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The 13 dhutaṅgas are the only ascetic practices authorized by Lord Buddha. It is important to note that they are not obligatory. Each bhikkhu is free to practice this or not. We can compare the 13 dhutaṅga to the 8 precepts of the laity. Lay people don’t need to follow the 8 precepts. We must know that Lord Buddha has a perception that is beyond anything we can imagine. He never allows unnecessary things. Jhanas, Abhidamma and dhutaṅga are not obligatory to reach the magga phala stages. However, they are necessary for some people. One can completely ignore these things and become an arahant. The only obligatory thing is the understanding of Tilakkhana and the 4 noble truths. Lord Buddha taught these things because of the diversity of gāti among beings. Some people inevitably have to go through these things to reach Nibbāna. Even among arahants, there is always a difference in gāti. Some prefer to live alone, others in a community. See the story of Venerable Arahant Kondanna. He asked Lord Buddha for permission to live alone in the forest. There were anariya masters who lost disciples and they saw that Lord Buddha had many disciples who respected him. They concluded that it was because he lived a very simple life. Lord Buddha said that they were wrong. Some disciples live an even simpler life. He listed 5 dhutangas. Mahāsakuludāyisutta
In a sutta, the Lord Buddha asked the Venerable Arahant Maha Kassapa to abandon the dhutaṅgas. He refused and said he does this to encourage those in the future who want to follow his example and because he prefers to live like that. Jiṇṇasutta
Venerable Arahant Maha Kassapa was designated by Lord Buddha as the best practitioner of the 13 dhutaṅga.”Etadaggaṃ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ dhutavādānaṃ yadidam Mahākassapo.”
Lord Buddha warned against the arrogance that some bhikkhus may develop while practicing dhutaṅgas. Sappurisasutta
There are 5 reasons which push a person to practice the 13 dhutaṅgas.
A person may be wilderness dweller because of stupidity and folly. Or because of corrupt wishes, being of wishful temperament. Or because of madness and mental disorder. Or because it is praised by the Buddhas and their disciples. Or for the sake of having few wishes, for the sake of contentment, self-effacement, seclusion, and simplicity.
Mandattā momūhattā āraññiko hoti, pāpiccho icchāpakato āraññiko hoti, ummādā cittakkhepā āraññiko hoti, vaṇṇitaṁ buddhehi buddhasāvakehīti āraññiko hoti, appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti.
These are the five kinds of wilderness dwellers.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca āraññikā.
But the person who dwells in the wilderness for the sake of having few wishes is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the five.
Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ yvāyaṁ āraññiko appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti, ayaṁ imesaṁ pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.
- The same is said for the other Dhutaṅgas.
Here is a list of suttas that mention dhutaṅgas. Take note that the 13 are not mentioned together; they are scattered throughout the nikayas. Araññavagga
- Some people wrongly associate the 13 dhutaṅgas with the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa. This is a mistake. The Dhutaṅgas are indeed mentioned in the suttas. Buddhaghosa is a bhikkhu commentator it is normal that he is interested in that. However, it is important to note that the 13 dhutaṅgas were not invented by Buddhaghosa, and it is incorrect to claim so. This is similar to those who argue that the Abhidhamma is not the words of Lord Buddha. The 13 dhutaṅgas are addressed to bhikkhus and not to lay people. These practices are for bhikkhus inclined toward simplicity and hermit life. This is not an invention.
Thirteen ascetic practices (dhutaṅga) in Theravada Buddhism
1. The refuse rag wearer’s practice (pamsukūlikanga)
2. The triple robe wearer’s practice (tecīvarikanga)
3. The alms food eater’s practice (pindapātikanga)
4. The house-to-house seeker’s practice (sapadānikanga)
5. The one sessioner’s practice (ekāsanikanga)
6. The bowl food eater’s practice (pattapindikanga)
7. The later food refuser’s practice (khalu pacchā bhattikanga)
8. The forest dweller’s practice (āraññikanga)
9. The tree root dweller’s practice (rukkhamūlikanga)
10. The open-air dweller’s practice (abbhokāsikanga)
11. The charnel ground dweller’s practice (susānikanga)
12. The any bed user’s practice (yathā santhatikanga)
13. The sitter’s practice (nesajjikanga)
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See also the story of Khujjuttara which shows this inability of sotāpannas to hide bad deeds.
Khujjuttarā, in her daily purchase of flowers for Queen Sāmāvatī, usually bought only four ticals worth of flowers and pocketed four ticals out of the Queen’s daily allowance of eight ticals for flowers. But on the day she became an ariya (as Stream-Enterer), Khujjuttarā had no mind to steal the money entrusted to her and bought eight ticals worth of flowers, which now filled her basket. Queen Sāmāvatī, seeing an unusually large quantity of flowers in Khujjuttarā’s basket, asked her: “Why dear Uttarā, you have such a big basket of flowers today, unlike the previous days! Did the King increase my allowance for flowers?”
Khujjuttarā, as an ariya, was now incapable of telling lies, and so confessed her previous misconduct. The Queen asked her: “Why, then, have you brought such a big quantity of flowers today?” And Khujjuttarā replied: “Because I do not steal the money today. I cannot do so because I have realized Nibbāna. I have comprehended the Deathlessness, after hearing the Buddha’s discourse.”
Here is a sutta which speaks of the qualities of a bhikkhu who has reached the sotāpanna stage.
And what, mendicants, is the nature of a person accomplished in view?
Kathaṁrūpāya ca, bhikkhave, dhammatāya diṭṭhisampanno puggalo samannāgato?
This is the nature of a person accomplished in view.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa:
Though they may fall into a kind of offense for which resolution is possible, they quickly disclose, clarify, and reveal it to the Teacher or a sensible spiritual companion.
kiñcāpi tathārūpiṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati, yathārūpāya āpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ paññāyati, atha kho naṁ khippameva satthari vā viññūsu vā sabrahmacārīsu deseti vivarati uttānīkaroti;
And having revealed it they restrain themselves in the future.
desetvā vivaritvā uttānīkatvā āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.
Suppose there was a little baby boy. If he puts his hand or foot on a burning coal, he quickly pulls it back.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, daharo kumāro mando uttānaseyyako hatthena vā pādena vā aṅgāraṁ akkamitvā khippameva paṭisaṁharati;
Further on, the sutta lists the 7 qualities of a sotāpanna bhikkhu.
When a noble disciple has these seven factors, they have properly investigated their nature through the realization of the fruit of stream-entry.
Evaṁ sattaṅgasamannāgatassa kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa dhammatā susamanniṭṭhā hoti sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya.
A noble disciple with these seven factors has the fruit of stream-entry.”
Evaṁ sattaṅgasamannāgato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpattiphalasamannāgato hotī”ti.
- I also decided to post the comment below from Sutta Central because it is relevant.
Vinaya offences fall into a number of classes, all of which must be confessed by a guilty monastic to their fellow monastics. Some are resolved upon confession, others by undergoing a procedure of relinquishment or temporary suspension. However, the most serious offences—sexual intercourse, murder, stealing, and lying about spiritual attainments—entail immediate and permanent expulsion. Offences are further distinguished by intention, as some offences may be transgressed without ill intent or even unknowingly (for example, eating at the wrong time). A stream-enterer cannot commit an expulsion offence ( The 4 Pārajika), but they may commit one of the other offences without ill intent.
- When a sotāpanna commits a Vinaya fault, he does not conceal it and promptly discloses it to his master or another bhikkhu. This is a quality specific to all sotāpanna (lays or bhikkhus). They never hide their faults. See the Ratanasutta
Even if they do a bad deed
Kiñcāpi so kamma karoti pāpakaṁ,
by body, speech, or mind,
Kāyena vācā uda cetasā vā;Theyy are unable to conceal it;
Abhabba so tassa paṭicchadāya,
They say this inability applies to one who has seen the truth.
Abhabbatā diṭṭhapadassa vuttā;
This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:
Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,
By this truth, may you be well!
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.
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EATING ALMS FOOD RECEIVED THROUGH DECEPTION IS WORSE THAN EATING A RED HOT IRON BALL
308th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Seyyo ayogulo bhutto,
tatto aggisikhūpamo,
yañ ce bhuñjeyya dussīlo,
ratthapindam asaññato.”
“It is better for one to eat, a red hot iron ball than to eat alms-food offered by people if one is immoral and unvirtuous.”
- This story is the reason for the establishment of the pārājika 4 by Lord Buddha.
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Sorry, everyone, I forgot that the English version of the site (Dhammadana.org) does not give the history and reason for each of the 227 rules. It is the French version which gives the reason and the history. Please translate.
For example, here is the context of the 4th rules
One day a great famine came upon the kingdom of Vajjī. The bhikkhus who were performing the vassa retreat near the Vaggumhadā River had great difficulty in obtaining food during their daily rounds. They then agreed to find a way to obtain food more easily. Some claimed to the people about other bhikkhus: “So-and-so has attained such-and-such jhāna, So-and-so is a sotāpana, So-and-so is an arahant, etc.” The people, in the grip of excessive veneration, then deprived themselves of food and drink to offer some to the bhikkhus. As soon as Buddha became aware of the facts, by severely reprimanding these bhikkhus, he instituted that a bhikkhu who would boast or have others boast about unobtained realizations would commit a pārājika. He specified, however, that a bhikkhu with pure sīla who has good training in the practice of vipassanā or samatha and who falsely claims a realization that he sincerely believes he has obtained, does not commit a pārājika. Thus, Buddha established pārājika 4.
If to show off, a bhikkhu knowingly claims that he has eliminated kilesā or that he has obtained realizations (one of the four jhāna or arupavacara samapatti; one of the four psychic powers or one of the four stages of ariyā ) while knowing that it is false; whether asked or without being asked, he loses his status as a bhikkhu for life.
pārājika 4 in pāḷi
« yo pana bhikkhu anabhijānaṃ uttariranussadhammaṃ attupanāyikaṃ alamariyañāṇadassanaṃ samudācareyya “itti jānāmi, itti passāmī” ti, tato aparena samayena samanuggāhīyamāno vā asamanuggāhīyamāno vā āpanno visudd hā pekkho evaṃ vadeyya “ajānamevaṃ āvuso avacaṃ jānāmi apassaṃ passāmi, tucchaṃ musā vilapi” nti aññatra adhimānā, āyapi, pārājiko hoti asaṃvāso.
No problem Dossakhayo 🙏🏿
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You welcome 🙏🏿
I would like to know if you have Reddit. There is a thread called Theravada. I write essays on Dhamma topics in it. This thread lacks explanations about the abhidamma. If you don’t mind you can come and write your essays on the abhidamma. It would be very beneficial for many. Of course, you have to have a Reddit account and the desire to do it.
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Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu 🙏🏿🌸☸️
I’m glad to hear it Dossakhayo. You should try even if it’s temporary. I don’t know your personal situation. But, if you don’t have big responsibilities, a busy job, a married life, or health difficulties you can do it. In addition, I notice that you have great knowledge of abhidamma. By becoming a bhikkhu you will have plenty of time to study the abhidamma in more depth, and to meditate at the same time without being disturbed.
- We are still young why not put our energy into the Dhamma? I tried and saw that it would be better if I remained secular for the moment. I was too careless, impulsive and impatient. This kind of attitude risks leading me to tarnish the honour of the sangha and break many rules. You have to try it, some will be surprised that they are made to become a bhikkhu in the long term. There is also the option of 8 precepts for life. Sir Lal knows better since he lives this life.
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It was in this discussion, sir. Five Dullabha (Rare Things).
Sir, does this mean that a sotāpanna can follow an incorrect version?? Unless it’s before she becomes one.
When I was in Vipassana centers, it was mandatory to follow them. It was quite refreshing for the mind. However, following this for life requires a very good motivation.
VISĀKHUPOSATHA SUTTA: DISCOURSE TO VISĀKHĀ ON OBSERVING THE EIGHT PRECEPTS
It is a sutta about the 8 precepts. The Sutta centrale version: Uposathasutta
There are, Visākhā, these three sabbaths.
“Tayo khome, visākhe, uposathā.
What three?
Katame tayo?
The sabbath of the cowherds, the sabbath of the Jains, and the sabbath of the noble ones.
Gopālakuposatho, nigaṇṭhuposatho, ariyuposatho.
- I don’t know if the English translation expresses well what Lord Buddha meant. It would be better if Sir Lal or someone else checks this.
Thank you for the clarifications, Sir🙏🏿
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Thank you very much for the explanation, sir. Yes, I have tried to explain it many times, some agree, others no. I think this is because they believe that the 5 precepts necessarily lead to hell. I responded with this sutta: Loṇakapallasutta
Take the case of a person who does a trivial bad deed, but it lands them in hell.
Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa appamattakampi pāpakammaṁ kataṁ tamenaṁ nirayaṁ upaneti.
Meanwhile, another person does the same trivial bad deed, but experiences it in the present life, without even a bit left over, let alone a lot.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tādisaṁyeva appamattakaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ hoti, nāṇupi khāyati, kiṁ bahudeva.
What kind of person does the same trivial bad deed, but experiences it in the present life, without even a bit left over, let alone a lot?
Kathaṁrūpassa, bhikkhave, puggalassa tādisaṁyeva appamattakaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ hoti, nāṇupi khāyati, kiṁ bahudeva?
A person who has developed their physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom. They’re not small-minded, but are big-hearted, living without limits.
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo bhāvitakāyo hoti bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño aparitto mahatto appamāṇavihārī
- Is this sutta relevant? If a sotāpanna does bad deeds, the Vipāka will be experienced in a human body and not in the apayas.The sutta is general, but I believe it can be applied in this case.
I have been in several debates recently about the sīla of a sotāpanna. Many people think that it is impossible to break the 5 precepts for a sotāpanna. They often take this sutta as proof and I admit it’s hard to argue with that. Gihisutta
It’s when a noble disciple doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or use alcoholic drinks that cause negligence.
Idha, sāriputta, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti.
These are the five precepts in which their actions are restrained.
Imesu pañcasu sikkhāpadesu saṁvutakammanto hoti.
- Some claim that the Ratanasutta is a later addition and is not truly the words of Lord Buddha. Of course, I don’t agree but why do they claim this?
