Studies in the Origins of Buddhism c8.47

c8.47

DN. 6.—DN. 6 describes the true purpose of “Brahmacariya” as “Cetovimutti-Paññā°”, and not the attainment of miraculous powers. This sounds an early note. The use of “opapātika” for “anāgāmin” is concordant with it, though the use of the expression “three Fetters (saṃyojanas)” as if it were a well known technicality indicates that we are not dealing with a text belonging to the earliest stratum. This is confirmed by the bare enumeration of the eightfold way. It occurs at a place where the “sāmaññaphala” series might have been expected. Both serve the same purpose of grouping together spiritually helpful practices, though the latter considers them primarily as means to progressive ends. It is not suggested that the formula of the ‘Eightfold Path’ has here ousted an original reference to the “Sāmaññaphalas” though that is not impossible—but only that unlike the latter the antiquity of the former is dubious. It appears to be one of the many attempted systematizations of the more or less general directions of Buddha relating to the Way.