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Grammatical Analysis
Saddhamma: [m.] The True Dhamma; The Good Law; The sublime doctrine. Formed by sat (true, good, real) + dhamma (doctrine, teaching, reality).
Orthodox Definition
Saddhamma refers to the authentic, unadulterated dispensation of the Buddha. In the Theravāda commentaries, the True Dhamma is structurally defined by three interconnected phases:
- Pariyatti-saddhamma: The Dhamma as theoretical study (the preservation and mastery of the Tipiṭaka).
- Paṭipatti-saddhamma: The Dhamma as active practice (the development of morality, concentration, and insight).
- Paṭivedha-saddhamma: The Dhamma as direct penetration (the realization of the Paths, Fruits, and Nibbāna).
The Buddha frequently warned of the “disappearance of the True Dhamma” (saddhamma-antaradhāna). He stated that the teaching will not be destroyed by external elements, but will naturally fade away when monks, nuns, and laypeople lose respect for the training, become negligent, and replace the authentic teachings with counterfeit doctrines (saddhamma-paṭirūpaka).
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Saddhammaṭṭhitiyāti tividho saddhammo – pariyattisaddhammo, paṭipattisaddhammo, adhigamasaddhammoti.
For the stability of the good Dhamma: The good Dhamma is of three kinds: the good Dhamma of the scriptures, the good Dhamma of the practice, and the good Dhamma of the attainment.Tattha piṭakattayasaṅgahitaṃ sabbampi buddhavacanaṃ ‘‘pariyattisaddhammo’’ nāma.
Therein, all the words of the Buddha comprised in the three Piṭakas are called “the good Dhamma of the scriptures.”— Samantapāsādikā (Pārājikakaṇḍa-aṭṭhakathā) (pa)
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Tīṇi hi antaradhānāni nāma pariyattiantaradhānaṃ, paṭivedhaantaradhānaṃ, paṭipattiantaradhānanti.
The three disappearances are the disappearance of the Pariyatti, the disappearance of the Paṭivedha, and the disappearance of the Paṭipatti.Tattha pariyattīti tīṇi piṭakāni.
Among these, Pariyatti means the three Piṭakas.Paṭivedhoti saccapaṭivedho.
Paṭivedha means the penetration of the Truths.Paṭipattīti paṭipadā.
Paṭipatti means the practice.— Papañcasūdanī (Uparipaṇṇāsa-aṭṭhakathā)
Textual References
- Sutta: Kassapasaṃyutta (SN 16.13) – The Buddha explains to Mahākassapa that just as real gold only disappears when counterfeit gold appears, the True Dhamma disappears when counterfeit Dhamma arises in the world.
- Sutta: Saddhammasammosa Sutta (AN 5.156) – Listing the exact behaviors that lead to the decline or longevity of the True Dhamma.
- Commentary: Atthasālinī – Clarifying the three-fold structure of study, practice, and realization.