(Indriya) Arahanta Suttas
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S 5.4.1.4+5 • S 5.3.4.7 • S 5.4.4.3 • S 3.1.3.1.8 Indriya Arahanta Suttā 16 Indriya Arahanta Suttā The Indriya Discourses on the Arhat SD 56.16a (Indriya) Arahanta Sutta 1 The 1st (Indriya) Discourse on the Arhat | S 48.4/5:194 SD 56.16b (Indriya) Arahanta Sutta 2 The 2nd (Indriya) Discourse on the Arhat| S 48.5/5:194 SD 56.16c (Cha-ḷ-indriya) Arahanta Sutta The (6-faculty) Discourse on the Arhat | S 48.27/5:205 SD 56.16d (Sukh’indriya) Arahanta Sutta The (Sukh’indriya) Discourse on the Arhat | S 48.33/5:208 SD 56.16e (Khandha) Arahanta Sutta The (Khandha) Discourse on the Arhat | S 22.110/3:161 Theme: Definitions of an arhat Translated & annotated by Piya Tan ©2020 1 Suttas on the arhat and related suttas 1.1 This chapter (SD 56.16) comprises 5 short suttas defining the arhat in 3 ways, using well known stock phrases [1.1.2]. The first 4 suttas—S 48.4-5, 27-28—are from the Indriya Vagga, the chapter on the spir- itual faculties (S 48), while the last—S 22.110—is from the Khandha Vagga, the chapter on the aggregates. 1.2 In this study of the 5 suttas and others in this SD volume, we will examine not only the teachings contained therein, but also their formal structure. We will examine the literary devices used in such suttas and in the Saṁyutta as a whole. We will especially have a chance to see how paradigms, tem- plate cycles and audience cycles work in these suttas. This insight will expedite our study and practice of the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha when we aspire to attain streamwinning in this life itself. [2.1.1] 2 Literary devices of the Saṁyutta 2.1 STOCK PHRASES, TEMPLATES AND PARADIGMS 2.1.1 Literary devices 2.1.1.1 The Saṁyutta Nikāya, the connected teachings, is especially interesting and valuable for its different ways of presenting the teachings by the use of literary devices. Clearly, the Buddha himself had used these literary devices, and it is likely, too, that the sutta redactors employed such devices to highlight the teachings with insightful and instructive details, and means of remembering the teachings. 2.1.1.2 There are 2 important features of the suttas in the Saṁyutta that employ such skilful means for our benefit, both in the theory and in the practice. These literary devices and editorial conventions are the “template cycle” [2.1.2] and the “audience cycle” [2.2.2]. The texts that exhibit these helpful features are collated in their respective Concordances [2.3]. We will first see how these skilful means work so that we can effectively put these suttas teachings into practice in the manner that they are taught and intended. 2.1.2 The template cycle 2.1.2.1 A “template” is a formal sutta structural pattern upon which related teachings are presented in an exhaustive manner. Ideally, a template cycle [2.3.1] lays out all the vital aspects of a teaching for our mindful reflection or as a preamble to our meditation. The same or similar structure is used to pre- sent different teachings. http://dharmafarer.org 89 SD 56.16 S 48.4 • S 48.5 • S 48.27 • S 48.33 • S 22.110 It’s like a student’s variations on a musical theme for familiarising himself with the maestro’s music as well as building and showing his musical skills. These template cycles are instructive in showing how a teaching can be presented in various interesting ways, often connecting them to other teachings, giving us a bigger window into true reality and awakening. 2.1.2.2 The template cycle may present the same teachings in different ways, or connect different teachings together to present or highlight a common theme across each samyutta (collection). Hence, the same phrases may highlight a teaching, or connect teachings together, such as the sense-bases (āyatana), the elements (dhātu) and the aggregates (khandha), or the path-factors (magg’aṅga), the awakening- factors (bojjhaṅga) and the spiritual faculties (indriya). The recurrence of template parallels throughout the Saṁyutta gives us important insights into the structure and style of the Buddha’s teaching. It shows that the teaching comprises two overlapping aspects: a formal structure shown by the templates themselves, and the teachings themselves that each template arranges into individual suttas. The application of the templates to the teachings hints to us, guides us, on how these teachings are to be treated and practised. We are made to see, in the template suttas, for example, that the constitu- ents of existence are to be understood with wisdom; that the defilements are to be abandoned; that the path-factors are to be cultivated; and nirvana to be realized.1 The suttas thus guide us in our practice of the teachings they preserve, as it were, in a “coded” manner, like a computer programme that must be properly run to work.2 2.1.3 Paradigms and parallels 2.1.3.1 The templates sometimes arise from a paradigm or scheme, that is, a broader view or per- spective of the teaching as a whole based on a theme [2.1.3.2, 2.1.3.3]. Paradigms produce templates, and templates produce suttas. Hence, a sutta, by definition, comprises a teaching or set of teachings, structured on a template or templates, which, in turn, centres on a paradigm. To compose suttas, the re- dactors only need to put together various teachings to the same templates produced by a single para- digm. 2.1.3.2 The Saṁyutta abounds in examples of paradigms. One prevalent paradigm in the collection, central to the Dharma, is the 3 characteristics of existence: impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā). This paradigm governs a whole series of suttas both in S 22 and S 35, the key divi- sions—the Khandha Vagga (the aggregates) and the Saḷāyatana Vagga (the 6 sense-bases), respectively. For, it is above, all the 5 aggregates and the 6 sense-bases and their objects that must be seen with in- sight so that we gain liberation. The “3 characteristics paradigm” generates 4 common templates: impermanent, etc, in the 3 times (past, future and present); the simple reflection on impermanence, etc; the impermanent, etc, through causes and conditions; and, most critical in the Buddha’s soteriological plan, the “what is impermanent is suffering” template, which sets the 3 characteristics in relation to one another.3 1 This fourfold sequence is that of the practice model of the 4 noble truths—arranged 1-2-4-3—an ancient se- quence found, eg, in Maha Saḷ-āyatanika S (M 149, 11 passim) + SD 41.9 (2.4); SD 53.26 (2); SD 1.1 (6.2.2.2). 2 See SD 30.8 (4.2.1); SD 49.10 (2.6.2.1). 3 This last pattern is famously, eg, found in the aggregate-characteristic pericope in Anatta Lakkhaṇa S (S 22.59,- 12-16), sd 1.2. 90 http://dharmafarer.org S 5.4.1.4+5 • S 5.3.4.7 • S 5.4.4.3 • S 3.1.3.1.8 Indriya Arahanta Suttā 2.1.3.3 Another key paradigm is the assāda triad of gratification, danger and escape (assāda, ādīna- va, nissaraṇa), which produces 3 templates. Hence, they produce 3 suttas, all having the common theme of “the world” (loka) as a whole, that is, the Pubb’eva Sambodha Sutta (A 3.101a), the (Tika) Assāda Sutta 1 (A 3.101b) and the (Tika) Assāda Sutta 2 (A 3.102a).4 The Saṁyutta, apparently drawing upon certain ways of understanding the concept of the world, contains 12 suttas produced by these templates: 3 each on the elements and the aggregates (S 14.31- 33, 22.26-28), and 6 on the sense-bases (S 35.13-18; 6 each, because the internal and external sense- bases, are treated separately). 2.1.4 The stock phrases in the Saṁyutta 2.1.4.1 The teaching paradigm is, in turn, connected to another, on the qualities of true recluses and brahmins, and together they produce 3 more recurrent templates on how true recluses and brah- mins understand things by way of stock phrases: the assāda (gratification) triad and the samudaya (arising) pentad. The samudaya pentad simply adds to it the “arising and ceasing” of things; and by way of the sacca (noble-truth) tetrad (based on the 4 noble truths: suffering, its arising, its cessation, and the way to its cessation), that is, the state itself, its arising, its ending, and the way to its ending.5 These templates generate suttas on the 4 elements; gain and honour; the 5 aggregates; feelings; and the 5 faculties. The last template is also applied several times to the links of dependent arising, but, cur- iously, are all missing from the Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta. 2.1.4.2 The cause of suffering, according to the Buddha, is craving (taṇhā), also called “lustful desire” or “desire and lust” (chanda,rāga). In the Saṁyutta, the task of removing craving occasions the use of a paradigm [2.1.2.1] which produces another set of templates [2.1.3.1]: the components of the teaching are rearranged for a new perspective: abandon desire, abandon lust; abandon desire and lust. These 3 perspectives are each connected separately to whatever is impermanent, whatever is suffer- ing, and whatever is non-self (from the 3 characteristics paradigm), thereby giving rise to 9 templates.