This “Dhamma Studies: The Fundamentals” course, based on the curriculum of the Thai Nak Tham standardized exams, leads students through a stepwise enumeration of groups of Dhammas similar to that found in the Aṅguttara Nikāya. The Course is broken up into Eight Units with each unit providing enough material for a suggested two weeks of in-depth study resulting in a four-month introductory syllabus. Each Unit features numbered lists of Dhammas in progressive ordering. Thus, Unit 1 contains several Dhamma lists featuring, two, then three items. Unit 2 features further Dhamma lists of three and four items, etc. The course discussion forum hosted through Discord can be reached here.

Unit 2

  • The Four Noble Truths (dukkha; samudaya; nirodha; magga)
  • Ways of growth (sappurisaṃseva; saddhammasavana; yonisomanasikāra; dhammānudhammapaṭipatti)
  • Four Biases (changāgati; dosāgati; mohāgati; bhayāgati)
  • Four Efforts (saṃvarappadhāna; phānappadhāna; bhāvappadhāna; anrakkhanappadhāna)
  • Four Factors for Determination (paññā; sacca; cāgā; upasama)
  • Four Bases for Success – Iddhipāda (chanda; viriya; citta; vimaṃsā)
  • Four Moral Purities ( pāṭimokkhasaṃvara; indriyasaṃvara; ājīvapārisuddhi; paccayapaccavekkhaṇa)
  • The Four Brahmavihāras (mettā; karuṇā; muditā; upekkhā)
  • The Four Satipaṭṭhānā (kāyānupassanā; vedanānupassanā; cittānupassanā; dhammānupassanā)
  • The Four Elements (paṭhavīdhātu; āpodhātu; tejodhātu; vāyodhātu)
  • The Four Requisites (cīvara; piṇḍapāta; senāsana; bhesajja)

Groups of Four

I – Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension (sati & sampajañña)

Overview

Mindfulness (sati) and clear comprehension (sampajañña) lie at the very heart of the Buddha’s teaching. Rather than appearing in isolation as it often does in secular contexts, the knowing mental quality of mindfulness regularly shows up in the Buddha’s early discourses paired with the discriminative factor of clear comprehension or alertness. In this lesson, these two mindstates will be examined in their native context of the Pali Canon and through the discerning writings of ancient and modern commentators try to put them into lived practice.

You may download the topic’s flashcard deck on Quizlet or Anki for further study.

Pre-test yourself

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Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

2) Relevant Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10 (excerpt beginning “What is the faculty of mindfulness?”) 
    2. DN 22 (excerpt beginning “What is right mindfulness?”) 

  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35 

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” Vsm
  2. Sampajañña (4 types)
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

II – Protectors of the World (hiri and ottappa)

Overview

Reffered to as the Protectors of the World or the Bright Dhammas, this pair of virtues – conscience (hiri) and fear of wrongdoing (ottappa) – form the basis both for personal integrity and communal harmony. In this lesson, we will examine these wholesome mental qualities through the lens of primary texts and modern exegesis to see how they can best be practiced and lived.

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Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

    1. Hiri
      1. conscience
      2. self-respect
      3. sense of shame
      4. Extra: conscientiousness; dignity
    2. Ottappa
      1. concern
      2. scruples
      3. fear of wrongdoing
      4. Extra: moral dread

2) Relevant Sutta Selections

    1. hiri
      1. AN 2.9
      2. SN 1.18
      3. SN 42.8
    2. ottappa
      1. Iti 42
      2. MN 39

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. hiri
    1. Vism VII.142
  2. ottappa
    1. Vism VII.142

III – Graceful Dhammas (Khanti and Soracca)

Overview

An overview of the relevant topic may be included here, along with a video lecture (to the right) and/or audio (also to the right), or simply a photo. I would recommend a video of a lecture, a player with the audio of that lecture, and relevant download links below the player that allow students to access it through various podcast platforms. Additionally, relevant materials for download may be included here. Video cannot be inserted directly into the Tabs unless it is alone without text (though it can be linked to even with text). Audio can be inserted, but will appear more beautiful if inserted here. Additionally, after pasting a full video “lecture” to the right, one may embed specific portions of its audio in the relevant tabs, as has been done in this course.

  • One may include relevant materials for download here.
  • and here!
audio="https://www.fourthmessenger.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2007-04-22-Three-Reflections-for-a-Samana.mp3" title="Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension Lecture Example | Ajahn Example" artist_name="Dhamma Studies I: The Fundamentals" _builder_version="4.7.7" title_font_size="20px" custom_padding="25px||0px|0px|false|false"][/et_pb_audio]

Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

2) Relevant Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10 (excerpt beginning “What is the faculty of mindfulness?”)
    2. DN 22 (excerpt beginning “What is right mindfulness?”)
  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” Vsm
  2. Sampajañña (4 types)
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

etc.

Groups of Three

I – The Three Gems (Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha)

Overview

An overview of the relevant topic may be included here, along with a video lecture (to the right) and/or audio (also to the right), or simply a photo. I would recommend a video of a lecture, a player with the audio of that lecture, and relevant download links below the player that allow students to access it through various podcast platforms. Additionally, relevant materials for download may be included here. Video cannot be inserted directly into the Tabs unless it is alone without text (though it can be linked to even with text). Audio can be inserted, but will appear more beautiful if inserted here. Additionally, after pasting a full video “lecture” to the right, one may embed specific portions of its audio in the relevant tabs, as has been done in this course.

  • One may include relevant materials for download here.
  • and here!
audio="https://www.fourthmessenger.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2007-04-22-Three-Reflections-for-a-Samana.mp3" title="Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension Lecture Example | Ajahn Example" artist_name="Dhamma Studies I: The Fundamentals" _builder_version="4.7.7" title_font_size="20px" custom_padding="25px||0px|0px|false|false"][/et_pb_audio]

Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

2) Relevant Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10 (excerpt beginning “What is the faculty of mindfulness?”)
    2. DN 22 (excerpt beginning “What is right mindfulness?”)
  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” Vsm
  2. Sampajañña (4 types)
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

etc.