:

"Now, how is one afflicted in body & afflicted in mind?

"There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his form changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair over its change & alteration.

"He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or the self as in feeling. He is seized with the idea that 'I am feeling' or 'Feeling is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his feeling changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair over its change & alteration.

"He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or the self as in perception. He is seized with the idea that 'I am perception' or 'Perception is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his perception changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair over its change & alteration.

"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self, or the self as possessing fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self as in fabrications. He is seized with the idea that 'I am fabrications' or 'Fabrications are mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his fabrications change & alter, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair over their change & alteration.

"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. He is seized with the idea that 'I am consciousness' or 'Consciousness is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his consciousness changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair over its change & alteration.

"This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body and afflicted in mind.

Nakulapita Sutta: To Nakulapita In my experience, despite not reading 100% of the Nikayas, I have never read the mundane right view factors used in an analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path.

I am confident the statement: "Mahācattārīsaka-sutta is the only canonical instance in the four Nikāyas that presents a supramundane version of the path-factors" is inaccurate.

[sandyphoebetvmaa]

Moreover, the treatment of the path-factors from a supramundane viewpoint in the Mahācattārīsaka-sutta qualifies the mundane wholesome path-factors as “with influx” and as “ripening in attachment”. Yet, the definitions given in the Mahācattārīsaka-sutta for the path-factors of mundane right intention, right speech, right action and right livelihood recur in other discourses as part of the standard definition of the noble eightfold path that leads to the eradication of dukkha. Thus, what according to other discourses leads to the eradication of dukkha, in the Mahācattārīsaka-sutta is presented as something that ripens in attachment and is associated with the influxes.

My view is what is written above is a misunderstanding, in respect to the noble path.

The Nikayas unambiguously state only the realisation of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness & not-self, resulting in the elimination of craving, attachment and self-views, leads to the eradication of dukkha.

The four path factors quoted above in themselves are incapable of leading to the eradication of dukkha.

For example, the standard definition of Right Intention/Resolve does not include the intention to abandon the conceit "I". Therefore, right intention in itself cannot serve as a basis for developing concentration, let alone the eradication of dukkha.



"And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.

Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path "Develop the meditation of good will. For when you are developing the meditation of good will, ill-will will be abandoned.

"Develop the meditation of compassion. For when you are developing the meditation of compassion, cruelty will be abandoned.

"Develop the meditation of appreciation. For when you are developing the meditation of appreciation, resentment will be abandoned.

"Develop the meditation of equanimity. For when you are developing the meditation of equanimity, irritation will be abandoned.

"Develop the meditation of the unattractive. For when you are developing the meditation of the unattractive, passion will be abandoned.

"Develop the meditation of the perception of inconstancy. For when you are developing the meditation of the perception of inconstancy, the conceit 'I am' will be abandoned.

MN 62

[Qutlsilh]

Yet, the mundane path-factors would certainly also merit being reckoned as “factors of the path”.

In my experience, what is written above has no basis in the Nikayas. The "path" is the path to Nibbana and not the path to "Brahma" or to "heaven".

The mundane factors are described as follows:

'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the other world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are priests & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the other after having directly known & realized it for themselves.'

Maha-cattarisaka Sutta: The Great Forty The Buddha never taught these factors are the path to Nibbana.

For example, about action (kamma), the Buddha distinguished good & bad kamma from the supramundane cessation of kamma, i.e., the Noble Eightfold Path.

And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.

Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative About mother & father, on the supramundane level, the Buddha taught:

294. Having slain mother (craving), father (self-conceit), two warrior-kings (eternalism and nihilism), and destroyed a country (sense organs and sense objects) together with its treasurer (attachment and lust), ungrieving goes the holy man.

Dhammapada About "beings", on the supramundane level, the Buddha taught there are no "beings":

Why now do you assume 'a being'?
Mara, have you grasped a view?
This is a heap of sheer constructions:
Here no being is found.

Just as, with an assemblage of parts,
The word 'chariot' is used,
So, when the aggregates are present,
There's the convention 'a being.'

It's only suffering that comes to be,
Suffering that stands and falls away.
Nothing but suffering comes to be,
Nothing but suffering ceases.

Vajira Sutta: Vajira Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'

"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception... fabrications...

"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'

"Just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles: as long as they are not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for those little sand castles, that's how long they have fun with those sand castles, enjoy them, treasure them, feel possessive of them. But when they become free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for those little sand castles, then they smash them, scatter them, demolish them with their hands or feet and make them unfit for play.

"In the same way, Radha, you too should smash, scatter, & demolish form, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for form.

"You should smash, scatter, & demolish feeling, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for feeling.

"You should smash, scatter, & demolish perception, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for perception.

"You should smash, scatter, & demolish fabrications, and make them unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for fabrications.

"You should smash, scatter, & demolish consciousness and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for consciousness — for the ending of craving, Radha, is Nibbana."

Satta Sutta: A Being About priests & contemplatives, on the supramundane level, the Buddha did not recommend the blind faith recommended in the mundane right view:

Yet bhikkhus, you who know and see thus would you say, we have reverence for the Teacher. We say it out of reverence to the Teacher?

No, venerable sir.

Yet bhikkhus, you who know and see thus would you say. Our recluse said it, these are the recluse's words. We do not say that?

No, venerable sir.

Bhikkhus, you who know and see thus would you seek another teacher?

No, venerable sir.

Bhikkhus, you who know and see thus, would you see essence in religious rites, ceremonies and festivals of other recluses and brahmins?

No, venerable sir.

Bhikkhus, isn't it that you by youself knowing, seeing and experiencing say it?

Yes, venerable sir.

Good! O! bhikkhus, I have led you up in this Teaching. It is here and now. Time does not matter. It is open to inspection, leads to the beyond and is to be experienced by the wise, by themselves. Bhikkhus, if it was said the Teaching is here and now. Time does not matter, is open to inspection, leads to the beyond and is to be realised by the wise by themselves, it was said on account of this.

MN 38 In short, the dismissal in the essay of the supramundane & mundane dichotomy appears tenuous.

[Hmwmzian]

This becomes evident with the parallel versions, where such a supramundane description is not found. Nevertheless, the main topic of the discourse — the development of right concentration based on the other path factors and in particular on the cooperation of right view, right effort and right mindfulness — is presented with similar, if not increased clarity in these versions, as can be seen from the Madhyama-āgama discourse which I now translate.

III. Translation of MĀ 189

...the Blessed One told the monks: “There is one path for the purification of beings, for separating from worry, sadness and tears, for eradicating dejection, suff ering, remorse and anxiety, for easily attaining the [right] method, namely noble right concentration, with its arousing, its supports, and also with its equipment in having seven factors."

What are the seven [factors]? [They are] right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right eff ort, and right mindfulness. If based on arousing these seven factors, on being supported [by them] and equipped [with them], the mind progresses well and attains one-pointedness — then this is reckoned noble right concentration with its arousing, with its supports and with its equipment. Why is that?

7. What is right view? This view, namely: ‘there is [efficacy] in giving, there is [efficacy] in offerings, there is [efficacy] in reciting hymns, there are wholesome and evil deeds, there is a result of wholesome and evil deeds, there are this world and another world, there is [obligation towards one’s] father or mother, in the world there are true men who have reached a wholesome attainment, who are well gone and have progressed well, who by their own knowledge and experience abide in having themselves realized this world and the other world’ — this is reckoned right view.

For me, the excerpt above attains the low point of the essay.

Here, what is written appears to give authority to a Chinese Madhyama-Agama sutra (MĀ 189) over the Pali equivalent.

However, most crucially, what is written appears to assert the mundane right view (exclusively) mentioned in MĀ 189 can lead to full enlightenment (arahantship), despite the fact that MĀ 189 does not mention the Four Noble Truths, not-self, etc.

Further, in dismissing the Pali version, the author appears to dismiss the supramundane right view described, not only in MN 117, but in the Nikayas as a whole.

The supramundane path-factors listed in MN 117 are as follows:

The discernment, the faculty of discernment, the strength of
discernment, analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening....

MN 117 These supramundane path-factors appear throughout the Nikayas, such as follows:

And what is the faculty of discernment? There is the case where a
monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is discerning, endowed with discernment
of arising & passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending
of stress. He discerns, as it has come to be: 'This is stress... This is the
origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path
of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' This is called the faculty
of discernment.

SN 48.10 There are these five strengths. Which five? Strength of conviction,
strength of persistence, strength of mindfulness, strength of concentration
& strength of discernment. These are the five strengths.

SN 50.1 Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes & comes to a
comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in
this way, examining, analyzing & coming to a comprehension of that quality
with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening
becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of
its development.

SN 54.13 What is written does not have merit to me because MN 60 is a sutta which, addressed to the householder, only presents the mundane right view for the outcome of three skillful activities: good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct.

MN 60 states the right view for the householder is that of existence.
B3. .....this venerable person is still praised in the here-&-now by
the wise as a person of good habits & right view: one who holds to a
doctrine of existence.

MN 60 This mundane right view of existence in MN 60 is contrary to the supramundane right view in SN 12.15 of neither existence or non-existence.
By & large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its
object) a polarity, that of existence & non-existence. But when one sees the
origination of the world as it actually is with right discernment,
'non-existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one. When one
sees the cessation of the world as it actually is with right discernment,
'existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one.

SN 12.15

In short, that the mundane right view can fulfil the following sequence mentioned in MĀ 189 is not possible:

Right view gives rise to right intention, right intention gives rise to right speech, right speech gives rise to right action, right action gives rise to right livelihood, right livelihood gives rise to right effort, right effort gives rise to right mindfulness, and right mindfulness gives rise to right concentration. The Nikaya suttas state "letting go (vosagga)", i.e., applying the Four Noble Truths, forms the basis for giving rise to right concentration:

And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.

Indriya-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of the Mental Faculties Naturally, the Pali term 'vossaga' ('letting go'; 'relinquishment') of craving is described as the way of fruition in the 3rd Noble Truth.

[r7rGOhvd]

Quite an apt picture there, Element.

I might point out that the Buddha did not speak of "Mundane/Supramundane Paths": he spoke of a right view that is sasava, meaning "defiled" or mired in the effluents (related to "effluvium", i.e., sewage), and a Noble Right View that is anasava, that is not defiled or mired in the effluents. This noble Right View, he further clarified, leads to liberation (lokuttara) from worldliness or "the world" (loka, as in the Loka Sutta), and is a Factor of the Path (as distinguished from his description of the other views.

Beyond that, for anyone who reads and swallows his Kool-Aid, Analayo does great harm both to that person and to the Dhamma itself.

[choollaBard]

I concur, Stuka

The essay appears to assert four path factors can result in enlightenment, liberation & Nibbana, such as:

(1) 'my' renunciation (and 'my' charity), 'my' non-illwill, 'my' harmlessness

(2) 'my' truthful speech, 'my' pleasant speech, 'my' cordial speech, 'my' beneficial speech

(3) 'my' non-killing, 'my' non-stealing, 'my' sexual appropriateness

(4) 'my' harmless livelihood

Even good Christians practise these four factors

However, the Buddha said:

In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third or fourth degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third and fourth degrees of saintliness.

Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.

Maha-parinibbana Sutta All eight supramundane path factors are practised void of "I-making" and "my-making".

Starting with the stream enterer, the mind established in anatta and sunnata is what makes the supramundane Noble Path different from a mundane path of primarily doing good kamma.