Some Words of Wisdom from the Fully Enlightened One So That Future Generations May Understand What the True Dhamma Really Is...

 In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16), before His Final Passing Away (Parinibbāna), the Blessed One gave His disciples the Four Great Standards (Mahāpadesa) for verifying the authenticity of the Dhamma:

"Bhikkhus, suppose a bhikkhu should say: 'Friends, I heard and received this from the Blessed One's own lips...' Bhikkhus, the statement of that bhikkhu should neither be praised nor rejected. Without praising or rejecting it, you should carefully learn every word and every phrase, then compare it with the Discourses (Suttas) and examine it in the light of the Discipline (Vinaya). If, upon comparison with the Suttas and examination in the light of the Vinaya, those statements are found not to agree with the Suttas and not to conform to the Vinaya, then you should conclude: 'Surely this is not the word of the Blessed One; this bhikkhu has understood it incorrectly.' Bhikkhus, you should abandon such a teaching."

This is the golden standard for distinguishing the True Dhamma from false teachings. It is not determined by who teaches it, nor by any tradition, but by comparing it with the original Tipiṭaka.

Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta (MN 9) – The Discourse on Right View

The Venerable Sāriputta defined Right View as follows:

"And what is Right View? Understanding suffering, understanding the origin of suffering, understanding the cessation of suffering, and understanding the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Friends, this is called Right View."

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) – The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

"This is the Middle Way realized by the Tathāgata, which gives rise to vision, gives rise to wisdom, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and Nibbāna. And what is that Middle Way? It is precisely the Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration."

Especially in the Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 8.53) – The Gotamī Sutta, the Buddha Defined What Constitutes the True Dhamma

"Gotamī, whatever teachings you clearly know lead to sensual desire rather than to dispassion; to bondage rather than to freedom; to accumulation rather than to non-accumulation; to wanting much rather than to fewness of wishes; to discontent rather than to contentment; to social entanglement rather than to seclusion; to laziness rather than to energetic effort; to being difficult to support rather than easy to support—Gotamī, you should firmly conclude: 'This is not the Dhamma. This is not the Vinaya. This is not the Teaching of the Teacher.'

But, Gotamī, whatever teachings you clearly know lead to dispassion rather than to sensual desire; to freedom rather than to bondage; to non-accumulation rather than to accumulation; to fewness of wishes rather than to wanting much; to contentment rather than to discontent; to seclusion rather than to social entanglement; to energetic effort rather than to laziness; to being easy to support rather than difficult to support—Gotamī, you should firmly conclude: 'This is the Dhamma. This is the Vinaya. This is the Teaching of the Teacher.'"

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Brahmajāla Sutta (DN 1) – The Discourse on the Supreme Net

In the Brahmajāla Sutta (DN 1), the Buddha enumerated the sixty-two wrong views:

"Bhikkhus, there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold various wrong views and teach various wrong views... These include views of eternalism, annihilationism, the world as finite or infinite, theories concerning the self and the world, and many others. All these speculative views are merely the feelings and imaginings of those who do not know and do not see. They are only the writhing, trembling, and wavering of those who are dominated by craving."

Kālāma Sutta (AN 3.65) – The Discourse to the Kālāmas

In the Kālāma Sutta (AN 3.65), the Buddha warned against TEN GROUNDS THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR BELIEF:

"Kālāmas,

Do not believe merely because something has been passed down by oral tradition (anussava).

Do not believe merely because it has been handed down through tradition (paramparā).

Do not believe merely because it is widely reported or repeated (itikirā).

Do not believe merely because it is preserved in a collection of scriptures (piṭaka-sampadāna).

Do not believe merely because it agrees with logical reasoning (takkahetu).

Do not believe merely because it agrees with inference or philosophical reasoning (nayahetu).

Do not believe merely because it appears reasonable after reflection (ākāraparivitakka).

Do not believe merely because you have accepted a view after careful consideration (diṭṭhinijjhānakkhanti).

Do not believe merely because the speaker appears competent or convincing (bhabbarūpatā).

Do not believe merely because, 'This ascetic is our teacher' (samaṇo no garū).

But, Kālāmas, when you know for yourselves: 'These qualities are wholesome; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when undertaken and practiced, lead to welfare and happiness,' then you should enter upon them and abide in them."

Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 2.5–6) – The Buddha's Distinction Between Two Kinds of Dhamma

"Bhikkhus, there are these two kinds of qualities: wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities; the True Dhamma and false teachings.

And what, Bhikkhus, are unwholesome qualities? Killing living beings, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, idle chatter, covetousness, ill will, and wrong view—these are called unwholesome qualities.

And what, Bhikkhus, are wholesome qualities? Abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given... and Right View—these are called wholesome qualities."

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Pañcaṅgika Sutta (AN 5.146)

"Bhikkhus, one who possesses these five qualities is incapable of growth, progress, and spiritual development in this Dhamma. What five?

Lack of faith (assaddho).

Having no moral shame (ahiriko).

Having no moral fear of wrongdoing (anottappī).

Laziness (kusīto).

Lacking wisdom (duppañño).

Bhikkhus, one who possesses these five qualities is incapable of growth, progress, and spiritual development in this Dhamma."

Apāya Sutta (AN 10.176)

"Bhikkhus, when a person possesses these ten qualities, then with the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, the lower realms, even in hell. What ten?

Here, a person kills living beings... and holds wrong view. Their wrong view is this:

'There is no giving, no offering, no sacrifice. There is no fruit or result of good and bad actions. There is no this world, no next world. There is no mother, no father. There are no beings reborn spontaneously. There are no true ascetics or brahmins who, practicing rightly, have realized for themselves by direct knowledge this world and the next and proclaim them to others.'

Bhikkhus, when a person possesses these ten qualities, then with the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, the lower realms, even in hell."

Devadūta Sutta (MN 130) – The Discourse on the Divine Messengers

"Bhikkhus, one who behaves wrongly through body, behaves wrongly through speech, behaves wrongly through mind, reviles the Noble Ones, follows wrong view, and performs actions based on wrong view—with the breakup of the body, after death, that person is reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, the lower realms, even in hell."

Nīvaraṇa Sutta (SN 46.33)

"Bhikkhus, there are these five hindrances. What five?

The hindrance of sensual desire.

The hindrance of ill will.

The hindrance of sloth and torpor.

The hindrance of restlessness and remorse.

The hindrance of doubt.

Bhikkhus, these hindrances blind one, deprive one of clear vision, weaken wisdom, create affliction, and lead one away from Nibbāna."

Ekāyana Sutta — in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10)

"Bhikkhus, this is the direct path (ekāyano maggo) for the purification of beings, for overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of true knowledge, and for the realization of Nibbāna. That is, the Four Establishments of Mindfulness."

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) – The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

"Bhikkhus, there are these two extremes that one who has gone forth should not practice. What two?

One is devotion to sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unprofitable.

The other is devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and unprofitable.

Avoiding both of these extremes, the Tathāgata has awakened to the Middle Way, which gives rise to vision, gives rise to wisdom, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and Nibbāna."

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Araṇavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 139) – The Discourse on the Analysis of Non-Conflict

"Bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of disputes. What three?

Disputing with those who live without dispute—this is a base dispute, a vulgar dispute, an ordinary worldly dispute, not noble, without benefit, and not leading to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, or Nibbāna."

Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta (MN 11) – The Shorter Discourse on the Lion's Roar

"Bhikkhus, suppose there were a sickly, emaciated stray dog that wandered into a village. The children would throw stones at it and strike it with sticks. It would be hit on the back, hit on the side, hit on the head, and driven away wherever it went.

So too, Bhikkhus, there are certain ascetics and brahmins who are weak and incapable, unable to defend their own doctrine. When questioned, examined, and challenged by the wise, they are reduced to emptiness. They fall silent, become frustrated, hang their heads in dejection, and are unable to give an answer."

Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 4.23)

"Bhikkhus, there are these four imponderables (acinteyya) that should not be speculated about. Whoever speculates about them will reap madness and mental distress. What four?

The domain of the Buddhas is imponderable.

The range of meditative absorption (jhāna) is imponderable.

The results of kamma are imponderable.

Speculation about the world is imponderable."

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) – The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

"Bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of Suffering:

Birth is suffering; aging is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; association with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not getting what one wants is suffering. In brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.

Bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering:

It is this craving that leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.

Bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering:

It is the complete fading away and cessation of that very craving, its abandonment, relinquishment, release, and letting go.

Bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering:

It is precisely the Noble Eightfold Path."