Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

1. Without approval and without scorn, carefully study and examine it

2. Check to see if it is in the discourses

3. If it is in the discourses, check to see if verifiable by the Discipline

4. If it meets these references, you can conclude that it is a teaching of the Dhamma

chownah wrote: 1. The Buddha
2.a community with elders and a chief.
3.several bhikkhus who are elders
4.a single bhikkhu who is an elder

mikenz66 wrote: I must admit I don't really understand this bit:

The problem with all the textual authority interpretations is that in an age of oral transmission you simply couldn't put them into practice without violating a cardinal injunction of the whole mahapadesa procedure.

I mean the injunction not to play favourites...

tiltbillings wrote:The unforunate problem with the Mahayana, this the Vimala, taken as a whole, certainly illustrates it, is thet they pushed, in a number of different directions, far beyond: "on this reading a putative buddhavacana may be accepted as such if it conforms to two points of principle: the four truths and paticcasamuppaada, and if it is effective in practice in bringing about the three removals."

mikenz66 wrote:And I also must admit I have difficulty in figuring out how to number "the four" in the passage.

retrofuturist wrote: ↑Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:50 am Greetings,

Venerable Dhammanando's recent studies have revealed some interesting insights... http://www.facebook.com/dhammanando" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.
Sujato: It is tempting to assume that sutta here means the Suttapiṭaka and vinaya means the Vinayapiṭaka, or at least an earlier version of these texts; but this is not supported by tradition. The late canonical Netti explains sutta as “the four noble truths” and vinaya as “the removal of greed, hate, and delusion” (Ne 6). The commentaries discuss many interpretations; ultimately they agree with the Netti for vinaya, but say sutta means the entire Tipiṭaka. I think the Netti is correct: teachings should “fit in” with the four noble truths (like other footprints fit in to an elephant’s footprint, MN 28), and they should “be exhibited” in that the results of practice should be apparent (sandiṭṭhika). “Memorize” (uggahetvā), because in an oral tradition a text is not learned until it is known by heart; such claims must be taken seriously. For osāreti read otāreti per AN 4.180.

mikenz66 wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 9:08 am Thanks for bringing this back Robert.

A quick scan of Bhikkhu Sujato's notes here:
https://suttacentral.net/dn16/en/sujato ... atin#4.5.1
brings up the same points mentioned in the thread. Here's just a little of it, it's better to read it properly formatted at the link above.

Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.
Sujato: It is tempting to assume that sutta here means the Suttapiṭaka and vinaya means the Vinayapiṭaka, or at least an earlier version of these texts; but this is not supported by tradition. The late canonical Netti explains sutta as “the four noble truths” and vinaya as “the removal of greed, hate, and delusion” (Ne 6). The commentaries discuss many interpretations; ultimately they agree with the Netti for vinaya, but say sutta means the entire Tipiṭaka. I think the Netti is correct: teachings should “fit in” with the four noble truths (like other footprints fit in to an elephant’s footprint, MN 28), and they should “be exhibited” in that the results of practice should be apparent (sandiṭṭhika). “Memorize” (uggahetvā), because in an oral tradition a text is not learned until it is known by heart; such claims must be taken seriously. For osāreti read otāreti per AN 4.180.

Mike

the Mode of Conveying a Construing ? The
Mode of Conveying a Construing is this:
Looking for right and wrong construing
In the case of all the Conveyings,
Plane and resort [will] demonstrate
The Mode Conveying a Construing' (§7).
120. What does it construe ? The four Principal Appeals to
Authority (see A. ii, 167). These are the appeal to the Enlightened
One as authority, the appeal to a community as authority, the
appeal to several elders as authority, and the appeal to a single
elder as authority. These are the four Principal Appeals to
Authority.1
121. [In all such appeals to authority] <These terms and
phrasing must, in the case of the Thread, be
conformable to the ways of entry [to it],1 and, in
the case of the Out-guiding (Discipline), be seen
[there] for oneself> (A. ii, 167), and they must, in
the case of the essential nature of the idea,2 be
adaptable [to it].
122. [22] What is the Thread to whose ways of entry they must be
conformable (see also §§351fT.) ? The four Noble Truths.
123. What is the Outguiding (Discipline) where they must be seen
for oneself ? The outguiding of lust, the outguiding of hate, and
the outguiding of delusion.
124. What is the essential nature of the idea to which they must be
adaptable ? Dependent arising (see §462; S. ii, 25).
125. If, in the case of the Noble Truths, there is a way of entry
[to them],1 and if, in the case of the Outguiding of defilements, it is
seen for oneself, and if, in the case of the essential nature of the idea,
there is no running counter [to it], then there is no generation of
taints. Whatever is [so] construable from among the four Principal
Appeals to Authority can be accepted, whatever it is construable by
and however it is construed

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bhoganagara near the Ānanda Shrine. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”

“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you these four great references.892 [168] Listen and attend closely; I will speak.”

“Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“What, bhikkhus, are the four great references?

(1) “Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In the presence of the Blessed One I heard this; in his presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching!”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline.893 If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are not included among the discourses and are not to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been badly learned by this bhikkhu.’ Thus you should discard it.

“But a bhikkhu might say: ‘In the presence of the Blessed One I heard this; in his presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching!”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline. If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are included among the discourses and are to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been learned well by this bhikkhu.’ You should remember this first great reference.

(2) “Then a bhikkhu might say: ‘In such and such a residence a Saṅgha is dwelling with elders and prominent monks. In the presence of that Saṅgha I heard this; in its presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching.”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline. If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are not included among the discourses and are not to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. [169] It has been badly learned by that Saṅgha.’ Thus you should discard it.

“But … if, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are included among the discourses and are to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been learned well by that Saṅgha.’ You should remember this second great reference.

(3) “Then a bhikkhu might say: ‘In such and such a residence several elder bhikkhus are dwelling who are learned, heirs to the heritage, experts on the Dhamma, experts on the discipline, experts on the outlines. In the presence of those elders I heard this; in their presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching!”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline. If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are not included among the discourses and are not to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been badly learned by those elders.’ Thus you should discard it.

“But … if, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are included among the discourses and are to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been learned well by those elders.’ You should remember this third great reference.

(4) “Then a bhikkhu might say: ‘In such and such a residence one elder bhikkhu is dwelling [170] who is learned, an heir to the heritage, an expert on the Dhamma, an expert on the discipline, an expert on the outlines. In the presence of that elder I heard this; in his presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching!”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline. If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are not included among the discourses and are not to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been badly learned by that elder.’ Thus you should discard it.

“But a bhikkhu might say: ‘In such and such a residence one elder bhikkhu is dwelling who is learned, an heir to the heritage, an expert on the Dhamma, an expert on the discipline, an expert on the outlines. In the presence of that elder I heard this; in his presence I learned this: “This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the Teacher’s teaching!”’ That bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting it, you should thoroughly learn those words and phrases and then check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline. If, when you check for them in the discourses and seek them in the discipline, [you find that] they are included among the discourses and are to be seen in the discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. It has been learned well by that elder.’ You should remember this fourth great reference.

“These, bhikkhus, are the four great references.

Catutthabhāṇavāraṁ

Cattāro Mahāpadesā. The four great standards :
But in the list [of four things] beginning with sutta, sutta means
the three baskets [Suttanta, Vinaya, Abhidhamma] which the three
Councils recited.

`Accordance with sutta' means legitimate by being in accord [with
what is explicitly legitimate].

`The word of a teacher' means the Commentary.

`One's own opinion' means one's own illumination through grasping an
analogy or one's consequent understanding.

Of these, sutta should not be rejected, for he who rejects that
rejects the Buddha himself. If what is legitimate by being in accord
agrees with the sutta, it should be accepted, but otherwise not. If
the word of a teacher agrees with the sutta, it should be accepted,
but otherwise not.

One's own opinion is weakest of all, but if it agrees with the sutta,
it should be accepted, but otherwise not.

`The three Councils' are the one of five hundred monks, the one of
seven hundred, the one of a thousand. Only a sutta transmitted
through them is authoritative; any other is a contemptible sutta, not
to be accepted. Even though words and syllables appear in the latter,
they should be known `as ones which do not appear in the Sutta, are
not found in the Vinaya.

22. Catumahāpadesakathā
pts-cs4.5pts-vp-pli2.124

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Mendicants, I will teach you the four great references. “Great references” is mahāpadesa; also at AN 4.180. A different set of four mahāpadesas are Kd 6:40.1.1, which provide criteria so that mendicants may judge what is and is not allowable.
“cattārome, bhikkhave, mahāpadese desessāmi,
Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasikarotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
The Buddha said this:
Bhagavā etadavoca:

pts-cs4.8
“Take a mendicant who says:
“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:
‘Reverend, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: The standard phrase used in the suttas when reporting a teaching heard directly from the Buddha, eg. SN 55.52:5.1, SN 22.90:9.1, MN 47:10.7, etc.
‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ,
this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’


ayaṁ dhammo ayaṁ vinayo idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti.
You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. As at MN 112:3.1 and DN 29:18.4.
Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ.
Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.

[note by Sujato: It is tempting to assume that sutta here means the Suttapiṭaka and vinaya means the Vinayapiṭaka, or at least an earlier version of these texts; but this is not supported by tradition. The late canonical Netti explains sutta as “the four noble truths” and vinaya as “the removal of greed, hate, and delusion” (Ne 6). The commentaries discuss many interpretations; ultimately they agree with the Netti for vinaya, but say sutta means the entire Tipiṭaka. I think the Netti is correct: teachings should “fit in” with the four noble truths (like other footprints fit in to an elephant’s footprint, MN 28), and they should “be exhibited” in that the results of practice should be apparent (sandiṭṭhika). “Memorize” (uggahetvā), because in an oral tradition a text is not learned until it is known by heart; such claims must be taken seriously. For osāreti read otāreti per AN 4.180.]

Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte osāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Variant: osāretabbāni → otāretabbāni (bj, pts1ed)
If they do not fit in the discourse and are not exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:

[note by sujato: The text has ca (“and”) rather than vā (“or”), which would be expected if they were to be found in one or other textual collection. This is urging that any teaching fits in with the fundamental principles of the four noble truths, and is effective in removing defilements.]
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte osaranti, na ca vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: Variant: osaranti → otaranti (bj, pts1ed) | osāriyamānāni → otāriyamānāni (bj, pts1ed)
‘Clearly this is not the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been incorrectly memorized by that mendicant.’
imassa ca bhikkhuno duggahitan’ti.
And so you should reject it.
Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
If they do fit in the discourse and are exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva osaranti, vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been correctly memorized by that mendicant.’
imassa ca bhikkhuno suggahitan’ti.
You should remember it. This is the first great reference.

[note by Sujato: The Pali text appears to say that one should remember the mahāpadesa, whereas the Sanskrit clearly says one should remember the passage (ayaṁ dharmo’yaṁ vinaya idaṁ śāstuḥ śāsanam iti viditvā dhārayitavyāḥ). It seems as if this pattern should underlie the Pali too, for the passage is false, one “should reject it” (chaḍḍeyyātha). If the passage is correct we should expect a parallel injunction that one “should remember it” (dhāreyyātha). But if this applies to the mahāpadesa there is no such injunction. Thus it seems as if the Sanskrit is correct here and the Pali corrupt. I restore it by reversing the order of the phrases.]

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

pts-cs4.9pts-vp-pli2.125
Take another mendicant who says:
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:
‘In such-and-such monastery lives a Saṅgha with seniors and leaders. Each of the four references is a little less solid than the previous. Here one hasn’t heard from the Buddha, but from the Saṅgha. The fact that one hears it from the Saṅgha implies a kind of formal group recitation such as a saṅgīti or “council”.
‘amukasmiṁ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho.
I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that Saṅgha:
Tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ,
this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’
ayaṁ dhammo ayaṁ vinayo idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti.
You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement.
Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ.
Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.
Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte osāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni.
If they do not fit in the discourse and are not exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte osaranti, na ca vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is not the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been incorrectly memorized by that Saṅgha.’
tassa ca saṅghassa duggahitan’ti.
And so you should reject it.
Itihetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
If they do fit in the discourse and are exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva osaranti, vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been correctly memorized by that Saṅgha.’
tassa ca saṅghassa suggahitan’ti.
You should remember it. This is the second great reference.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

pts-cs4.10
Take another mendicant who says:
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:
‘In such-and-such monastery there are several senior mendicants who are very learned, inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines.




[note by sujato: Now one learns not from a unified Saṅgha, but from several learned elders. This is a stock description of learned mendicants (eg. AN 3.20:6.2). “Inheritors of the heritage” is āgatāgamā, where āgama means “what has come down”, namely the scriptural heritage. Āgama is a synonym for nikāya in the sense of “collection of scripture”. The “outlines” (mātikā, literally “matrix”) are the summary outlines of topics that served as seeds for the development of Abhidhamma. DN 16:3.50.5 features one of the earliest of such lists, the 37 path factors that the Buddha “taught from his own direct knowledge”. These serve as outline for the section on the path in the Saṁyutta, from where they were adopted in various Abhidhamma texts such as the Vibhaṅga.]

‘amukasmiṁ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā.
I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of those senior mendicants:
Tesaṁ me therānaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ—
this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’
ayaṁ dhammo ayaṁ vinayo idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti.
You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement.
Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ …
Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.
pe…
If they do not fit in the discourse and are not exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
na ca vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is not the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has not been correctly memorized by those senior mendicants.’
tesañca therānaṁ duggahitan’ti.
And so you should reject it.
Itihetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni …pe…
If they do fit in the discourse and are exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been correctly memorized by those senior mendicants.’
tesañca therānaṁ suggahitan’ti.
You should remember it. This is the third great reference.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

pts-cs4.11pts-vp-pli2.126
Take another mendicant who says:
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:
‘In such-and-such monastery there is a single senior mendicant who is very learned, an inheritor of the heritage, who has memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines. Finally the testimony of a single mendicant, which is the weakest of all. Nonetheless, the procedure is the same.
‘amukasmiṁ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo.
I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that senior mendicant:
Tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ—
this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’
ayaṁ dhammo ayaṁ vinayo idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti.
You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement.
Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ.
Instead, having carefully memorized those words and phrases, they should fit in the discourse and be exhibited in the training.
Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte osāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni.
If they do not fit in the discourse and are not exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
Tāni ce sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte osaranti, na ca vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is not the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been incorrectly memorized by that senior mendicant.’
tassa ca therassa duggahitan’ti.
And so you should reject it.
Itihetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
If they do fit in the discourse and are exhibited in the training, you should draw the conclusion:
Tāni ca sutte osāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva osaranti, vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:
‘Clearly this is the word of the Buddha.
‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ;
It has been correctly memorized by that senior mendicant.’
tassa ca therassa suggahitan’ti.
You should remember it. This is the fourth great reference.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

These are the four great references.” The parallel at AN 4.180:9.11 omits dhāreyyāthā, which I take to be the correct reading. See my note on dhāreyyāthā at DN 16:4.8.13.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro mahāpadese dhāreyyāthā”ti.

note by sujato:Dhamma, vinaya, and satthusāsana are used in the suttas in the general sense of the entirety of the Buddha’s teachings. In his advice to Mahāpajāpatī (AN 8.53) and Upāli (AN 7.83), they are said to be whatever conforms with letting go. A stream-enterer who is a lay person is grounded in them (AN 6.16:7.2). They are more frequent in the Vinaya, being used as a general qualifier of a legitimate legal procedure (Bu Pc 63:2.1.8). Due to this, the fact that there are three items, and the fact that dhamma and sutta are different words, we should not take dhamma and vinaya here as equivalent to sutta and vinaya below. Rather, they are a general claim to authenticity and do not specify particular texts.

28: The Four Great Referalls
Then the Gracious One, after living near Bhaṇḍagāma for as long as he liked, addressed venerable Ānanda, saying:

“Come Ānanda let us approach Hatthigāma Elephant Village, Ambagāma Mango Village, Jambugāma Rose-Apple Village, Bhoganagara Wealthy Village.”

“Very well, reverend Sir,” venerable Ānanda replied to the Gracious One. Then the Gracious One together with a great Community of monks arrived at Bhoganagara. There the Gracious One lived near Bhoganagara at the Joyous Shrine.

There the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying: “I will teach these Four Great Referrals, monks, listen to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”

“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One, and the Gracious One said this:

1) “Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘I have heard this directly from the Gracious One, friends, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.

2) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that monk,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that monk.’ This, monks, is the first Great Referral you should bear in mind.

3) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place lives a Community with elders and leaders, I have heard this directly from that Community, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ Those monks’ speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.

4) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that Community,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that Community.’ This, monks, is the second Great Referral you should bear in mind.

5) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place live many elders, very learned, who have learned the traditions, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the Discipline, bearers of the Tabulation, I have heard this directly from those elders, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ Those monks’ speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.

6) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by those elders,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by those elders.’ This, monks, is the third Great Referral you should bear in mind.

7) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place lives one elder, very learned, who has learned the traditions, a bearer of the Teaching, a bearer of the Discipline, a bearer of the Tabulation, I have heard this directly from that elder, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.

8) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that elder,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that elder.’ This, monks, is the fourth Great Referral you should bear in mind. These, monks, are the Four Great Referrals you should bear in mind.”