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22 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Concerning the unanswered questions the Buddha lives so that all his subjects live happily in this world.
applied the ṭhapanīya method (set aside method) The Sigālovāda Sutta deals with the moral discipline
of answering questions. In many suttas, the Buddha of lay society and the mutual duties of social groups
explained His position regarding the unanswered represented in the six directions.
questions. The Buddha said that He was not supposed
to answer those questions and remained silent since the The Mahāpadāna Sutta provides the name of six
answer would not help to realise the truth. “Why have I mortal Buddhas - the Buddha Vipassi, Sikhī, Vessabhū,
left that undeclared? Because it is unbeneficial, it does Kakusanda, Konāgamana, and Kassapa. The Lakkhaṇa
not belong to the fundamentals of the holy life, it does Sutta discusses the concept of the Great Man
not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, (Māhāpurisa) with 32 great marks. Some historical facts
to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to such as the last days of the Buddha and the division of
Nibbāna. That is why I have left it undeclared. And His relics are explained in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
what I have declared? This is suffering…this is the way whereas the death of Jaina Mahavīra is recorded in the
leading to the cessation of suffering – I have declared”. Pāsādika Sutta.
In some places, the Buddha has explained that probably,
if He were to answer it would mislead the listener. There is a long list of devas in the Mahāsamaya Sutta
Another reason for Buddha’s silence is the problem of (the Great Assembly). Various devas are introduced by
the limitation of language. their names and also power. Some non-human beings
like Yakkhas, Nāgas, and Gandhabbas, with supernatural
The Central Teaching of Buddhism, the Dependent power, can be found there. The Mahāsamaya Sutta
Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) is discussed in the and the Āṭānātiya Sutta, which are used as spells
Mahā Nidāna Sutta. The Buddha explained to Venerable of blessings, have been added to the Great Book of
Ananda that beings go to saṃsāra again and again Protection in Sri Lanka. The Mahāgovinda Sutta and the
due to not understanding the Dependent Origination. Mahāsudassana Sutta are like folk stories, and they are
The Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta of the Dīghanikāya is a like the beginning of Jataka stories.
well-known Sutta in every living Buddhist tradition,
the Theravāda, the Mahāyāna, and the Vajrayāna. The In the Pāṭika Sutta, the Buddha performs the
practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is Twin Miracle. There are three types of miracles
explained as the one and only way for the purification explained by the Buddha apart from the Twin Miracle
of beings, for the overcoming sorrow and distress, for (Yamakamahāpāṭihāriyaṃ). They are:
the disappearance of pain and sadness, for the gaining
of the right path, for the realisation of nibbāna (Ekāyano i. The Miracle of Psychic Power - Iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ

ayaṃ bhikkhave maggo sattānam visuddhiyā …). ii. The Miracle of Telepathy - Ādesanāpāṭihāriyaṃ
iii. The Miracle of Instruction - Anusāsanīpāṭihāriyaṃ
The concept of divine creation, caste system, and
superiority of Brahmin are criticised in various suttas. After observing the Suttas of the Dīgha Nikāya, we can
Some important social issues such as the origin and the see three kinds of suttas are there. The suttas were
evolution of human beings on Earth are discussed in the delivered by the Buddha and the suttas were delivered
Aggañña Sutta. And also, the origin of kingship and the by devas and srāvakas. The Āṭānāṭiya Sutta contains
four social groups or classes, which later turned into the teachings of devas while the Pāyāsirājañña Sutta is
a caste system, are also discussed in the same Sutta. delivered by Arahant Kumāra Kassapa.
The Cakkavattisīhanāda Sutta discusses the Buddhist
After the classifications of the Dhammavinaya in the
concept of the Universal Monarch (Rājā Cakkavatti)
first Buddhist Council, the Dīgha Nikāya was handed
and the related duties of the Universal Monarch. The
over to the Venerable Ananda and his disciples to
Kūṭadanta Sutta explains how the ruler should care
transmit it from generation to generation. EH
about his subjects and help the poor to upgrade their