6.4. The Thirty-Seven Aids (Factors of Enlightenment)

[Full title: Distinctive Issues of the Five Nikāyas and some Important Buddhist Terms Relating the Study; (4): The Thirty-Seven Aids (Factors of Enlightenment)]

In the Pāli Canon the practices conducing to Nibbāna are often elaborate into a more complex set comprising seven groups of intersecting factors.

The later tradition designates them the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment (bodhipakkhiā dhammā), but the Buddha himself simply speaks of them without a collective name as “the things that I have taught you after directly knowing them” (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 103.3; 104.5). Towards the end of his life he stressed to the Sangha that the long duration of his teaching in the world depends upon the accurate preservation of these factors and their being practiced by his followers in harmony, free from contention.

The constituents of thirty-seven aids to enlightenment are as follows:

i. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna)
ii. The Four Right Kinds of Striving (sammappadhāna)
iii. The Four Bases for Spiritual Power (iddhipāda)
iv. The Five Faculties (indriya)
v. The Five Powers (bala)
vi. The Seven Enlightenment Factors (bojjhaṅga)
vii. The Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga)

Each group is defined in full at Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 77.15-21. Most of these groups are simply subdivisions or rearrangements of factors of eightfold path made to highlight different aspects of the practice.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna) are the most traditional, and fundamental techniques of the Buddhist meditational practice.

This practice technique is founded on four contemplations of

(i) body (kāya),
(ii) feeling (vedanā),
(iii) mind (citta), and
(iv) mind-objects (dhamma).

The meditator focuses in succession on the four with full awareness (sampajañña) paying attention to the various physical and mental processes that are taking place. The aim of this practice is that through observing arising and vanishing of physical and mental phenomena, the meditator comes to recognize the impermanent and affected characteristics of the existence and that there is no eternal self or soul (ātman), his identity is composed of temporary configurations of conditional elements. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are known as orthodox meditation techniques which constitute the basic foundation for all Buddhist meditation methods later (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 10).

While the Four Foundations of Mindfulness emerge as the basis of concentration, the Four Right Kinds of Striving (sammappadhāna) is said as the equipment of concentration (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 44.12).

The Four Right Kinds of Striving are:

(i) awakening zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states;

(ii) awakening zeal for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states;

(iii) awakening zeal for the arising of unarisen wholesome states;

(iv) awakening zeal for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfillment by development of arisen wholesome states (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 77.16).

Thus, the first two items are aimed at avoiding and overcoming the unwholesome states (akusala), and the last two ones are aimed at cultivating and fostering the wholesome states (kusala).

The Four Bases for Spiritual Power (iddhipāda) are the making determination regarding concentration:

(i) on zeal;
(ii) on energy;
(iii) on purity of mind; and
(iv) on investigation.

The Five Faculties (indriya) include:

(i) the faculty of faith (saddhā);
(ii) the faculty of energy (viriya);
(iii) the faculty of mindfulness (sati);
(iv) the faculty of concentration (samādhi); and
(v) the faculty of wisdom (paññā).

The Five Powers (pañcabala) include eradicating its five opposite negative tendencies. They are described as:

(i) power of faith overcomes false beliefs;
(ii) the power of energy overcomes laziness;
(iii) the power of mindfulness overcomes forgetfulness;
(iv) the power of concentration overcomes distractedness; and
(v) the power of wisdom overcomes ignorance.

These five powers are developed through augmenting strength of the five (spiritual) faculties above.

With a strong emphasis on attainment of truths, the Buddhist approach expounded in the Five Nikāyas aim at enabling one to achieve emancipation from dukkha. The Seven Enlightenment Factors (bojjhaṅga) are the important aids that lead to or constitute enlightenment.

These seven factors are:

(i) investigation-of-states (dhammavicaya);
(ii) mindfulness (sati);
(ii) energy (viriya);
(iv) rapture (pīti);
(v) tranquility (passadhi);
(vi) concen-tration (samādhi); and
(vii) equanimity (upekkhā).

The seven enlightenment factors are supported by seclusion, dispassion, cessation, and ripens in relinquishment. All these seven attributes are understood as referring to nibbāna. Development and cultivation of these seven factors enables one to enter and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that is taintless due to the destruction of taints (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 146.13).

The Noble Eightfold Path which has just been discussed in section §3.6.3 is considered the brief formula of the Thirty-Seven Requisites of Enlightenment. It means that within the Noble Eightfold Path there is presence of all remaining factors. Mindfulness, the second of the Seven Enlightenment Factors, and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, for instance, are an elaboration of right mindfulness; or such as the Four Right Kinds of Striving, for instance, are included in the right effort, and so on.

Shortly, the Thirty-Seven Aids/Requisites of Enlightenment contain the entire teaching of the Buddha as the key to open the door of enlightenment for anyone who practice them. All teachings of the Buddha are expounded under many various methods dependent upon the hearers’ various understanding levels, with only one aim to show the way leading to offer freedom from suffering, and attain the enlightenment, nibbāna here and now. That way to freedom, however, must be experienced by each of individuals personally.