Dhamma Principles › The Four Analytical Knowledges
The Four Analytical Knowledges
Going deeper

The Four Analytical Knowledges

Catasso paṭisambhidā

Four kinds of discernment — in meaning, in principle, in language and in ready wit — the qualities of one who both understands and teaches the Dhamma well.

4 points

Paṭisambhidā is analytical knowledge, of four kinds: discernment of meaning (meanings and results), discernment of Dhamma (principles and causes), discernment of language (the words that express that meaning), and discernment of ready wit (the quick-wittedness to use the first three when needed).

In the Sañcetaniya Vagga, Sāriputta says he realised all four analytical knowledges half a month after ordaining, and declares that anyone in doubt about any of them may come and ask, and he will answer. In the Book of Sevens the Buddha teaches seven qualities by which one soon realises the analytical knowledges, citing Sāriputta as the example.

  1. 1

    Discernment of meaning Atthapaṭisambhidā

    Discernment of meanings and results: seeing a brief principle and being able to expand on it, knowing what something results from and what it leads to.

    Applying it in daily life

    When reading a Dhamma principle, ask "If I really followed this, where would my life change?" If you can answer clearly, you've understood the meaning, not just memorised it.

  2. 2

    Discernment of Dhamma Dhammapaṭisambhidā

    Discernment of principles and causes: seeing a result and tracing it back to its cause, and distilling a long account into a short principle.

    Applying it in daily life

    Practise summarising what you read or hear into a single sentence. If you can't, you haven't yet found the principle.

  3. 3

    Discernment of language Niruttipaṭisambhidā

    Discernment of the language that expresses meaning and principle: knowing which words convey it correctly and choosing words suited to the listener.

    Applying it in daily life

    Explain the same thing to people of two different generations using different words. If you always need the same terminology, you're tied to the words more than the meaning.

  4. 4

    Discernment of ready wit Paṭibhāṇapaṭisambhidā

    Discernment in quick-wittedness: applying the first three promptly to questions and situations as they arise.

    Applying it in daily life

    Ready wit comes from solid understanding, not from memorised answers. When a question stumps you, go back over the first three rather than learning a stock reply.

Try it in daily life

The analytical knowledges in full are a quality of certain arahants, but the four aspects make a good framework for anyone who must explain difficult things to others — whether teaching Dhamma, teaching a class, or explaining work.

Before explaining something, check yourself: do I understand its result? Do I know its cause? Do I have words the listener will understand? Am I ready for unexpected questions? Whichever is missing is exactly where the explanation will always get stuck.

Sign in to keep track of what you have read

Sources in the Tipiṭaka

Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.

Other principles worth reading

Log in to earn 40 merit points for reading this page