An In-depth Analysis of the Dasuttara Sutta: Evaluating its Teachings in Facilitating the Attainment of Nibbana

Abstract

In the Dasuttara Sutta, Venerable Sariputta Thero expounded on ten profound teachings that collectively serve as pathways to the attainment of Nibbana while contemporary people may have diverse perspectives on the attainment of Nibbana. This research aimed to specifically focus on how the teachings of Dasuttara Sutta significantly contribute to the attainment of Nibbana. The research was a qualitative analysis of both published and unpublished books, primarily utilizing the Pali Canon's Dasuttara Sutta as the primary data source. The Venerable Sāriputta Thero preached about 550 factors, which were categorized into ten groups, namely helpful factors, developed factors, completely understood factors, eliminated factors, detrimental factors, distinguishing factors, hard-to-comprehend factors, produced factors, directly known factors, and realized factors. Among them, the 55 realized factors were said to be especially significant, which include the emancipation of life, supernormal knowledge and freedom, knowledge of past lives, understanding death and rebirth, ending defilements, stream-entry, once-return non-return, and perfection. They also encompass ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, knowledge and vision of freedom, the ability to multiply and become once again, hearing both human and divine sounds, understanding the minds of other beings, recollecting past lives, observing sentient beings' rebirths, ending defilements with true impermanence, renouncing sensual pleasures, practising four kinds of mindfulness meditation and developing the five faculties, the seven factors of awakening, and the noble eightfold path . Those factors significantly affect the attainment of Nibbana, making the Dasuttara Sutta an essential text for understanding the concept and attainment of Nibbana.