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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 21

iii. Named as Āgama v. The concept of the Universal Monarch is explained
iv. Praised by the Buddha and arahants (Rājā Cakkavatti)
v. Capable of generating faith / confidence (Saddhā /
Śraddhā) The Brahmajāla Sutta discusses the 62 views (heretical
teachings) that prevailed in India at the time of the
The first Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya is the Brahmajāla Sutta Buddha. The Sāmaññaphala Sutta provides a detailed
whereas the second one is the Sāmaññaphala Sutta. The account of the teachings of six heretics contemporary
longest Sutta of the Sutta Piṭaka, the Mahāparinibbāna to the Buddha. Five psychic powers and various
Sutta, is found in the second section which is known as other spiritual attainments and the knowledge of the
the Greater Section or the Mahāvagga of the Dīgha Nikāya destruction of all defilements (Āsavakkhaya-ñāṇa) are
and it comes as the sutta no. 16. In the Sarvāstivāda discussed in it. The five psychic powers are (ESP – Extra
Dārghāgama, the Mahāpadana Sutta comes first and Sensory Perception):
the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta is the second one. This
shows that there is no similar order of arranging of the i. Iddhividhañāṇa – the Knowledge of Psycho Kinesis
suttas in different Buddhist sects. There are 34 suttas ii. Dibbasotañāṇa – the Knowledge of Clair Audience
of the Dīghanikāya and they are categorised under iii. Paracittavijānanañāṇa – the Knowledge of Telepathy
three sections - the Sīlakkhandha Vagga ( The Section – the ability to read the mind of others
on Morality - 13 suttas), the Mahāvagga (The Great iv. Pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇa – the Knowledge of Retro-
Section -10 suttas) and the Pāṭika Vagga (11 suttas). The cognition
Sīlakkandhavagga deals with morality or Sīla and there v. Dibbacakkhuñāṇa – the Knowledge of Clairvoyance
are three types of sīla. They are Cūla sīla, Majjhima sīla
and Mahā sīla. According to the Sumaṅgalavilāsini, there One of the popular and metaphysical issues that
are 64 bhāṇavāras in the Dīghanikāya. There are 8000 prevailed in the time of the Buddha was a set of ten
syllables in a bhāṇavāra. Therefore 8000 x 64 = 512,000 questions called Unanswered Questions. We find the
syllables are in the Dīghanikāya. teachings related to these ten questions in all five
collections of the Sutta Pitaka. They are called in Pali
The second section is the Mahāvagga. This name seems “Abyākatāni” or “ṭhapanīya pañha” and in Sanskrit
to be given because most of the Suttas in this section have Avyākṛta praśna. They are:
the epithet ‘mahā’ which means great. Only three Suttas
are devoid of this epithet. They are: the Janavasabha i. Is the world eternal? (Sassato loko?)
Sutta, the Sakkapañha Sutta, and the Pāyāsirājañña Sutta. ii. Is the world not eternal? (Asassato loko?)
One of the very popular suttas, the Mahāparinibbāna iii. Is the world finite? (Antavā loko?)
Sutta comes under this section as the Sutta number 3. iv. Is the world infinite? (Anantavā loko?)
v. Is the soul the same as the body? (Taṃ jivam taṃ
The last section of the Dīgha Nikāya is the Pāṭikavagga. sarīraṃ?)
vi. Is the soul one thing and the body another? (Aññaṃ
This Vagga has been named so because the very first
Sutta of this it’s very first Sutta is called the Pāṭika Sutta. jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīraṃ?)
vii. Does the Tathāgata exist after death? (Hoti

Some of the special features of the Dīgha Nikāya are: tathāgato paraṃ maraṇaṃ?)
viii. Does the Tathāgata not exist after death? (Na hoti
i. The style is more in prose than poems tathāgato paraṃ maraṇaṃ?)
ii. Not many philosophical ideas ix. Does the Tathāgata exist and not exist after death?
iii. There are lots of stories of human and divine beings (Hoti ca na hoti ca tathāgato paraṃ maraṇaṃ?)
iv. The thirty-two characteristics of a great man are x. Does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist
explained in certain suttas after death? (Neva hoti na nahoti tathāgato paraṃ
maraṇaṃ?)