( from , meaning "foundational" or "beginning" plus meaning "standing"; ) has been translated as "decision," "resolution," "self-determination," "will", As further noted in Rhys Davids & Stede, in the Pāli Canon, can at times be wrongly motivated, connoting "obstinancy," as indicated by the Pāli phrase , "obstinacy, prejudice and bias" (p. 44, ""). "strong determination" and "resolute determination." In the late canonical literature of Theravāda Buddhism, is one of the ten "perfections" (), exemplified by the bodhisatta's resolve to become fully awakened.
Pāli Canon texts While adhiṭṭhāna appears sporadically in the early Pāli Canon, various late-canonical and post-canonical accounts of the Gautama Buddha's past lives contextualize adhiṭṭhāna within the Theravādin ten perfections.
Dīgha Nikāya analysis In the Pāli Canon, in the Dīgha Nikāya discourse entitled, "Chanting Together" (DN 33), Sāriputta states that the Buddha identified the following: Four kinds of resolve (): [to gain] (a) wisdom, (b) truth (sacca), (c) relinquishment (), (d) tranquility ().DN 33 1.11(27), translation by Walshe (1995), p. 492, v. 27. Parenthesized Pāli and square-bracketed English are in the original.
Bodhisatta Sumedho In the late-canonical Buddhavaṃsa, the bodhisatta Sumedha declares (represented in English and Pāli): And as a mountain, a rock, stable and firmly based, does not tremble in rough winds but remains in precisely its own place, so you too must be constantly stable in resolute determination; going on to the perfection of Resolute Determination, you will attain Self-Awakening.Buddhavaṃsa IIA.154-5 (trans. Horner, "Buddhavamsa," p. 22).
Temiya the Wise
In the late-canonical Cariyāpiṭaka, there is one account explicitly exemplifying , that of "Temiya the Wise" (Cp III.6, ). In this account, at an early age Temiya, sole heir to a throne, recalls a past life in purgatory () and thus asks for release (). In response, a compassionate advises Temiya to act unintelligent and foolish and to allow himself to be an object of people's scorn.Horner (2000), p. 36 n. 5, comments: "Kings, having to be very harsh, accumulated much demerit leading to Niraya [a Buddhist hell realm]." Understanding the 's virtuous intent, Temiya agrees to this and acts as if mute, deaf, and crippled. Seeing these behaviors but finding no physiological basis for them, priests, generals and countrymen decry Temiya as "inauspicious" and plan to have Temiya cast out. When Temiya is sixteen years old, he is ceremonially anointed and then buried in a pit. The account concludes: ... I did not break that resolute determination which was for the sake of Awakening itself. Mother and father were not disagreeable to me and nor was self disagreeable to me. Omniscience [] was dear to me, therefore I resolutely determined on that itself. Resolutely determining on those factors I lived for sixteen years. There was no one equal to me in resolute determination — this was my perfection of Resolute Determination.For the whole account, see Horner (2000), pp. 36-38. The final quotation is from Horner (2000), pp. 37-38, vv. 17-19.
See also (perfection) (wisdom) (truth) (generosity) (tranquillity) (renunciation) (equanimity) (patience) (loving-kindness) (diligence)
Notes
Sources
A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
External links
DN 33 in the Ida B. Wells on-line library. (samples)