Miracles (Abbhuta Dhamma)

Discussion
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1

In the Navanga Satthu Sasana (Nine-fold teachings), there is a one called Abbhuta Dhamma (Miracles). What are those? Are they specific Suttas?

“suttaṃ, geyyaṃ, veyyākaraṇaṃ, gāthā, udānaṃ, itivuttakaṃ, jātakaṃ, abbhutadhammaṃ, vedallaṃ.” Appassuta Sutta

Some says that it is the passages that begins wth “Acchariyam bhante abbhutam bhante,”. Are there any categorized collection of those?

Acchariyam bhante abbhutam bhante,||
yava subhasitam idam bhante, Bhagavata:|| ||

Sabbe satta maranadhamma||
maranapariyosana||
maranam anatita ti.|| || SN 1 3 21-25: Kosala Samyutta

2

At a cursory glance, the instances where “abbhuta dhamma” is used appear to only be in regards to various “amazing things” (miracles).

This page suggests that they are.

I’ll list them here:
D.ii.145
S.iv.371
M.i.133
A.ii.103
A.ii.131f
Vin.iii.8
Mil.344
Pug.43

I don’t know how to read that numbering.

3

The information found at the links below may of help:

https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Reference/Sutta-PTS.htm

http://www.leighb.com/suttanbrxref.htm

For example, in there you will see that A.ii.103 (AN ii 103) corresponds to AN 4.102.

At the same time A.ii.131f (AN ii 131) corresponds to AN 4.128.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to have this table found somewhere in SuttaCentral as well? What do you think bhante @sujato?

:anjal:

4

Well, you can just read the sutta cards.

5

Sure bhante. But I am not sure about how it works in the case in which someone comes to SuttaCentral after a sutta and all he/she has the PTS reference number.

Using the search function as it is returns nothing useful when I look for “AN ii 103” for example:

It seems to be to me a very low hanging fruit and I cannot imagine the effort of mirroring the tables found in the link I provided would be that great from a website development perspective. Beside that, there would be no maitenance retirement as the linkage between different reference number is static.

If I may, I strongly recommend we give it some thought. And of course, I volunteer to do any heavy lifting required and which is within by abilities! :sweat_smile:

:anjal:

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