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The Teacher's Instructions: See Where a Teaching Leads the Mind
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The Teacher's Instructions: See Where a Teaching Leads the Mind

Satthusāsanasuttaṃ

Venerable Upāli asks for a brief teaching to practise alone. The Buddha gives a single criterion: whatever leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, awakening and nibbāna is the Dhamma, the discipline and the Teacher's instruction; whatever does not, is not.

7 points

In the Satthusāsana Sutta of the Chapter on Discipline, Book of Sevens, Aṅguttara Nikāya, Venerable Upāli goes to the Buddha and asks him to teach the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard it he may withdraw from the group and live alone, diligent, ardent and resolute.

The Buddha says: whatever things Upāli knows do not lead solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, awakening and nibbāna, he should definitely remember as "this is not the Dhamma, this is not the discipline, this is not the Teacher's instruction." Whatever things lead solely to these, he should remember as "this is the Dhamma, this is the discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction."

This discourse sits in the Chapter on Discipline, right after the discourses on the qualities of an expert in the discipline. It is the criterion given when Upāli asked for a brief teaching to practise alone. It doesn't look at who is speaking, but at what the teaching leads to.

  1. 1

    Asking for a brief teaching to practise Saṅkhittena dhammaṃ desetu

    Venerable Upāli asks for a brief teaching so that, having heard it, he may withdraw from the group and live alone, diligent, ardent and resolute. What he receives is not a list of practices but a criterion for judging for himself.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you have to work or practise without anyone telling you what to do, what helps most is a clear criterion, not a lengthy manual.

  2. 2

    For disillusionment and dispassion Ekantanibbidāya virāgāya

    The criterion begins with disillusionment (nibbidā) and dispassion (virāga): teachings that make attachment to things decrease, not increase.

    Applying it in daily life

    After listening to a Dhamma talk or reading a Dhamma book, notice whether the wanting in your mind has become lighter or heavier.

  3. 3

    For cessation and peace Nirodhāya upasamāya

    Next, it leads to cessation (nirodha) and to peace (upasama).

    Applying it in daily life

    A teaching or practice that keeps you restless, afraid or anxious all the time deserves a second look: is it really leading to peace?

  4. 4

    For direct knowledge, awakening and nibbāna Abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya

    The last three are leading to direct knowledge (abhiññā), to awakening (sambodha) and to nibbāna: seven points in all, pointing in the same direction.

    Applying it in daily life

    Ask yourself whether what you are training in helps you understand life as it really is, or only makes you feel good for a while.

  5. 5

    Solely, definitely Ekaṃsena upāli dhāreyyāsi

    The Buddha tells Upāli to remember this definitively, as a clear judgement, and the criterion itself uses the word "solely" (ekanta) for leading to these ends.

    Applying it in daily life

    Don't accept a teaching just because parts of it are good. Look at where it leads as a whole.

  6. 6

    This is not the Dhamma, not the discipline Neso dhammo neso vinayo

    Whatever does not lead solely to these ends should be remembered as: this is not the Dhamma, this is not the discipline, this is not the Teacher's instruction.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you meet a teaching that invokes the Buddha but ends in buying things, donating until you're in hardship, or being afraid, check it with this criterion before believing it.

  7. 7

    This is the Dhamma, this is the discipline Eso dhammo eso vinayo

    Whatever leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, awakening and nibbāna should be remembered as: this is the Dhamma, this is the discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.

    Applying it in daily life

    The same criterion confirms what is good. When you find a teaching that truly makes your mind lighter and clearer, commit to studying and practising it.

Try it in daily life

Today there are countless teachings and spiritual advice to choose from, in books, videos and social media. The criterion in this discourse is a good filter: see whether what you hear leads the mind towards letting go, peace and understanding, or towards more wanting, self-importance and turmoil.

The word "solely" matters. A teaching that talks about letting go but ends in wanting gain, wanting powers or being bound to the teacher does not lead solely in that direction by this criterion.

You can use it to check yourself too. If your practice is making you more conceited or more quarrelsome, it's time to look at which way you are heading.

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