Itivuttakam

This document is the Pali text of the Itivuttaka, a Buddhist scripture that forms part of the Sutta Pitaka in the Pali Canon. The text provided is a printed edition from the Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar in Umara, Surat, published in the year 2481 Buddha-varsha (1937 A.C.) and edited by Rahul Sankrityayan, Anand Kausalyayan, and Jagdish Kashyap.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

1. Title and Publication Details:

• Title: Itivuttakam (इतिवृत्तकं)
• Editors/Compilers: Rahul Sankrityayan, Anand Kausalyayan, Jagdish Kashyap
• Publisher: Uttam Bhikkhu (उत्तमभिक्खुना)
• Publication Year: 2481 Buddha-varsha (1937 A.C.)
• Location: Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat

2. Foreword/Introduction (Page 3):

• The foreword highlights the importance of printing Pali literature in Devanagari script, noting that the script difference between Sanskrit and Pali can make it difficult for Sanskrit scholars to access Pali texts.
• This publication is presented as a new effort to bridge this gap.
• The editors mention their intention to include new readings (पाठभेद) but, due to time constraints, only did so for texts other than the Dhammapada in this first part.
• The text notes that variant readings are included in footnotes and are largely taken from texts published by the Pali Text Society.
• The editors express gratitude to Bhadanta Uttam Thera for his assistance in making this work possible.

3. Structure of the Itivuttaka:

The Itivuttaka is structured into four Nikayas (collections), each containing Nipatas (chapters) which are further divided into Vagga (sections). Each Sutta (discourse) within the Itivuttaka is typically presented with a preface indicating it's a teaching from the Buddha, followed by the core teaching in verse, and then a concluding statement affirming that this meaning was spoken by the Blessed One.

The provided text shows the following structure:

• Title Page (Page 1): Lists the title, editors, publisher, and publication year.
• Index/Table of Contents (Pages 5-7):
  • 1. Ekanipata (एककनिपातो): Divided into Patibhogavagga (पाटिभोगवग्गो) and Dutiyavagga (दुतियवग्गो).
    • Patibhogavagga: Contains suttas like Raga-sutta, Vassa-sutta, Moha-sutta, Kodha-sutta, Makha-sutta, Mana-sutta, Sabba-sutta, etc., focusing on one-element teachings (e.g., abandoning greed, anger).
    • Dutiyavagga: Continues with suttas like Moha-sutta, Kodha-sutta, Tanha-sutta, Sekha-sutta, Kalyanamittata-sutta, Sanghabheda-sutta, Sanghasamagi-sutta, Dutthacitta-sutta, etc., often exploring two-element concepts or emphasizing the importance of certain qualities for liberation.
  • 2. Dukänipāta (दुकनिपातो): Divided into Pathamovagga (पठमोवग्गो) and Dutiyavagga (दुतियवग्गो). This section deals with teachings related to two factors.
    • Pathamovagga: Includes suttas like Indriya-sutta, Tapaniya-sutta, Atapaniya-sutta, Sila-sutta, Anottapi-sutta, Kuhana-sutta, Samvejaniya-sutta, etc.
    • Dutiyavagga: Includes suttas like Vitakka-sutta, Desana-sutta, Vijja-sutta, Panha-sutta, Dhamma-sutta, Ajjata-sutta, Dhatu-sutta, Patisallana-sutta, Sikkha-sutta, Jagariya-sutta, Apayika-sutta, Ditthigatha-sutta, etc.
  • 3. Tikanipāta (तिकनिपातो): Divided into Pathamovagga, Dutiyavagga, and a third Vagga (ततियवग्गो). This section focuses on teachings related to three factors.
    • Examples: Muladhatu-sutta (three roots of unwhallolesomeness), Vedana-sutta (three types of feelings), Esana-sutta (three types of craving), Asava-sutta (three kinds of defilements), Tanha-sutta (three types of craving), Maradheyyya-sutta (three factors to transcend defilements), Punya-kiriya-vatthu-sutta (three bases of merit), Cakkhu-sutta (three types of vision), Indriya-sutta (three kinds of faculties), etc.
  • 4. Catukkanipāta (चतुत्यो -वग्गो): Divided into five Vaggas. This section deals with teachings related to four factors.
    • Examples: Brahmana-sutta (four groups needing support), Cattari-sutta (four things that are limited and easy to obtain), Jänaṁ-sutta (four things that are knowable), Samana-sutta (four types of monks), Sila-sutta (four types of virtuous conduct), Tanha-sutta (four types of craving), Brahma-sutta (four types of well-being), Bahupakära-sutta (four groups of people), Kuhana-sutta (four types of deceit), Purisa-sutta (four types of individuals), Char-sutta (four types of conduct), Sampanna-sutta (four types of attainment), Loka-sutta (four types of people).

4. Content of the Suttas (Examples):

The suttas presented illustrate core Buddhist principles through concise pronouncements attributed to the Buddha:

• Patibhogavagga (One-Element Teachings):

  • Raga-sutta (1.1.1): The Buddha advises to abandon one thing (greed/lust - lobha) and guarantees that by doing so, one will not return to this world (anāgāmitāy). The verse reiterates that those who are blinded by greed go to evil states, but the wise, understanding greed, abandon it and never return.
  • Dosa-sutta (1.1.2): Similar teaching, emphasizing the abandonment of anger/hatred (dosa).
  • Moha-sutta (1.1.3): Focuses on abandoning delusion/ignorance (moha).
  • Kodha-sutta (1.1.4): Addresses the abandonment of anger.
  • Makkha-sutta (1.1.5): Teaching on abandoning hypocrisy/envy.
  • Mäna-sutta (1.1.6): Teaching on abandoning pride/conceit.
  • Sabba-sutta (1.1.7): The Buddha states that without fully understanding and comprehending all things (sabbaṁ), one cannot be freed from suffering. The verse suggests that one who knows all things and is not attached to them overcomes all suffering.
  • Mäna-sutta (1.1.8): Elaborates on the importance of understanding and abandoning pride.

• Dutiyavagga (Two-Element Teachings and Others):

  • Moham-sutta (2.1.1): Focuses on abandoning ignorance.
  • Kodha-sutta (1.2.2): Addresses anger.
  • Tanha-sutta (1.2.5): Emphasizes that craving (tanhā) is the chain that binds beings to the cycle of birth and death.
  • Sekha-sutta (1.2.6): Highlights the importance of right effort (yoniso manasikāra) for a trainee monk.
  • Kalyāṇamittatā-sutta (1.2.7): Stresses the value of good friendship (kalyāṇamittatā) in the spiritual path.
  • Sanghabheda-sutta (1.2.8): Describes the negative consequences of disunity within the monastic community.
  • Sangha-samāgī-sutta (1.2.9): Highlights the positive aspects of unity within the monastic community.
  • Dutṭhacitta-sutta (1.2.10): Explains how a corrupted mind (duṭṭhacitta) leads to rebirth in lower realms.

• Tikanipata (Three-Element Teachings):

  • Muladhātu-sutta (3.1.1): Identifies greed (lobha), anger (dosa), and delusion (moha) as the three roots of unwhallolesomeness.
  • Dhatu-sutta (3.1.2): Discusses the three elements: form element (rūpadhātu), formless element (arūpadhātu), and cessation element (nirodhadhātu).
  • Vedana-sutta (3.1.3 & 3.1.4): Explains the three types of feelings: pleasant (sukha), unpleasant (dukkha), and neutral (adukkhamasukhā). The suttas emphasize understanding these feelings and their origin and cessation for liberation.
  • Asava-sutta (3.1.7 & 3.1.8): Identifies the three defilements (āsava): sense-pleasure defilement (kāmāsava), existence defilement (bhavāsava), and ignorance defilement (avijjāsava).

• Catukkanipāta (Four-Element Teachings):

  • Loka-sutta (4.5): Discusses the three beneficial individuals in the world: a perfectly enlightened Buddha, an Arahant disciple, and a noble trainee (sekha) disciple. All three teach the Dhamma and benefit beings.
  • Brahma-sutta (4.7): Explains that parents are Brahma, Pūrvadevatā, Pūrvācārya, and Āhuṇeya, deserving reverence and care.

5. Core Themes:

• Path to Liberation: The Itivuttaka consistently emphasizes the abandonment of unwhallolesome states (greed, anger, delusion, pride, craving, etc.) and the cultivation of wholesome qualities (mindfulness, wisdom, virtue, concentration, kindness, effort).
• Cause and Effect: The suttas illustrate the principles of karma and rebirth, showing how actions (especially those rooted in unwhallolesome mental states) lead to suffering and how wholesome actions lead to happiness and liberation.
• The Buddha's Authority: The recurring phrase "Vuttaṁ hetaṁ bhagavatā, vuṭṭamarahatā 'ti me sutaṁ" ("Thus have I heard: It was spoken by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One") underscores the authenticity and authority of the teachings.
• Simplicity and Repetition: The Itivuttaka is known for its straightforward and repetitive style, making the teachings memorable and accessible.

6. Significance of the Edition:

This edition, by making the Pali text available in Devanagari script with footnotes for variant readings, aimed to promote wider access and study of the Itivuttaka among scholars and students of Buddhist philosophy.

In essence, the Itivuttaka, as presented in this text, serves as a foundational collection of the Buddha's direct pronouncements on crucial aspects of the spiritual path, offering practical guidance for overcoming suffering and attaining Nibbana.