Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?

[SarathW]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?

https://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.c ... the-Dhamma


What is the meaning of each word above?

Specially the meaning of opanayiko. Is this mean the progress is gradual?
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_ ... &sa=Search


Why these are specific to Buddha? Why this is not the same for other religions?
For instance, I heard one of the Islam preachers say the Koran is Svakkhato. (beautiful at the beginning, middle, and the end)

[SarathW]

Another good resource with some explanations.

I still feel that the meaning of Sanditthiko and Akaliko is not very clear. To me both seems the same in this article.

It appears to me that the meaning of Opanayiko means that it is a gradual teaching and gradual reaching to the goal.

https://www.shanthivihara.co.uk/node/86

[SarathW]

Recollection of the Dhamma (Dhammanusati)
The Aṅguttara Nikāya provides the following verse for the recollection of the Dhamma:

"The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves."

— Mahanama Sutta (Aṅguttara Nikāya 11.12)[10]
The Teaching of the Buddha has six supreme qualities:

Svākkhāto (Sanskrit: Svākhyāta; "well-expounded, well-proclaimed, or self-announced"). The Buddha's teaching is not a speculative philosophy but an exposition of the Universal Law of Nature based on a causal analysis of natural phenomena. It is taught, therefore, as a science rather than a sectarian belief system.[17] Full comprehension (enlightenment) of the teaching may take varying lengths of time but Buddhists traditionally say that the course of study is 'excellent in the beginning (sīla; Sanskrit: śīla; "moral principles"), excellent in the middle (Sanskrit: samādhi; "concentration") and excellent in the end' (paññā; Sanskrit: prajñā; "wisdom").
Sandiṭṭhiko (Sanskrit: Sāṃdṛṣṭika; "able to be examined"). The Dhamma is open to scientific and other types of scrutiny and is not based on faith.[h] It can be tested by personal practice and one who follows it will see the result for oneself by means of one's own experience. Sandiṭṭhiko comes from the word sandiṭṭhika which means "visible in this world" and is derived from the word sandiṭṭhi. Since the Dhamma is visible, it can be "seen": known and be experienced within one's life.
Akāliko (Sanskrit: Akālika; "timeless, immediate"). The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now. There is no need to wait for the future or a next existence. The Dhamma does not change over time and it is not relative to time.
Ehipassiko (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika; "which you can come and see" — from the phrase ehi, paśya, "come, see!"). The Dhamma invites all beings to put it to the test and come see for themselves.
Opanayiko (Sanskrit: Avapraṇayika; "leading one close to"). Followed as a part of one's life the dhamma leads one to liberation. In the "Vishuddhimagga" this is also referred to as "Upanayanam." Opanayiko means "to be brought inside oneself". This can be understood with an analogy as follows. If one says a ripe mango tastes delicious, and if several people listen and come to believe it, they would imagine the taste of the mango according to their previous experiences of other delicious mangoes. Yet, they will still not really know exactly how this mango tastes. Also, if there is a person who has never tasted a ripe mango before, that person has no way of knowing exactly for himself how it tastes. So, the only way to know the exact taste is to experience it. In the same way, dhamma is said to be opanayiko which means that a person needs to experience it within to see exactly what it is.
Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi (Sanskrit: Pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ; "to be meant to perceive directly"). The Dhamma is "to be realised by the wise for themselves". It can be perfectly realised only by the noble disciples (ariya-puggala) who have matured in supreme wisdom. No one can "enlighten" another person. Each intelligent person has to attain and experience for themselves. As an analogy, no one can simply make another know how to swim. Each person individually has to learn how to swim. In the same way, dhamma cannot be transferred or bestowed upon someone. Each one has to know for themselves.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati# ... anayiko%20(Sanskrit%3A%20Avapra%E1%B9%87ayika%3B%20%22,with%20an%20analogy%20as%20follows.

[Sam Vara]

Opanayiko is I believe from upaneti: "brings up, produces, makes it there for you", so it means something like "efficacious, fruitful, worthwhile" in the context of the descriptions of the Dhamma. It doesn't particularly mean "gradual" as far as I can see, and this might even be at odds with sanditthiko.

Svākkhāto means "well-expounded/proclaimed", from su (good) and ākkhata. "Beautiful" in that context is kalyāna.

The article you reproduced looks good to me!

[SarathW]

Opanayiko is I believe from upaneti: "brings up, produces, makes it there for you", so it means something like "efficacious, fruitful, worthwhile" in the context of the descriptions of the Dhamma. It doesn't particularly mean "gradual" as far as I can see, and this might even be at odds with sanditthiko.

Svākkhāto means "well-expounded/proclaimed", from su (good) and ākkhata. "Beautiful" in that context is kalyāna.

The article you reproduced looks good to me!

Thanks Sam.
Could you give the meaning of each with your own words. Please use one word or a few words.
I would say:
Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo : Dhamm of Buddha is complete.
sanditthiko : Gradual?

akaliko : Experience now immediately.
ehipassiko : ? I don like the idea "come and see" I like the meaning "put into practice"
opanayiko : realise by oneself?
paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.? realise by the wise?

[Sam Vara]

Travelling at the moment, but I'll have a go in a few hours time.

[Bundokji]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?

https://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.c ... the-Dhamma


What is the meaning of each word above?

Specially the meaning of opanayiko. Is this mean the progress is gradual?
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_ ... &sa=Search


Why these are specific to Buddha? Why this is not the same for other religions?
For instance, I heard one of the Islam preachers say the Koran is Svakkhato. (beautiful at the beginning, middle, and the end)

Hi Sarath,

The links in your post are not opening in my computer, but as you mentioned Islam, some sects divides the teachings in terms of esoteric and exoteric. The excoteric teachings are the religions of the populace or in Buddhist terms puthujjanas whereas the esoteric teachings are taught to sekhas. Ariyas are said to transcend these distinctions.

In cosmological terms, the esoteric teachings begins are most common at the age of 40 (the middle) and its anyone's guess how many rounds of rebirths in our ordinary calculations that translates into. Translating opanayiko as gradual or leading inward means viewing existence as a necessary myth or a game to be unraveled by the practitioner, in contrast with the more literal understanding of what life is from conventional point of view. In the language of nama-rupa, its a gradual shift towards "mind over matter" aiming at realizing "the mind made body" mentioned in the DN. The ultimate aim is to master a concentration where one can be taught directly by the sages of humanity whether its the prophets of Brahmanism/Abrahamic religions or the Ariyas of Buddhism, depending on one's linage. Another way of thinking about it is a shift from the sectarianism of the people of the book/written traditions towards orality (thus have i heard/Evaṃ me sutaṃ).

[Sam Vara]

Opanayiko is I believe from upaneti: "brings up, produces, makes it there for you", so it means something like "efficacious, fruitful, worthwhile" in the context of the descriptions of the Dhamma. It doesn't particularly mean "gradual" as far as I can see, and this might even be at odds with sanditthiko.

Svākkhāto means "well-expounded/proclaimed", from su (good) and ākkhata. "Beautiful" in that context is kalyāna.

The article you reproduced looks good to me!

Thanks Sam.
Could you give the meaning of each with your own words. Please use one word or a few words.
I would say:
Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo : Dhamm of Buddha is complete.
sanditthiko : Gradual?

akaliko : Experience now immediately.
ehipassiko : ? I don like the idea "come and see" I like the meaning "put into practice"
opanayiko : realise by oneself?
paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.? realise by the wise?

As said earlier, the sources you have linked to are pretty sound in my opinion, so I can't add much more. Apologies that I can't do the diacritics on this computer.

In Svakkhato Bhagavata Dhammo, the object of the phrase is Dhammo, nominative for "The Dhamma". Bhagavata is possessive, so "The Blessed One's Dhamma", or "The Dhamma of the Blessed One", according to taste. Svakkhato means "well-expounded", or "well-proclaimed". Akkhati means "he tells/announces/tells/etc., and the su prefix means "good" or "well".

Sanditthiko is a bit more complicated or suggestive of different meanings. The adjective sanditthika can mean "pertaining to this world/life", and the root ditthi is to do with seeing - the same as "view" in Right View. So visible, actual, of this world; rather than metaphysics or speculation, presumably.

Akaliko is also a bit ambiguous, and I remember it being discussed here on DW before; it might be worth looking it up. Kalika mean "in time" and also "delayed, not immediate". Just like, I guess, the English expression "In time, you will come to know..." So some people translate akaliko as "existing outside of time; eternal", whereas others say it means "not delayed; immediate". You don't have to wait for it to work.

Ehipassiko does translate well as "come and see". Ehi is the imperative of eti, so means "come!" or "come on!" Passati is to see. I agree the English "Come and see-ish"! is ugly, but the meaning seems quite clear.

Opanayiko I have had a go at explaining above.

Paccattam is an adjective meaning "separate, individual"; veditabbo is the future passive form of vedeti, "he feels, knows, experiences", so "to be known/experienced"; and vinnu is a wise person, and that's the instrumental form, so "by the wise". That means the whole phrase means something like "to be known by a wise person by him/herself".

[mjaviem]

Opanayiko is I believe from upaneti: "brings up, produces, makes it there for you", so it means something like "efficacious, fruitful, worthwhile" in the context of the descriptions of the Dhamma...

Some translate it as onward-leading and others as relevant. I think worthwhile might be a good translation. Thanks for sharing this and your last post.

EDIT: Also 'applicable'

[mjaviem]

Opanayiko is I believe from upaneti: "brings up, produces, makes it there for you", so it means something like "efficacious, fruitful, worthwhile" in the context of the descriptions of the Dhamma....

Perhaps 'accesible' , 'available', 'reachable'

[mjaviem]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?
...
What is the meaning of each word above?

Specially the meaning of opanayiko. Is this mean the progress is gradual?
...

If I were to take an exam about how is the Dhamma I would answer "It's very practical: It's immediately visible and accessible and can be confirmed, It can be experienced personally by the wise and it's well explained by the Buddha."

[SarathW]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?
...
What is the meaning of each word above?

Specially the meaning of opanayiko. Is this mean the progress is gradual?
...

If I were to take an exam about how is the Dhamma I would answer "It's very practical: It's immediately visible and accessible and can be confirmed, It can be experienced personally by the wise and it's well explained by the Buddha."

I agree. I understand the overall meaning.
But I am trying to understand the exact meaning of this phrase.
Another question is why can't we say the same about the teaching of other religions?

[mjaviem]

I agree. I understand the overall meaning.
But I am trying to understand the exact meaning of this phrase.
...

It seems "svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti" means:

"The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediately present, confirmable, accessible, personally experienced by the wise"

...
Another question is why can't we say the same about the teaching of other religions?

I think the truths preached by for example Christianity can't be verified because for example the results of our actions happen after we die. This is not something directly visible nor immediately present. It seems not even a wise person could directly see this by themselves. Their Truth has different characteristics than the Truth taught by the Buddha. Their truth is not "sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti". For example they teach there is an all-mighty, all-knowing being but while it could be true it can't be verified or directly visible. It can be taken only by faith or by experiencing it in an indirectly manner.

[Sam Vara]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?
...
What is the meaning of each word above?

Specially the meaning of opanayiko. Is this mean the progress is gradual?
...

If I were to take an exam about how is the Dhamma I would answer "It's very practical: It's immediately visible and accessible and can be confirmed, It can be experienced personally by the wise and it's well explained by the Buddha."

I agree. I understand the overall meaning.
But I am trying to understand the exact meaning of this phrase.
Another question is why can't we say the same about the teaching of other religions?

My wife assures me that the whole set of terms (apart, of course, from the Bhagavatā Dhammo bit) could justifiably be applied to Christianity, with biblical and exegetical support. It's just a matter of emphasis; Christians choose to not emphasise those bits, but they could do if the tradition differed.

[SarathW]

Svakkhato Bhagavata dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi.?

Which means " Svakkhato Jesus dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi".?

This is what generally that Islam preachers said indirectly too.
"Svakkhato Allaha dhammo sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi."



This is why I really like to know the meaning of Sanditthika.
I believe this phrase is something to do with "Free from Dhitthi" or something like that.
If that is the case all other religions except Buddhism will not be fitting to my OP phrase as per "Samma Ditthi" sutta.
It is because Buddha's teaching leads to eliminating all views.