17 (Day) Notes | Sutta Study @ Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields | Bhante Dr. G. Chandima

The elephant's footprint

[Ven. Sariputta:] "Friends, just as the footprints of all legged animals are encompassed by the footprint of the elephant and the elephant's footprint is reckoned the foremost among them in terms of size; in the same way, all skillful qualities are gathered under the four noble truths. Under which four? Under the noble truth of unsatisfactoriness, under the noble truth of the origination of unsatisfactoriness, under the noble truth of the cessation of unsatisfactoriness, and under the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of unsatisfactoriness." (MN 28, Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta)

Nibbana is accessible only to those who follow this path

"In any doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But in any doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine & discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants." (DN 16, Mahāparinibbāna Sutta)

- kammassakatā sammādiṭṭhi (right view of the ownership of action) SN 45.1, Avijjā Sutta)

“Avijjā, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā, anvadeva ahirikaṁ anottappaṁ. Avijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, aviddasuno micchādiṭṭhi pahoti; micchādiṭṭhissa micchāsaṅkappo pahoti; micchāsaṅkappassa micchāvācā pahoti; micchāvācassa micchākammanto pahoti; micchākammantassa micchāājīvo pahoti; micchāājīvassa micchāvāyāmo pahoti; micchāvāyāmassa micchāsati pahoti; micchāsatissa micchāsamādhi pahoti.

Vijjā ca kho, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā, anvadeva hirottappaṁ. Vijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, viddasuno sammādiṭṭhi pahoti; sammādiṭṭhissa sammāsaṅkappo pahoti; sammāsaṅkappassa sammāvācā pahoti; sammāvācassa sammākammanto pahoti; sammākammantassa sammāājīvo pahoti; sammāājīvassa sammāvāyāmo pahoti; sammāvāyāmassa sammāsati pahoti; sammāsatissa sammāsamādhi pahotī”ti.

“Mendicants, ignorance precedes the attainment of unskillful qualities, with lack of moral shame and moral fear following along. An ignoramus, sunk in ignorance, gives rise to wrong view. Wrong view gives rise to wrong intention. Wrong thought gives rise to wrong speech. Wrong speech gives rise to wrong action. Wrong action gives rise to wrong living. Wrong livelihood gives rise to wrong effort. Wrong effort gives rise to wrong mindfulness. Wrong mindfulness gives rise to wrong concentration.

Knowledge precedes the attainment of skillful qualities, with moral shame and moral fear following along. A sage, firm in knowledge, gives rise to right view. Right view gives rise to right intention. Right intention gives rise to right speech. Right speech gives rise to right action. Right action gives rise to right living. Right living gives rise to right effort. Right effort gives rise to right mindfulness. Right mindfulness gives rise to right concentration.”

 -https://patisota.blogspot.com/2023/09/review-the-noble-eightfold-path-bmv.html