View source for Anupubbikathā

{{TheravadaBuddhism}}
In [[Theravada]] [[Buddhism]], '''''anupubbikathā''''' or '''''ānupubbikathā'''''<ref>For some alternate spellings of this Pali word, see Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 39, entry for "Anupubbikathā," retrieved 2008-01-21 at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:1021.pali. Also note that, in the La Trobe University (n.d.) on-line edition of the Canon, the middle "i" of ''anupubbikathā'' or ''ānupubbikathā'' has a [[Macron (diacritic)|macron]] (ī).</ref> ([[Pali]]) – variously translated as "gradual discourse,"<ref>"Gradual discourse" is found, for instance, in Walshe (1995), p. 215.</ref> "gradual instruction,"<ref>The translation "gradual instruction" is used, for instance, by Nyanatiloka (1980), entry for "ānupubbī-kathā" at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_a.htm.</ref> "progressive instruction,"<ref>"Progressive instruction" is used, for instance, {{IAST|Ñāṇamoli}} & Bodhi (2001), p. 485.</ref> and "step-by-step talk"<ref>Thanissaro (1998).</ref> – is a method by which [[Gautama Buddha|the Buddha]] taught the [[Dhamma]] to suitably receptive lay people.  In this approach, the [[Four Noble Truths]] are the consummate teaching. The common formula is:
# Generosity (''[[Dana (Buddhism)|dāna]]'')
# Virtue (''[[Śīla|sīla]]'')
# Heaven (''[[sagga]]'')
# Danger of sensual pleasure (''[[kāma|{{IAST|kāmānaṃ}}]] ādīnava'')<ref>In regards to translating ''ādīnava'', Bullitt uses the word "drawbacks" while Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi (2001) use "danger" (p. 485), and Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25) recommend "disadvantage, danger" (p. 99, entry for "Ādīnava," retrieved 2007-11-13 from http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:2695.pali).</ref>
# Renunciation (''[[nekkhamma]]'')
# The [[Four Noble Truths]] (''cattāri ariya-[[sacca|saccā]]ni'')<ref>See, for instance, [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/index.html Bullitt (2005).]</ref>

==From the Pali Canon==

In the [[Pali Canon]], the title for this training, its general intent and outline are provided in the following narrative formula (in English and Pali) which is found in multiple discourses:<ref>According to Nyanatiloka (1980), three discourses that include this formula are [[Digha Nikaya|DN]] 3, DN 14 and [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 56 (see Nyanatiloka, 1980, entry for "ānupubbī-kathā" at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_a.htm).

A search of the on-line La Trobe University (n.d.) database reveals that the compound term ''{{IAST|ānupubbīkathaṃ}}'' (see http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/pitikaresults.php?title=&start=0&to=10&searchstring=ānupubbīkathaṃ {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901084402/http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/pitikaresults.php?title=&start=0&to=10&searchstring= |date=September 1, 2007 }}) can be found ten times in the [[Vinaya Pitaka]] and eight times in the [[Sutta Pitaka]] including: DN 3 (D.i.110), DN 5 (D.i.148), MN 56 (M.i.379), MN 91 (M.ii.145), [[Anguttara Nikaya|AN]] 8.12 (A.iv.186, 8.1.2.2), AN 8.20 (A.iv.209, 8.1.3.1), AN 8.21 (A.iv.213, 8.1.3.2), and [[Khuddaka Nikaya|KN]]'s [[Udana|Ud.]] 5.3 (Ud. 48) [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.03.than.html (see Thanissaro, 1998).]  Additionally, a search of the La Trobe University database for ''{{IAST|ānupubbiṃ kathaṃ}}'' (see http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/pitikaresults.php?title=&start=0&to=10&searchstring=ānupubbiṃ%20kathaṃ ) results in two instances of the formula being found in DN 14 (D.ii.41, D.ii.44).

In DN 14, the identified formulaic statement is not stated by Gautama Buddha (who, according to the Pali canon, is the 28th Buddha) but by Buddha Vipassī (the 22nd Buddha), thus reinforcing that the Four Noble Truths are "the teaching special to the Buddha''s''," that is, Buddhas in addition to this age's self-awakened one, Gautama Buddha (see Walshe, 1995, pp. 215-16).</ref>

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"Then the Blessed One gave the [[Householder (Buddhism)|householder]] ... progressive instruction, that is, talk on giving, talk on virtue, talk on the heavens; he explained the danger, degradation, and defilement in sensual pleasures and the blessing of renunciation. When he knew that the householder['s] ... mind was ready, receptive, free from hindrances, elated, and confident, he expounded to him the teaching special to the [[List of the twenty-eight Buddhas|Buddhas]]: [[Dukkha|suffering]], its [[Tanha|origin]], its cessation, and the [[Noble Eightfold Path|path]]."<ref>''Upāli Sutta'' ("To Upāli," [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 56), verse 18, trans. by {{IAST|Ñāṇamoli}} & Bodhi (2001), p. 485.  The final fourfold "special teaching" is a reference to the [[Four Noble Truths]].</ref>
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''{{IAST|Atha kho bhagavā ... gahapatissa ānupubbīkathaṃ kathesi. Seyyathīdaṃ: dānakathaṃ, sīlakathaṃ, saggakathaṃ, kāmānaṃ ādīnavaṃ, okāraṃ saṅkilesaṃ, nekkhamme ānisaṃsaṃ pakāsesi. Yadā bhagavā aññāsi ... gahapatiṃ kallacittaṃ muducittaṃ vinīvaraṇacittaṃ udaggacittaṃ pasannacittaṃ, atha yā buddhānaṃ sāmukkaṃsikā dhammadesanā, taṃ pakāsesi: dukkhaṃ samudayaṃ nirodhaṃ maggaṃ.}}''<ref>La Trobe University (n.d.), [[Majjhima Nikaya]], vol. I, BJT page 72, PTS pages 379-80. (retrieved 2007-11-12 at http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/tipitika.php?title=&record=3374).</ref>
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Details for this training are provided in [[Digha Nikaya|DN]] 2<ref>See, for instance, Thanissaro (1997).</ref> and, to a lesser degree, in [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 27 and [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 51.<ref>Bodhi (2005), p. 226.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gradual training]]
* [[Four Noble Truths]]
* [[Samaññaphala Sutta]] ([[Digha Nikaya|DN]] 2)
* [[Threefold Training]]
* [[Lamrim]]
* [[Buddhist Paths to liberation]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* [[Bhikkhu Bodhi|Bodhi, Bhikkhu]] (2005). ''In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon''. Boston: Wisdom Publications. {{ISBN|0-86171-491-1}}.
* Bullitt, John T. (2005). ''Dhamma''. Retrieved 2007-11-08 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/index.html.
* La Trobe University (n.d.), "Pali Canon Online Database," online search engine of the Sri Lanka Tripitaka Project's (SLTP) Pali Canon. Retrieved 2007-11-12 at https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001234/http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/pali.htm.
* {{IAST|Ñāṇamoli}}, Bhikkhu (trans.) & Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (2001). ''The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya''. Boston: Wisdom Publications. {{ISBN|0-86171-072-X}}.
* Nyanatiloka (1980). ''Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines''. Kandy, Sri Lanka: [[Buddhist Publication Society]]. {{ISBN|955-24-0019-8}}. Retrieved 2007-11-10 from "BuddhaSasana" at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm.
* [[T.W. Rhys Davids|Rhys Davids, T.W.]] & William Stede (eds.) (1921–25). ''The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary''. Chipstead: [[Pali Text Society]]. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
* [[Thanissaro Bhikkhu]] (trans.) (1997). ''Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life'' ([[Digha Nikaya|DN]] 2). Retrieved 2007-11-11 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html.
* Thanissaro, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1998). ''Kutthi Sutta: The Leper'' ([[Udana|Ud.]] 5.3). Retrieved 2007-11-12 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.03.than.html.
* Walshe, Maurice (1995). ''The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Dīgha Nikāya''. Boston: Wisdom Publications. {{ISBN|0-86171-103-3}}.

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