Bodhipakkhiyādhammā

Seven sets of thirty-seven qualities

In the Pali Canon's Bhāvanānuyutta sutta ("Mental Development Discourse," AN 7.67), the Buddha is recorded as saying:

'Monks, although a monk who does not apply himself to the meditative development of his mind may wish, "Oh, that my mind might be free from the taints by non-clinging!", yet his mind will not be freed. For what reason? "Because he has not developed his mind," one has to say. Not developed it in what? In the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right kinds of striving, the four bases of success, the five spiritual faculties, the five spiritual powers, the seven factors of enlightenment and the Noble Eightfold Path.'

Elsewhere in the Canon, and in numerous places in the āgamas of other early schools, these seven sets of thirty-seven qualities conducive to Enlightenment are enumerated as:

Four establishments of mindfulness

1. Mindfulness of the body (kāyānupassanā, S. kayānupasthāna)
2. Mindfulness of feelings (vedanānupassanā, S. vedanānupasthāna)
3. Mindfulness of mental states (cittānupassanā, S. cittanupasthāna)
4. Mindfulness of mental qualities (dhammānupassanā, S. dharmanupasthāna)

Four right exertions

1. Exertion for the preventing of unskillful states to arise
2. Exertion for the abandoning of the already arisen unskillful states
3. Exertion for the arising of skillful states
4. Exertion for the sustaining and increasing of arisen skillful states

Four bases of power

1. Will (chanda, S. chanda)
2. Energy (viriya, S. virya)
3. Consciousness (citta, S. citta)
4. Examination (vīmaṁsa or vīmaŋsā, S. mimāṃsā)

Five faculties

1. Conviction (saddhā, S. śraddā)
2. Energy (viriya, s. virya)
3. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
4. Unification (samādhi, S. samādhi)
5. Wisdom (panna, S. prajñā)

Five powers

1. Conviction (saddha, S. śraddā)
2. Energy (viriya, S. virya)
3. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
4. Unification (samādhi, S. samādhi)
5. Wisdom (panna, S. prajñā)

Seven factors of Enlightenment

1. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti)
2. Investigation (dhamma vicaya, S. dharmapravicaya)
3. Energy (viriya, S. virya)
4. Joy (pīti, S. prīti)
5. Tranquillity (passaddhi, S. praśrabdhi)
6. Unification (samadhi, S. samādhi)
7. Equanimity (upekkhā, S. upekṣā)

Noble Eightfold Path

1. Right Understanding(sammā diṭṭhi, S. samyag-dṛṣṭi)
2. Right Intention (sammā saṅkappa, S. samyak-saṃkalpa)
3. Right Speech (sammā vācā, S. samyag-vāc)
4. Right Action (sammā kammanta, S. samyak-karmānta)
5. Right Livelihood (sammā ājīva, S. samyag-ājīva)
6. Right Energy (sammā vāyāma, S. samyag-vyāyāma)
7. Right Mindfulness (sammā sati, S. samyak-smṛti)
8. Right Unification (sammā samādhi, S. samyak-samādhi)

Forty-three qualities

In the Pali Canon's Nettipakaraṇa (Netti 112) forty-three qualities connected with awakening (tecattālīsa bodhipakkhiyā dhammā) are mentioned which, according to the commentaries, include the aforementioned thirty-seven plus the following 6 contemplations (also found in the suttas, e.g. Saṅgīti Sutta D iii 251)

The contemplation of the three marks of existence:

1. impermanence (aniccasaññā)
2. suffering (dukkhasaññā)
3. non-self (anattasaññā)

abandoning (pahānasaññā)

dispassion (virāgasaññā)

cessation (nirodhasaññā)

In the Pali literature

The technical term, bodhipakkhiyā dhammā, explicitly referring to the seven sets of qualities identified above, is first encountered in the Pali commentaries; nonetheless, the seven sets of bodhipakkhiya dhammas are themselves first collated, enumerated and referenced in the Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Sutta Pitaka

In the Digha Nikāya's famed Maha-parinibbana Sutta (DN 16), which recounts the Buddha's last days, in the Buddha's last address to his assembly of followers he states:

"Now, O bhikkhus, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you — these you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men. "And what, bhikkhus, are these teachings? They are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four constituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. These, bhikkhus, are the teachings of which I have direct knowledge, which I have made known to you, and which you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice...."

In the Majjhima Nikāya's "Greater Discourse to Sakuludāyin" (MN 77), when asked why his disciples venerated him, the Buddha identified five qualities he possessed: highest virtues (adhisīle ... paramena sīlakkhandha); highest knowledge and vision (abhikkante ñāṇadassane); highest wisdom (adhipaññāya ... paramena paññākkhandha); his explanation of the Four Noble Truths (ariyasaccāni); and, his identification of numerous ways to develop wholesome states. The Buddha's elaboration of the last item included the seven sets of thirty-seven bodhipakkhiya dhammas which are enumerated individually in this discourse.

In the Samyutta Nikāya, the fifth division's first seven chapters are each devoted to one of the bodhipakkhiya dhammas. While there is a great deal of repetition among these chapters' discourses, these seven chapters include almost 900 discourses.

In the Aṅguttara Nikāya's "Upajjhāyasuttaṃ" (AN 5.6.6), the Buddha recommends five things for a monk to overcome spiritual hindrances: control mental faculties; eat the right amount of food; maintain wakefulness; be aware of merit; and, develop the bodhipakkhiya dhammas throughout the day.

In the Khuddaka Nikāya, the bodhipakkhiya dhammas are mentioned at Iti. 82, Th. 900, and Nett. 31, 112, 197, 237, 240 and 261.

Abhidhamma Pitaka

The bodhipakkhiyā dhammā are mentioned in several passages of the Abhidhamma, such as at Vbh. sections 571 and 584 .

Commentaries

In the Visuddhimagga, Buddhaghosa enumerates the seven sets of bodhipakkhiya dhammas along with a relevant Suttapiṭaka discourse (Vism. XXII.33), describes each set (Vism. XXII.34-38), and describes their existence in the consciousness of an arahant (Vism. XXII.39-40). In addition, Buddhaghosa factors the 37 qualities in a manner so as to describe fourteen non-redundant qualities (Vism. XXII.40-43); thus, for instance, while nine qualities (zeal, consciousness, joy, tranquility, equanimity, intention, speech, action, livelihood) are mentioned only once in the full list of 37 qualities, the other five qualities are mentioned multiple times. Table 1 below identifies the five qualities spanning multiple bodhipakkhiya-dhamma sets.

In terms of other Pali commentaries, the bodhipakkhiyā dhammā are also mentioned in Dhammapada-Aṭṭhakathā (DhA i.230), Suttanipāta-Aṭṭhakathā (SnA 164), and Jātaka-Aṭṭhakathā (J i.275, iii.290, and v.483).