A Critical Study Of Pāli Dīgha Nikāya

Among the fundamental teachings of religious fountains of the world, the Buddhism is the most sociologically, psychologically and philosophically co-arisen practices of mind, matter and behavior in the world. The pioneer and the unique character in the history of mankind that is known as The Lord Buddha was capable of diagnose of samsaric conflicts and the contemporary social issues and pave the masses way towards the most desirable ground of social and ultimate truth for the Nibbana. The Pali Buddhist canon of Theravada tradition and Mahayana tradition that depicted in Suttapitaka, discloses the Buddhist fundamental philosophical and the contemporary social back ground which prevailed in the regional states in the sixth century B.C in India. He can be considered as the supreme philosophical teacher at that time according to the Pali Dighanikaya. But, it is not expected to discuss all of the concepts of the Buddha's teachings here and the rest of the schools of religions in detail because the subject is limited for few conceptual analyses. Hence, this thesis is imprisoned into the gaining of surprise of history, process of the teachings for the development and the more fundamental philosophical teaching of the Buddha that based on the Pali Dighanikaya.This thesis is strictly focused on the Pali Dighanikaya that depicted in Suttapitaka in Theravada Buddhist tradition. This research supposes to maintain in depth knowledge and understanding on the Pali Dighanikaya.This thesis is mainly based on the six major topics. The first chapter is mainly contributed on the Pali language and Pali Tipitaka. Under this topic firstly, I discuss about the Pali language and its origin, development and intellectual's contribution on the Pali Language. The second part is extended about the, Tipitaka. Especially what Suttapitaka is, and its history, development, back ground, structure and organization. Under this title, It is discussed about the, Buddha's enormous speeches, sayings, discourses, conversation of the five Nikayas and brief introduction to the Majjhimanikaya, Samyuttanikaya, Amguttaranikaya, and Khuddakanikaya.The second chapter, in accordance with mainly focuses on introduction about the Pali Dighanikaya and Theravada Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka. The first part, it discusses about the back ground, structure and organization. The second part is mainly based on the framework of the three Vaggas of the Pali Dighanikaya and its brief introduction. Here in, the third part specially discusses on the Theravada Buddhist Tradition, its origins, development, doctrines, its uniqueness, and its establishment in Sri Lanka territory etc.The third chapter is a diving boat into the main discussions about the situation of the Pali Dighanikaya's in Sri Lanka. The initial stage of this chapter is mainly focused on who had it been taken to Sri Lanka and how its establishment in there. The second component is discussed how developed the Dighanikaya up to present situation, its translations into Pali language and their preservation in Sri Lanka. The third part is based mainly on the discussion on various researches of the Sri Lankan scholars'about the Pali Dighanikaya from the foundation to current days.The fourth chapter is going to discuss about the basic fundamental teachings of the Buddha which belong to the Pali Dighanikaya. This chapter has already divided into five parts. The first part devout to discuss the Tivida Sikkha and its divisions, The second division discuss the Four Noble Truth, its divisions and the final stage of the way to purification, revile the eight fold path etc. The third component is based mainly on the discussion on the Dependent Origination which was the main conceptual reason to rebirth, the fourth part belongs to discuss to the Four Mindfulness revealed in the Maha Satipatthana Suttanta, fifth part going to discuss the Six Super Powers which revealed in the Samanhaphala Suttanta etc, which discussed all teachings according to the Pali Dighanikaya.The fifth chapter is going to discuss about the other values of the Pali Dighanikaya. It is also divided into four parts. The first part of its discuss about the Buddhist aesthetic concept according to the Sakkapanha Suttanta, the subsequent part discusses philosophical teachings. According to the Brahmajala Suttanta that is the first Suttanta of the Pali Dighanikaya, third part belongs to the historical values that I mentioned in briefly. The fourth part is going to reveal the geographical values in ancient India etc.The sixth chapter focuses mainly on the comparison with Pali Dighanikaya and Chinese Dighagama. Its also divided into four part. Its first part going to brief introduction about the Chinese Dighagama and it divisions, suttantas, its structure and, organization, second part going to discuss about the Darmaguptika tradition which belongs to the Chinese Dighagama. The third part belongs to translational work about the Chinese and who had done it etc. The fourth and finally part is going to make comparison with Pali Dighanikaya and Chinese Dighagama with references to the various kinds of scholars in Sri Lanka and in the other countries as well. Conclusion is divided into five sub topics as, Pali Dighanikaya, the Silakkhandavagga, the Mahavagga, the Patikavagga, and Chinese Dighagama. Especially in the three vaggas are discussed under Buddhology, the utilization of stories and belief in superhuman beings in addition, literary style is also be taken into consideration. Finally it is extended with the whole of the conceptual analysis.This research is based on the Pali sources and on its addition, Sinhalese books, Chinese books, English books which are used as the secondary sources.