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Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c15: Chapter XII: The Middle Path

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c15

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Chapter XII: The Middle Path

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In chapters II-V, we have discussed the religious beliefs of the pre-Buddhistic days and the criticism that Buddha made of the same; in the present and subsequent chapters we propose to review the ethics and doctrines as promulgated by the great Teacher. It is said that the topic of Buddha's first religious discourse, the *Dhammacakkappavattanasutta*,¹ was the Middle Path (*majjhimā paṭipadā*), which was so called because it kept itself clear of the two extremes, one being the life of worldly pleasures, perhaps pointing to the life led by the brāhmaṇas who believed in the efficacy of sacrifices and rituals, and the other being the life of austere asceticism resorted to by the non-brāhmanic orders like the Jainas and the Ājīvikas. In the 5th century B.C. when Buddha appeared on the scene, both forms of belief, viz., attainment of the *summum bonum* either by householders through sacrificial rituals or by ascetics through self-mortifications took a strong hold of the people's minds. In the *Aṅguttara-nikāya*² the former is called *āgaḷhā paṭipadā* and the latter *nijjhāmā paṭipadā*. To combat these two beliefs Buddha enunciated his *majjhimā paṭipadā* consisting of the practice of the eight-fold path and the comprehension of the four truths. The *majjhimā paṭipadā* is also explained philosophically as the teaching which establishes the hollowness of the extreme assertions about the ultimates like *asti* and *nāsti*, *śāśvata* and *aśāśvata*, *anta* and *ananta*.¹

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¹ See Ch. VIII, p. 101-2; Thomas, *Life of the Buddha*, p. 87; *Saṃyutta*, V, 420; *Lal. Vis.*, p. 540; *Mahāvastu*, III, p. 330, *Vinaya*, I, p. 11.

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² *Aṅguttara*, I, p. 295. *āgaḷhā* = natthi kāmesu doso so kāmesu pātavyataṃ āpajjati; *nijjhāmā* = anekavihitaṃ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogaṃ anuyutto viharati.

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¹ See above, Ch. V; cf. *Mahāvastu*, III, p. 51.

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For the present we shall leave aside the philosophical interpretation and go into the details of its ethical aspect. For the convenience of readers, the *majjhimā-paṭipadā* is explained in original Pāli in a tabular form in the chart annexed hereto.

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According to the traditional method of exposition, the whole of the Buddhist discipline as shown in the chart is divided into three sections, which in English phraseology may be put as physical, mental and intellectual, in Pāli *sīla*, *citta* (or *samādhi*) and *paññā*. If the suttas of the Dīgha and Majjhima Nikāyas be carefully scanned, it will be noticed that the compilers had always kept this division at the back of their minds.²

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² In the *Brahmajāla-sutta* only the first, while in the *Sāmaññaphala-sutta* the first and second have been exhaustively treated, the third being dismissed only with a para on the comprehension of the *ariyasaccas* (Dīgha, I, p. 84).

I. Sīla

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In every religion and not in Buddhism alone, the first demand that is made of the followers is observance of moral precepts (*sīlas*), that is, restraint in physical actions including speech. It is ordinarily known in India as *brahmacarya*.

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According to the Buddhists, *sīla* consists of *sammā vācā*, *sammā kammanta* and *sammā ājīva*, the three of the eight divisions of the Path leading to Nibbāna. These three terms practically include the whole code of moral laws that are prescribed for the conduct of the Buddhist monks.¹ In the *Vibhaṅga* (pp. 235-6) and the *Majjhima Nikāya* (III, pp. 251 ff.) these are detailed as follows:

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¹ For detailed treatment, see *Infra*, Ch. XIII. Cf. *Majjhima*, I, p. 301: Silakkhandha = sammā vācā, kammanto and ājīva Samādhikkhandha = sammā samādhi Paññākkhandha = sammā diṭṭhi and saṅkappa.

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*Sammā-vācā* = refraining from speaking falsehood, malicious words, harsh and frivolous talk;

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*Sammā-kammanta* = refraining from killing, stealing, and misconduct; and

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*Sammā-ājīva* = refraining from earning livelihood by improper means, i.e. arts and crafts of laymen. Some of these are:² astrological or astronomical forecasts, interpretation of dreams and omens, use of magical spells, determination of the nature of men, animal and things by their signs, acting as go-betweens between kings, taking part in marriage ceremonies, giving medicines and so forth.

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² *Dīgha*, I, pp. 67-9.

II. Citta

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Next to physical, the discipline that is expected of the followers of a religion is mental, which is generally known as *dhyāna* (= Pāli *jhāna*) and *samādhi*. In Buddhism, mental discipline does not necessarily imply only concentration of mind, as will be evident from the three terms that have been used in speaking of it in the formulae of the eightfold path, *viz.*,

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*Sammā-vāyāma* = exertion to remove the existing evil thoughts, to keep the mind free from being polluted by fresh evil thoughts, and to preserve and increase the good thoughts;

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practically include the whole code of moral laws that are prescribed for the conduct of the Buddhist monks.¹ In the *Vibhaṅga* (pp. 235-6) and the *Majjhima Nikāya* (III, pp. 251 ff.) these are detailed as follows:

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¹ For detailed treatment, see *Infra*, Ch. XIII. Cf. *Majjhima*, I, p. 301: Silakkhandha = sammā vācā, kammanto and ājīva Samādhikkhandha = sammā samādhi Paññākkhandha = sammā diṭṭhi and saṅkappa.

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*Sammā-vācā* = refraining from speaking falsehood, malicious words, harsh and frivolous talk;

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*Sammā-kammanta* = refraining from killing, stealing, and misconduct; and

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*Sammā-ājīva* = refraining from earning livelihood by improper means, i.e. arts and crafts of laymen. Some of these are:² astrological or astronomical forecasts, interpretation of dreams and omens, use of magical spells, determination of the nature of men, animal and things by their signs, acting as go-betweens between kings, taking part in marriage ceremonies, giving medicines and so forth.

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² *Dīgha*, I, pp. 67-9.

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Next to physical, the discipline that is expected of the followers of a religion is mental, which is generally known as *dhyāna* (= Pāli *jhāna*) and *samādhi*. In Buddhism, mental discipline does not necessarily imply only concentration of mind, as will be evident from the three terms that have been used in speaking of it in the formulae of the eightfold path, *viz.*,

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*Sammā-vāyāma* = exertion to remove the existing evil thoughts, to keep the mind free from being polluted by fresh evil thoughts, and to preserve and increase the good thoughts;

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I. A TABULAR EXPOSITION OF THE MAJJHIMA PAṬIPADĀ

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| A Sīla¹ | (1) Sammā-vācā (Proper words) (2) Sammā-kammanta (Proper action) (3) Sammā-ājīva (Proper means of livelihood) | ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) musāvādā veramaṇī (ii) pisuṇāya vācāya v. (iii) pharusāya vācāya v. (iv) samphappalāpā v ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) adinnādānā veramaṇī (ii) pāṇātipātā v. (iii) kāmesu micchācārā v (iv) abrahmacariyā v. |
| B Citta (= Samādhi) | (1) Sammā-vāyāma (Proper exertion) (2) Sammā-sati (Mindfulness in the right way) (3) Sammā-samādhi (Proper meditation) | ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) exertion (vāyāma) for anuppannānam akusalānam anuppādāya (ii) ,, ,, ,, uppannānam akusalānam pahānāya (iii) ,, ,, ,, anuppannānam kusalānam upādāya (iv) ,, ,, ,, uppannānam kusalānam vepullāya ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) kāya kāyānupassi viharati (ii) vedanāsu vedanānupassi viharati (iii) citte cittānupassi viharati (iv) dhamme dhammānupassi viharati ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) savitakkam savicāram vivekajam pītisukham paṭhamajjhānam (ii) avitakkam avicāram samādhijam pītisukham dutiyajjhānam² (iii) pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī ti tatiyajjhānam (iv) adukkham asukham upekkhāsati-pārisuddhim catutthajjhānam |
| C Paññā¹ [See Table II for further details.] | (1) Sammā-samkappa³ (Right resolutions) (2) Sammā-diṭṭhi (Right view) | ⎧⎪⎨⎪⎩ (i) nekkhamma-samkappa (ii) avyāpāda-s. (iii) avihimsā-s. ⎧⎪⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎪⎩ (i) dukkhe ñāṇam, i.e., saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhe ñāṇam (ii) dukkhasamudaye ñāṇam i.e., taṇhāya ⎧⎪⎨⎪⎩ (i) kāma-taṇhāya (ii) bhava- ,, (iii) vibhava ,, ⎫⎪⎬⎪⎭ ñāṇam (iii) dukkha-nirodhe ñāṇam i.e., nibbāne ñāṇam (iv) dukkha-nirodhe-gāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇam, i.e. aṭṭhaṅgikamagge ñāṇam |

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¹ The *Aṭṭhakathā* on the Rathavinīta-sutta (II, p 158) and *Vism* p 443, 678 f. amplify the above three items, called in them *visuddhis* thus:

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II. A TABULAR EXPOSITION OF PAÑÑĀ

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Paññā or ñāṇam (knowledge)¹

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¹ For detailed exposition, see chapter XV.

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(i) in 5 upādānakkhandhas (five constituents of a being), viz. rūpa (material parts of a body); vedanā (feeling—good, bad and indifferent); saññā (perception— do ); saṅkhārā (impressions— do ); viññāṇa (=citta=mano=detailed knowledge) see Abhi. Kośa, 1. p. 149

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(ii) in 12 āyatanas, (six organs of sense and their objects), viz. cakkhu (eye) and rūpa (object) sota (ear) and sadda (sound) ghāna (nose) and gandha (smell) jivhā (tongue) and rasa (taste) kāya (body) and phoṭṭhabba (contactual objects) mano (mind) and dhamma (everything, material and non-material).

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(iii) in 18 dhātus (elements upholding a body) viz., cakkhu, rūpa and cakkhuviññāṇa (eyes, object and perception acquired through eyes) sota, sadda and sotaviññāṇa (ears, sound, and perception acquired through ears) ghāna, gandha and ghānaviññāṇa jivhā, rasa and jivhāviññāṇa kāya, phoṭṭhabba and kāyaviññāṇa mano, dhamma and manoviññāṇa (to be translated as above).

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(iv) in 22 indriyas (faculties latent in a being) (Cf. Abhi. Kośa, I, 48—transl., p. 101).
(1) cakkhu (eye)
(2) sota (ear)
(3) ghāna (nose)
(4) jivhā (tongue)
(5) kāya (body)
(6) mano (mind)
(7) itthi (femininity)
(8) purusa (masculinity)
(9) jivita (vitality, āyu)
(10) sukha (pleasing physically)
(11) dukkha (displeasing physically)
(12) somanassa (i.e. cetasikam sukham, see Vibhaṅga, p. 85, pleasing mentally)
(13) domanassa (displeasing mentally)
(14) upekkhā (neither pleasant nor unpleasant)
(15) saddhā (self-confidence)
(16) viriya (energy)
(17) sati (watchfulness)
(18) samādhi (concentration of mind)
(19) paññā (knowledge)
(20) aññātaññassāmīti (determination to know what is unknown)
(21) aññā (determination to know)
(22) aññātāvi (determination to know the highest)

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(v) in Paṭiccasamuppāda, i.e. taṇhāya ñāṇam Past life { avijjā: (ignorance of the Truth) saṅkhārā: (mental impressions) Present life { viññāṇa: (consciousness) nāmarūpa: (mental and physical constituents) saḷāyatana: (six organs of sense and their objects) phassa: (contact) vedanā: (feeling, good, bad or indifferent) taṇhā: (desire) Future life { upādāna: (stronger desire, clinging) bhava: (desire for existence) jāti: (birth) jarāmaraṇa, etc. (old age, death, etc.)

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Sammā-sati = mindfulness of all that is happening within the body and mind including feelings, and observant of the things of the world, and at the same time suppressing covetousness (abhijjhā) and avoiding mental depression (domanassa); and Sammā-samādhi = various forms of meditation as recommended in the Buddhist texts.¹

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¹ For detailed treatment, see Infra, Ch. XIV.

III. Paññā

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The third, the intellectual discipline, is denoted by the terms sammā-saṅkappa and sammā-diṭṭhi. The term sammā-saṅkappa means the will to renounce the world, to refrain from bearing ill-will and causing injury to beings while sammā-diṭṭhi means the view propounded by Buddha about the nature of the things of the world and the ultimate.

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From the above, it is evident that for physical and mental disciplines, Buddhism drew up only a scheme of its own for the use of its followers from among the various moral and medi-tational practices prevalent in India, and hence there was nothing particularly Buddhistic in them. It is in the third, paññā or prajñā i.e. sammā-diṭṭhi that Buddhism offered its own solution of the highest riddle of the universe and wanted its followers to comprehend its new view-point.

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By intellectual discipline it means popularly the comprehension of the four ariyasaccas,² but actually, it means realisation of the fact that the khandhas, dhātus, āyatanas etc. are devoid of any real substance (anattā).³ According to the Visuddhimagga⁴ sīlavisuddhi (moral purification) and cittavisuddhi (perfection in mental exercises) form the two legs of Buddhism, its body being the *diṭṭhivisuddhi* (the true or the Buddhistic view about the nature of the Reality. For attaining *diṭṭhivisuddhi* one must comprehend the nature of
(i) *khandhas* (constituents of a being),
(ii) *āyatanas* (organs of sense and their spheres),
(iii) *indriyas* (faculties), and
(iv) the characteristics of the four *dhātus* (spheres of existence), the true meaning of the *ariyasaccas* (truths), and *paṭiccasamuppāda* (the theory of causation).¹

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² Digha, I, p. 84.

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³ See Ante, Ch. VII.

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⁴ Vism., pp. 433, 515.

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¹ For detailed treatment, see *Infra*, Ch. XV.

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In the *Mahāsakuludāyisutta* (*Majjhima*, II, pp. 9-22), there is almost a comprehensive scheme of the Buddhist doctrine in its three divisions. First there is the reference to the Sīla-practices the severer form of which,² though approved by Buddha, has been pointed out as optional; it is followed by an exposition of the four *ariyasaccas*, which comprehend in a popular form the Buddhist philosophical teaching (*paññā*), and then by an enumeration of the thirty-seven *bodhipakkhiyas*, the eight *vimokkhas*, the eight *abhibhāyatanas*, ten *kasinas*, four *jhānas*, and the six *abhiññās*, in short, all that is denoted by *citta* or *samādhi*.

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² Appāhāra, pamsukūlika, lukhacivaradhara, piṇḍapātika, sapadā-nacāri, rukkhamūlika, abbhokāsika, āraññaka and pantasenāsana. Cf. the *Dhutaṅgas*, *Infra*, pp. 206 ff.

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