Sigalovada Sutta

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From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Sigalovada Sutta is the 31st Sutta described in Digha Nikaya, the Long Discourses of Buddha.<ref>Complete English translations of this sutta include Kelly, Sawyer & Yareham (2005), Narada (1996) and Walshe (1995), pp. 461-69. Bodhi (2005), pp. 116-18, provides an excerpted English translation excluding the Buddha's teaching on the "fourteen evil ways" and on friends. A romanized Pali version of the complete sutta can be found at http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/1Digha-Nikaya/Digha3/31-sigala-p.html.</ref> It is also known as the Sigālaka Sutta,<ref>Walshe (1995), p. 461, and Bodhi (2005), pp. 109, 118.</ref> the Singālovāda Sutta,<ref>Bodhi (2005), p. 109.</ref> and the Sigālovāda Suttanta ("The Sigāla Homily").<ref>Walshe (1995), p. 612, n. 972. Walshe notes that this alternate title was used by Rhys Davids.</ref>

Buddhaghosa has referred to this sutta as "the Vinaya [Buddhist code of discipline] of the householder."<ref>This epithet, "the Vinaya of the Householder" is attributed to Buddhaghosa in Narada (1995). This epithet is also mentioned in Law (1932-33), p. 85, n. 1, and Bodhi (2005), p. 109, without being attributed.</ref> In modern times, Bhikkhu Bodhi has identified this sutta as the "most comprehensive Nikāya text" which pertains "to the happiness directly visible in this present life."<ref>Bodhi (2005), p. 109. Bodhi (2005), pp. 108-09, maintains that the Pali commentaries identify three benefits to the Buddha's teaching: (1) present-life happiness; (2) next-life happiness; and, (3) Nibbana. He goes on to write that Western Buddhist scholars have emphasized the third benefit while all three are needed to fairly represent the Buddha's teachings.</ref>

Contents 1 Sutta summary 1.1 Sigala's honoring his father 1.2 Avoid evil ways 1.3 Choose true friends 1.4 Protect close relationships 2 Contemporary commentaries 3 Notes 4 References

Sutta summary

Sigala's honoring his father

The Sigalovada Sutta takes place when the Buddha encountered a youth called Sigala in his morning stroll. The young man, in drenched attire, prostrated and worshipped the four compass direction (East, South, West and North), plus the Earth (Down) and the Sky (Up). When asked by the Buddha why he did so, the youth Sigala replied that he had been told by his late father to do so and he thought that it was right to uphold his father's wishes. The Buddha then, based on Sigala's point of view, taught him on how a noble one (Pali: ariya) should worship the Six directions.

Avoid evil ways

The Buddha first describes fourteen evil ways that should be avioded by a householder. The Buddha enumerates these evil ways to be avoided as:

• the four defilements of action:<ref>Note that these are the first four of the Five Precepts. The fifth precept (abstaining from the use of liquor, spirits or intoxicants causing heedlessness) is mentioned later in the sutta.</ref>

1. taking life (panatipato)
2. stealing (adinnadanam)
3. sexual misconduct (kamesu micchacaro)<ref>Soon after the initial verse identifying the four defilements, the four defilements are reiterated with "sexual misconduct" (kamesu micchacaro) being replaced by the more specific evil action of "adultery" (paradaragamananceva ).</ref>
4. lying (musavado)

• the four causes of evil action:

1. desire (chanda)
2. hate (dosa)
3. ignorance (moha)
4. fear (bhaya)

• the six ways of squandering wealth:

1. indulging in intoxicants
2. wandering the streets at inappropriate times
3. frequenting public spectacle
4. compulsive gambling
5. malevolent companionship
6. habitual idleness

Choose true friends

The Buddha then elaborated on the importance of having and being a true friend, as he described what true friends are; and what true friends are not; and, how true friends will aid in attaining a blissful life.

Protect close relationships

Finally, returning to the topic of the six directions, the Buddha described the Four Compass Direction as : parents (East), teachers (South), wife<ref>In canonical Buddhism, "householder" refers to a male and thus, in terms of a marital relationship, this sutta directly addresses husbands. For a sutta directly addressing wives, see AN 8:49 (an English translation of which can be found in Bodhi, 2005, pp. 128-30).</ref> (West), and friends and colleagues (North), and the two vertical directions as: ascetics and Brahmins (Up) and the Servants (Down). He elaborated on how to respect and support them, and how in turn the Six will return the kindness and support. <p> The householder's commitments and the reciprocal acts of those he honors, as identified by the Buddha, are represented below in accordance with the four directions on the horizontal plane (east, south, west and north):

		North FRIENDS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		generosity kind words helpfulness impartiality integrity	supportiveness protect your wealth provide shelter loyalty honor your family
West WIFE				East PARENTS
commitments	reciprocal acts			commitments	reciprocal acts
honor her respect her fidelity share authority provide gifts	organize duties hospitality fidelity wise budgeting skillfulness			support them fulfill their duties honor traditions deserve inheritance honor their passing	restrain from evil nurture goodness teach skills arrange marriage provide inheritance
		South TEACHERS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		rise to greet them attend to them eager receptivity serve them master their teaching	thoroughly instruct ensure comprehension provide well-roundedness provide referrals ensure safety

Contemporary commentaries

Bhikkhu Bodhi has contrasted the Buddha's responsibility-reciprocity statements<ref>The Buddha's characterizing social interaction in a responsibility-reciprocity sequence in a sense echoes his central phenomenological insight of Dependent Origination.</ref> with modern-day social theory, stating:

"This practice of 'worshipping the six directions,' as explained by the Buddha, presupposes that society is sustained by a network of interlocking relationships that bring coherence to the social order when its members fulfill their reciprocal duties and responsibilities in a spirit of kindness, sympathy, and good will.... Thus, for Early Buddhism, the social stability and security necessary for human happiness and fulfillment are achieved, not through aggressive and potentially disruptive demands for 'rights' posed by competing groups, but by the renunciation of self-interest and the development of a sincere, large-hearted concern for the welfare of others and the good of the greater whole."<ref>Bodhi (2005), pp. 109-10.</ref>

Notes

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References

• Bodhi,Bhikkhu (ed.) (2005), In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-491-1.
• Kelly,John, Sue Sawyer & Victoria Yareham (2005). DN 31, Sigalovada Sutta: The Buddha's Advice to Sigalaka. Available on-line at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html.
• Law, Bimala Churn (1932-33), "Nirvana and Buddhist Laymen" in the Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. 14, 1932-1933, pp. 80-86. Available on-line at: http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/lawn.htm.
• Narada Thera (1995). Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha. Available on-line at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/wheel014.html.
• Narada Thera (trans.) (1996). DN 31, Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala, The Layperson's Code of Discipline. Available on-line at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html.
• Walshe,Maurice (1995). The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Dīgha Nikāya. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-103-3.