Some Buddhist Doctrines
Examples of Buddhist doctrines arranged into groups according to numerical order.
The Group of Ones
1. The uncultivated mind conduces to great loss.
2. The cultivated mind conduces to great profit.
3. Carelessness conduces to great loss.
4. Carefulness conduces to great benefit.
5. Improper consideration conduces to great loss.
6. Proper consideration conduces to great benefit.
The Group of Twos
1. The Two Virtues being of much help:
(1) Mindfulness (Sati)
(2) Self-possession (Sampajanna)
2. The Two Virtues protecting the world:
(1) Moral shame (Hiri)
(2) Moral fear (Ottapa)
3. The Two Virtues making resplendent:
(1) Patience (Khanti)
(2) Gentleness (Soracca)
4. The Two Virtues conducive to excellence:
(1) Good (Appropriate) knowledge (Vijja)
(2) Good (Appropriate) conduct (Carana)
5. The Virtues leading to the cessation of suffering:
(1) Mental tranquillity (Samatha)
(2) Spiritual insight (Vipassana)
6. The Two Virtues are reckoned as the cessation of suffering:
(1) Knowledge (Vijja)
(2) Release (Vimutti)
7. The Two Virtues for a good person:
(1) Gratitude (Katannuta)
(2) Reciprocating the benefit rendered (Katavedita)
The Group of Threes
1. The Triple Gem:
(1) The Enlightened One (Buddha)
(2) The Law or Truth realized and taught by the Buddha (Dhamma)
(3) The Community of the noble disciples (Sangha)
2. The Threefold Buddhist Principle:
(1) Abstinence from all evil
(2) Fulfilment of good
(3) Purification of one’s own mind
3. The Triple Training in:
(1) Morality (Silasikkha)
(2) Mind (Cittasikkha)
(3) Wisdom (Pannasikkha)
4. The Triple Base of Merit Making:
(1) Generosity (Dana)
(2) Morality (Sila)
(3) Development of meditation (Bhavana)
5. The Triple Right Conduct:
(1) Physical Right Conduct (Kaya sucarity)
(2) Verbal Right Conduct (Vaca sucarita)
(3) Mental Right Conduct (Mano sucarita)
(See Ten Kinds of the Path of Meritorious Action)
The Group of Fours
1. The Four Noble Truths:
(1) Suffering
(2) The Cause of Suffering
(3) The Cessation of Suffering
(4) The Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering
2. The Four Mental Principles:
(1) Wisdom (Panna)
(2) Truthfulness (Sacca)
(3) Abandonment of evil and selfishness (Caga)
(4) Appeasement (Upasama)
3. The Four Bases of Success:
(1) Appreciation (Chanda)
(2) Effort (Viriya)
(3) Attention (Citta)
(4) Investigation (Vimamsa)
4. The Four Divine States of Mind:
(1) Loving-kindness (Metta)
(2) Compassion (Karuna)
(3) Sympathatic joy over others’ achievement (Mudita)
(4) Equanimity (Upekkha)
5. The Four Virtues Conducive to Social Welfare:
(1) Generosity (Dana)
(2) Kind Speech (Piyavaca)
(3) Benevolence (Atthacariya)
(4) Adaptability (samanattata)
6. The Fourfold Right Effort:
(1) Effort to restrain from evil
(2) Effort to abandon evil
(3) Effort to develop good
(4) Effort to maintain good
The Group of Fives
1. The Fivefold Virtue for self-confidence:
(1) Faith
(2) Morality
(3) Knowledge
(4) Perseverance
(5) Wisdom
2. The Fivefold Power:
(1) Faith
(2) Effort
(3) Mindfulness
(4) Concentration
(5) Wisdom
3. The Fivefold Noble Prosperity:
(1) Faith
(2) Morality
(3) Knowledge
(4) Generosity
(5) Wisdom
4. The Five Precepts: (in tandem with the Five Virtues)
(1) To refrain from killing
(2) To refrain from stealing
(3) To refrain from sexual misconduct
(4) To refrain from lying
(5) To refrain from intoxicants
5. The Five Virtues: (in tandem with the Five Precepts)
(1) Loving-kindness and compassion
(2) Right means of livelihood
(3) Sensual restraint
(4) Right speech
(5) Mindfulness or self-control
The Group of Six
The Sixfold Virtue for harmony and concord:
1. Extending loving-kindness through physical action
2. Extending loving-kindness through words
3. Cultivating thoughts of loving-kindness
4. Having generosity
5. Maintaining discipline in common with others
6. Sharing the right view with others
The Group of Sevens
1. The Seven Sublime Virtues:
(1) To know cause
(2) To know result
(3) To know oneself
(4) To know moderation
(5) To know appropriate time
(6) to know society
(7). to know individuals
2. Another set of Seven Sublime Virtues:
(1) Faith
(2) Moral shame
(3) Moral fear
(4) Knowledge
(5) Effort
(6) Mindfulness
(7) Wisdom
3. The Sevenfold Noble Wealth:
(1) Faith
(2) Morality
(3) Moral shame
(4) Moral fear
(5) Knowledge
(6) Generosity
(7) Wisdom
4. The Sevenfold Mode of Regular Practice: (appropriate for the leaders)
(1) Taking care of parents
(2) Being respectful to elders in the family
(3) Speaking kind and friendly words
(4) Refraining from divisive speech
(5) Doing away with niggardliness
(6) Being truthful
(7) Controlling anger
The Group of Eights
1. The Eight Worldly Phenomena to be aware of:
(1) Gain
(2) Loss
(3) Fame
(4) Ignominy
(5) Praise
(6) Slander
(7) Happiness
(8) Suffering
2. The Noble Eightfold Path:
(1) Right View
(2) Right Motives
(3) Right Speech
(4) Right Action
(5) Right Means of Livelihood
(6) Right Effort
(7) Right Mindfulness
(8) Right Concentration
These virtues can be summarized into three headings, otherwise known as the Threefold training, that is to say, Right View and Right Motives into Wisdom, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Means of livelihood into Morality, while Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration into Meditation.
The Group of Nine
The Ninefold Excellence of the Buddha:
1. Being far from defilement
2. Being fully Enlightened
3. Being fully endowed with knowledge and conduct
4. Faring forth for the benefit of the world
5. Being the knower of the world
6. Being the peerless trainer of those to be trained
7. Being the instructor of gods and human beings
8. Being the Enlightened One
9. Being the Fortunate One
(He performed only good actions which were the courses of fortune.)
The Group of Ten
The Ten Wholesome Actions:
1. Refraining from killing
2. Refraining from stealing
3. Refraining from sexual misconduct
4. Refraining from lying
5. Refraining from divisive speech
6. Refraining from harsh words
7. Refraining from frivolous talk
8. Subduing greed
9. Subduing hatred
10. Subduing delusion
Out of the Ten Wholesome Actions, items no. 1-2-3 are classified as Physical Good Conduct, no. 4-5-6-7 as Verbal Good Conduct, and no. 8-9-10 as Mental Good Conduct. The Ten Wholesome Actions are, therefore, the Triple Good Conduct: Physical, Verbal, and Mental.
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