Discourse on the Credentials of a Warrior Yodhājīva-sutta (AN4.181)

K.S.Chow

Purport:

Gotama Buddha promulgates that there are four credentials which characterize a great warror. Firstly, he is adept at or skillful in his profession. Secondly, he is capable of shooting far. Thirdly, he is capable firing shots in rapid succession. Fourthly, he is capable of piercing great objects. Likewise, Gotama Buddha declares that a professional Buddhist master or teacher (ācariya) is comparable to the metaphor of a superior warrior aforementioned. He or she ought also to possess these four credentials in order to be venerated by their disciples or devotees.

i) Skillful in his profession

A Buddhist master or teacher is considered to be skillful in or adept at his or her profession if and only he or she is primarily virtuous or morally restrained. He abides strictly to his her Rules of Vinaya (patimokkha) if he or she is an ordained monk or nun. He or she is highly restrained morally and sees danger in the slightest faults. In other words, the venerable is so well restrained that he or she will not transgress any rule of the Vinaya. For a lay Buddhist teacher, he or she is required not to breach the Five Precepts (Pañcasīlas) and practise Ten Wholesome Courses of Actions (Dasasīlas) without transgression.

ii) Able to shoot far

The second credential expected from a professional Buddhist master or teacher is more advanced. He or she ought to be able to discern intuitively the insubstantiality (Anattā) of the five aggregates of form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness as this is not I ; this is not mine ; this does not belong to me. These five aggregates actually represent the entire phenomenal world of eighteen elements. The teacher is considered to be able ‘to shoot far’ if he or she has discerned the profound message of the Buddha penetratively or insightfully. In other words, he or she is able to intuitively penetrate into the Insubstantiality of his or her human personality and the phenomenal world. He or she should be able to intuitively apprehend that the human personality and the phenomenal world are ultimately illusive and signless. In other words, the human personality and the empirical world are ultimately empty of inherent existence. Such an intuitive discernment of the ultimate Truth annihilates the self-centric ego superimposed by the ignorant worldlings and thereby eliminate grasping upon anything in the world.

iii) Able to fire shots in rapid succession

A professional Buddhist master or teacher is considered to be able to ‘fire shots in rapid succession’ if and only if he or she is able to intuitively comprehend the Four Noble Truth and are liberated by the insightful or penetrative comprehension of the ultimate Truth of Insubstantiality and dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality expounded comprehensively in the Four Noble Truths.

 Firstly, he or she recognizes that empirical life of attachment and aversion results in continuous human suffering if a ordinary worldling does not know how to manage detachedly the five aggregates wisely and mindfully. Secondly, he or she ought to discern that ignorance of the Insubstantiality the five aggregates is the root cause of suffering. Grasping upon the five aggregates as this is I; this is mine; this belongs to me is ignorance and unwise management of the five aggregates. Thirdly, he or she has developed the insight and mindful skill of managing the five aggregates wisely and thus mindfully so that the volitional activities or dispositions are appeased by his or her wisdom of insight. The insight pertains to the intuitive apprehension of the Insubstantiality of the five aggregates. Fourthly, owing to the development of the right view of Insubstantiality, he or she is able to consummate the entire Noble Eight-fold Path.

iv) Able to Pierce Great Objects

Finally, a professional Buddhist master or teacher is considered to be able to ‘pierce great objects’ if he or she has totally eradicated the ignorance of the illusive nature of the five aggregates or the phenomenal world. There are two conditions by which ignorance is totally eliminated. Firstly, superimposition of the self-centric ego must be totally annihilated. Secondly, he or she must discern intuitively that the multiplicity of the empirical world is illusive and unreal. The ultimate Reality of the universe or the empirical world is the eternal Truth of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality without any diverge differentiation into myriad beings or things or multiplicity. All individual signs, marks or characteristics apparently perceived by the worldlings are false human conceptualization or erroneous mental constructs. They are apparently or relatively real but are ultimately unreal and illusive. There are no discrete or independent entities in the universe in the ultimate analysis. All phenomena are interdependent, interrelated and are conglomerated into an infinite Unity.

In fact, these four credentials mirror the four gradual ascending levels of progressive Dhamma realization or discernment of a Buddhist practitioner. The first credential is only the foundation or cornerstone to the next intermediate level of spiritual attainment. The initial enlightenment commences at the second credential. The enlightenment experiences deepens ascendingly or vertically as one obtains the third credential, the more advanced level of spiritual attainment. The fourth credential is the highest level of consummated spiritual attainment which is the complete elimination of cankers (āsavas). The four metaphorical illustrations of the dharma development and cultivation reflect the three-fold training of morality, concentration and wisdom of a Buddhist master or teacher. Such an spiritually accomplished master or teacher is the supermodel to be emulated by their disciples or students.