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Grammatical Analysis

Bodhipakkhiyadhamma: [m.] The Requisites of Awakening; Wings to Enlightenment. Formed by bodhi (awakening) + pakkhiya (belonging to, on the side of) + dhamma (phenomena/principles).

Orthodox Definition

The Bodhipakkhiyadhammā are the 37 Wings to Awakening, representing the absolute, comprehensive summary of the Buddha’s practical teaching. Before his passing, the Buddha gathered the Saṅgha and declared that these exact 37 principles must be preserved and practiced to ensure the survival of the Dispensation.

They are organized into seven distinct sets:

  1. The 4 Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna)
  2. The 4 Right Strivings (Sammappadhāna)
  3. The 4 Bases of Spiritual Power (Iddhipāda)
  4. The 5 Spiritual Faculties (Indriya)
  5. The 5 Spiritual Powers (Bala)
  6. The 7 Factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhaṅga)
  7. The Noble Eightfold Path (Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga)

The Visuddhimagga explains that while these appear as 37 distinct items, doctrinally they reduce to just 14 ultimate mental factors (cetasika) operating under different functional titles (e.g., sati appears as a foundation, a faculty, a power, an enlightenment factor, and a path factor).

Quote

tathā cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, cattāro sammappadhānā, cattāro iddhipādā, pañcindriyāni, pañca balāni, satta bojjhaṅgā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggoti sattatiṃsa bodhipakkhiyadhammā dhammo nāma; tayo satipaṭṭhānā, tayo sammappadhānā, tayo iddhipādā, cha indriyāni, cha balāni, aṭṭha bojjhaṅgā, navaṅgiko maggoti ca cattāro upādānā, pañca nīvaraṇā, satta anusayā, aṭṭha micchattāti ca ayaṃ adhammo.
“Similarly, the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānā), the four right efforts (sammappadhānā), the four bases of psychic power (iddhipādā), the five faculties (indriyāni), the five powers (balāni), the seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅgā), and the Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo) are called Dhamma; while three foundations of mindfulness, three right efforts, three bases of psychic power, six faculties, six powers, eight factors of enlightenment, and a nine-fold path, as well as the four clingings (upādānā), five hindrances (nīvaraṇā), seven underlying tendencies (anusayā), and eight wrongnesses (micchattā), are un-Dhamma.”

— Cūḷavagga Aṭṭhakathā

Textual References

  • Commentary: Cūḷavagga Aṭṭhakathā (Samantapāsādikā) – Defining the 37 wings to awakening as the true Dhamma, and deviation from them as adhammo.
  • Sutta: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16) – The dramatic scene at Vesālī where the Buddha officially hands over the 37 principles to the Saṅgha as his ultimate legacy.
  • Canonical: Samyutta Nikaya (Mahāvagga) – The entire final book of the SN is dedicated to expanding on these seven sets.
  • Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter XXII) – The supreme analytical synthesis reducing the 37 wings to their core psychological elements.

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