Traditional Sources of Knowledge (Lectured by ven. Ilukkevela Dhammaratana, given by ?) April, 2010
In the history of India there were found ten traditional sources of knowledge. The Kālāma Sutta of Aṅguttara Nikāya states the ten sources of knowledge as follows:
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1. Anussava (oral tradition, repeated hearing, report) 2. Itikiriyāya (hearsay) 3. Paramparāya (succession, series/lineage, tradition) 4. Piṭakasampadāya (what is in scripture) 5. Takkahetu (hair-splitting reasoning, sophistry) |
6. Nayahetu (inference) 7. Ākāraparivitakka (reasoned consideration) 8. Diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiya (bias towards consideration) 9. Bhabbarūpatāya (testimony) 10. Samano no garū (“The monk is our teacher.”) |
»Iti kho, kālāmā, yaṃ taṃ avocumhā -- `etha tumhe, kālāmā! mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena, mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena, mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti. yadā tumhe kālāmaa attanāva jāneyyātha -- `ime dhammā akusalā, ime dhammā sāvajjā, ime dhammā viññugarahitā, ime dhammā samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṃvattantīti, atha tumhe, kālāmā, pajaheyyāthā'ti, iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.«
(Aṅguttara Nikāya - Tikanipātapāḷi - 2. Dutiyapaṇṇāsakaṃ - (7) 2. Mahāvaggo - 5. Kesamuttisuttaṃ)
There are four great authorities. They are:
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1. Buddhāpadesa 2. Saṅghāpadesa |
3. Therāpadesa 4. Ekatherāpadesa |
The historical knowledge discoverable in India is classified into three by Prof. K. N. Jayatileke. Accordingly, the thre traditions are:
Traditionalism
Rationalism
Experientialism
The above mentioned ten sources of knowledge are grouped under the first and second type. Under traditionalism, six sources of knowledge are given:
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1. Anussava 2. Itikiriyāya 3. Paramparāya |
4. Piṭakasampadāya 5. Bhabbarūpatāya 6. Samano no garū |
The book “The Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge” written by Prof. K. N. Jayatileke summarizes the rationalism as 4 kinds of gaining knowledge:
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1. Takka 2. Naya |
3. Ākāraparivitakka 4. Diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiya |
In the Kālāma Sutta the Buddha mentioned His view on ten sources of knowledge. Kālāmas came to meet the Buddha regarding different religions and philosophical thoughts. Having introduced each of those teachings they asked which one was correct out of those. The Buddha answered with the statement “you should yourself know it” - »Attanāva janeyyātha.« Therefore, we should know which one is correct.
All the traditional religions are divided into two, as traditionalism and rationalism. The Buddha saw four faults regarding traditionalism and rationalism. Another term for traditionalism is 'authority'. According to the Sandaka Sutta in Majjhima Nikāya the four faults are:
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Sussutaṃ tathā (well-heard and true) Sussutaṃ aññathā (well-heard but false) |
Dussutaṃ tathā (ill-heard but true) Dussutaṃ aññathā (ill-heard and false) |
»Puna caparaṃ, sandaka, idhekacco satthā anussaviko hoti anussavasacco. so anussavena itihitihaparamparāya piṭakasampadāya dhammaṃ deseti. anussavikassa kho pana, sandaka , satthuno anussavasaccassa sussutampi hoti dussutampi hoti tathāpi hoti aññathāpi hoti. tatra, sandaka, viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati `ayaṃ kho bhavaṃ satthā anussaviko anussavasacco so anussavena itihitihaparamparāya piṭakasampadāya dhammaṃ deseti.«
(Majjhima Nikāya – 2. Majjhimapaṇṇāsapāḷi - 3. Paribbājakavaggo 6. Sandakasuttaṃ)
Because of those four possibilities, authority may be true and sometimes authority may be false. This is why the Buddha didn't encourage us to accept or reject.
Rationalism or reasoning also has four false possibilities. Sandaka Sutta of Majjhima Nikāya states the following four faults:
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Sutakkitaṃ tathā (well-reasoned and true) Sutakkitaṃ aññathā (well-reasoned but false) |
Dutakkitaṃ tathā (ill-reasoned but true) Dutakkitaṃ aññathā (ill-reasoned and false) |
»Puna caparaṃ, sandaka, idhekacco satthā takkī hoti vīmaṃsī. so takkapariyāhataṃ vīmaṃsānucaritaṃ sayaṃpaṭibhānaṃ dhammaṃ deseti. takkissa kho pana, sandaka, satthuno vīmaṃsissa sutakkitampi hoti duttakkitampi hoti tathāpi hoti aññathāpi hoti. tatra, sandaka, viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati `ayaṃ kho bhavaṃ satthā takkī vīmaṃsī. so takkapariyāhataṃ vīmaṃsānucaritaṃ sayaṃpaṭibhānaṃ dhammaṃ deseti. takkissa kho pana satthuno vīmaṃsissa sutakkitampi hoti duttakkitampi hoti tathāpi hoti aññathāpi hoti'.«
(Majjhima Nikāya – 2. Majjhimapaṇṇāsapāḷi - 3. Paribbājakavaggo 6. Sandakasuttaṃ)
Regarding reasoning we can also see four possibilities. Therefore, reasoning has also two options:
Sometimes it may be true
Sometimes it may be false
According to the above mentioned factors, just at the moment we cannot accept or reject whatever comes through an authority or reasoning. With a final investigation anything can be accepted or rejected.
