What does Dhamma inquiry mean in the cultivation of the seven factors of awakening?

Discussion
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I see that the awakening factors & the hindrances are often discussed together, such as SN 46.51. Also, SN 46.53 discusses how Dhamma investigation is an antidote to a lack of energy, laziness, etc., which demonstrates a direct correspondence between the hindrances & the awakening factors.

So they’re “paired up”. SN 46.2, as frankk mentions, offers another sort of indication:

There are, bhikkhus, wholesome and unwholesome states, blameable and blameless states, inferior and superior states, dark and bright states with their counterparts: frequently giving careful attention to them is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states and for the fulfilment by development of the arisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states.

Lots of doctrinal contemplations here; and for the most part they involve positive/negative action, positive/negative kamma. Contemplation of these things is the nutriment for the arising of dhamma-vicaya, but they are not themselves examples of dhamma-vicaya. For that, look at SN 46.52:

“Whenever one discriminates things internally with wisdom, examines them, makes an investigation of them, that is the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states; whenever one discriminates things externally with wisdom, examines them, makes an investigation of them, that is also the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states. Thus what is spoken of concisely as the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states becomes, by this method of exposition, twofold.

Internal & external are what I expect to see when examining the senses & the aggregates; do we see internal & external kamma anywhere? I don’t recall it at all. So, dhamma-vicaya refers to the contemplation of the rise/fall/attraction/danger/escape of the senses/aggregates, and not to the nutriments of that contemplation.

How’s that?

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I think part of dhamma-vicaya would be along the lines of the Dvedhāvitakka Sutta MN 19 where one separates the wholesome from the unwholesome regarding thoughts and intentions. And of course kamma is intention. Also, one can notice when others have wholesome or unwholesome intentions through their behavior. So I wouldn’t put it totally outside dhamma-vicaya or the internal/external investigative framework.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states and for the fulfilment by development of the arisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states? There are, bhikkhus, wholesome and unwholesome states, blameable and blameless states, inferior and superior states, dark and bright states with their counterparts: frequently giving careful attention to them is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states and for the fulfilment by development of the arisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states. SN 46.51

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That’s the nutriment for the arising of dhamma-vicaya, but it’s not itself dhamma-vicaya. This requires the possibility of internal & external contemplations, such as with the aggregates. There is no internal/external idea in MN 19.

And SN 46.51 mentions nutriment for arising; as I mentioned, this is a support for dhamma-vicaya, not an example of it.

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I recall thinking this was to do with determination of wholesome and unwholesomeness ie it is samatha practice. This could be noting this within oneself (and invariably) in others. Samatha (in the development of samadhi) requires the removal of defilements. What remains is piti. It is important to note that it is only after samadhi is developed the knowledge as it really is, is developed later in the sequence. viccaya I think has connotations of ‘judging’, but I might be mistaken.

With metta

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How about AN10.95? It actually says that no matter who you are, a god, an alien, a conscious bucket of slop, if you reach arahantship, it is because you dropped the 5 hindrances, established the 4 frames of mindfulness, and cultivated the 7 factors of awakening.

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But it is also the nutriment for fulfillment by development. This indicates to me that when one is investigating wholesome/unwholesome distinctions one is developing the awakening factor of dhamma investigation. Besides, the idea that if internal/external is not easily applied to some subject that it cannot be a subject of dhamma-vicaya oversteps. It is nowhere said that internal/external distinctions are a necessary condition for dhamma-vicaya. Rather, it makes more sense to say that investigating aggregates and sense bases in their internal/external manifestations are simply examples of ways to engage in dhamma-vicaya. And besides, investigating mindfulness is one way to engage in dhamma-vicaya and mindfulness is certainly not easily observed internally/externally.

As far as I can tell from the material, a broad interpretation of what counts as dhamma-vicaya fits the texts better.

“Bhikkhus, on whatever occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world—on that occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in him. On whatever occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in a bhikkhu—on that occasion the mindfulness enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by development, it comes to fulfilment in him.

“Abiding thus mindful, he investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it. On whatever occasion, abiding thus mindful, a bhikkhu investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it—on that occasion the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in him. MN 118

In the above section of the anapanasati sutta there is no internal/external distinction going on and the bhikkhu appears to simply have been investigating that very state or quality of being mindful.

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Take a look at the sutta below. Even just thinking deeply about the teaching or a sutta, analyzing and investigating it with wisdom, counts as dhamma-vicaya.

“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are accomplished in virtue, accomplished in concentration, accomplished in wisdom, accomplished in liberation, accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation: even the sight of those bhikkhus is helpful, I say; even listening to them … even approaching them … even attending on them … even recollecting them … even going forth after them is helpful, I say. For what reason? Because when one has heard the Dhamma from such bhikkhus one dwells withdrawn by way of two kinds of withdrawal—withdrawal of body and withdrawal of mind.

“Dwelling thus withdrawn, one recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over. Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus withdrawn recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused by the bhikkhu; on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu.

“Dwelling thus mindfully, he discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it. Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus mindfully discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states is aroused by the bhikkhu; on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu. SN 46.3

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Well, I see that such a bhikkhu is first dwelling withdrawn both mentally and physically. This supports mindfulness being established for one who “recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over”, which seems to be your “thinking deeply about”. (Can one establish mindfulness in this specific awakening-factor way without being physically withdrawn? Surely to some extent; but I suspect that’s insufficient to properly support the other factors…)

They then “discriminate that Dhamma with wisdom, examine it, make an investigation of it”, which seems to be your “analyzing and investigating it with wisdom”. (Having you put these two ideas together into one sentence seems to cloud the issue, as I see it, by combining two factors into one description).

This “with wisdom” is the key addition; someone thinking over the Dhamma is establishing sati, not dhamma-vicaya. To examine “with wisdom” is to examine, not a doctrine, but “that state”:

…i.e. “that experience”, “that satipatthana”, “that set of aggregates”.

The support for being able to investigate with wisdom (dhamma-vicaya) is mindfulness of doctrine paired with unremitting mindfulness via satipatthana.

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What about it?

:coffee:

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Well, I see that such a bhikkhu is first dwelling withdrawn both mentally and physically. This supports mindfulness being established for one who “recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over”, which seems to be your “thinking deeply about”. (Can one establish mindfulness in this specific awakening-factor way without being physically withdrawn? Surely to some extent; but I suspect that’s insufficient to properly support the other factors…)

Yes, I agree that withdrawal is beneficial and generally necessary.

They then “discriminate that Dhamma with wisdom, examine it, make an investigation of it”, which seems to be your “analyzing and investigating it with wisdom”. (Having you put these two ideas together into one sentence seems to cloud the issue, as I see it, by combining two factors into one description).

I think “discriminating with wisdom”, “examining”, and “investigating” are all to be taken as near-synonyms, although each has its own flavor.

This “with wisdom” is the key addition; someone thinking over the Dhamma is establishing sati, not dhamma-vicaya. To examine “with wisdom” is to examine, not a doctrine, but “that state”:

…i.e. “that experience”, “that satipatthana”, “that set of aggregates”.

That’s a fair argument. I was taking the dhamma under investigation to be the same dhamma that one was mindful of, namely the dhamma that one heard from the inspiring bhikkhu. I’m not sure if the grammar necessitates taking it one way or the other. Perhaps Bhante @sujato or Bhante @Brahmali would know whether the dhamma under investigation is the dhamma one heard or the state of being mindful of the dhamma that was heard.

(See again SN 46.3 )

Taṃ kissa hetu? Tathārūpānaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṃ dhammaṃ sutvā dvayena vūpakāsena vūpakaṭṭho
viharati—kāyavūpakāsena ca citta­vūpakā­sena ca. So tathā vūpakaṭṭho viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ anussarati anuvitakketi.

Yasmiṃ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathā vūpakaṭṭho viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ anussarati anuvitakketi, sati­sam­boj­jhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno āraddho hoti; sati­sam­boj­jhaṅ­gaṃ tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu bhāveti; sati­sam­boj­jhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno bhāva­nā­pāri­pūriṃ gacchati. So tathā sato viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya pavicinati pavicarati pari­vīmaṃ­samā­pajjati.

Yasmiṃ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathā sato viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya pavicinati pavicarati pari­vīmaṃ­samā­pajjati, dhamma­vicaya­sam­boj­jhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno āraddho hoti; dhamma­vicaya­sam­boj­jhaṅ­gaṃ tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu bhāveti; dhamma­vicaya­sam­boj­jhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno bhāva­nā­pāri­pūriṃ gacchati. Tassa taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya pavicinato pavicarato pari­vīmaṃ­samā­pajjato āraddhaṃ hoti vīriyaṃ asallīnaṃ.

I think to examine the dhamma with wisdom is to examine it dependent on seclusion, dispassion, cessation, leading to letting go. In this case, the dhamma in question could be the teaching, could be some state such as mindfulness, or could be experience as apperceived via sense-spheres, aggregates, or in some other way. As long as the investigation leads to growth in the dhamma, it is dhamma-vicaya. Whether one is calmly examining the meaning of a sutta, or whether one is a non-returner examining that equanimity dependent on which there is a remainder of appropriation in them, as long as the examination is for the purpose of growth in the dhamma, for the purpose of letting go, then I think it is appropriate to consider that under the dhamma-vicaya factor for awakening.

The support for being able to investigate with wisdom (dhamma-vicaya) is mindfulness of doctrine paired with unremitting mindfulness via satipatthana.

I just don’t see the suttas as necessitating a narrow definition of dhamma-vicaya. While certainly sati is always involved, and any experience can be categorized or viewed via the four establishments of sati, I don’t see the explicit taking up of satipatthana as a requirement. Except of course that whenever one is mindful of cultivating the factors of awakening one is engaged in satipatthana regarding dhammas.

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Just that you mentioned them often being talked about together and I was just saying that may be why.

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Indeed, they are tightly interwoven, showing up together in all sorts of ways.

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Thank you all for all the posts so far. Very helpful and civilized discussion.

So it seems that it’s more specific than just investigating things as a whole. It is a very important first focused step towards the fulfilment of the remaining awakening factors?

Could we say that if it is not making room for the next factors than it may not be dhamma vicaya?

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It seems to lead specifically to the awakening factor of energy, and caused by mindfulness, almost as if dhamma vicaya is a form of satipatthana.

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Yes, I agree. As per several sutta very helpfully quoted above, the suttas treat dhamma here as both the teachings and the “phenomena” or “principles” of the teaching as experienced by the meditator. And so the factor encompasses a wide range, for simply reflecting over a teaching, to profound insight. This is, I believe, why this wisdom factor is placed near the start of this set of Dhammas, in common with the eightfold path, but in distinction to the five faculties. As a general rule, where a wisdom factor occurs near the start, it means learning and conceptual understanding, while at the end, it means meditative insight and discernment. Of course, the fact that it starts as simple reflection doesn’t mean that it stays there: it is deepened throughout the process of meditation.

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I agree with ajhan Sujato. This could refer to moral and other elements of wisdom.

The Upanisa sutta (below) shows the broader context in which insight arises:

Release has its prerequisite, I tell you. It is not without a prerequisite. And what is its prerequisite? Dispassion… Disenchantment… Knowledge & vision of things as they actually are… Concentration… Pleasure… Serenity… Rapture… Joy… Conviction… Stress… Birth… Becoming… Clinging… Craving… Feeling… Contact… The six sense media… Name-&-form… Consciousness… Fabrications… Fabrications have their prerequisite, I tell you. They are not without a prerequisite. And what is their prerequisite? Ignorance, it should be said. SN12.23

"Develop concentration, monks. A concentrated monk discerns in line with what has come into being… SN22.5

Furthemore…

…And what does he discern in line with what has come into being? The origination & disappearance of form. The origination & disappearance of feeling… perception… fabrications. The origination & disappearance of consciousness. SN22.5

Dhammaviccaya could incorporate elements of right view and right intention, considering where it is placed, when compared with the N8FP. Keeping precepts is related to freedom from remorse and joy piti so that idea would further reinforce its inclusion of right intention, as component of wisdom.

with metta

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Is dhamma vicaya basically referring to the fourth frame of Satipatthana?

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It could be. Although mindfulness begins this deep investigation, and through that investigation it arouses your energy. So it’s almost as if it is meant not just to see these processes clearly, but to see that relinquishing craving toward them will lead to the cessation of suffering, and in doing so, giving you some heroic effort.

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Sorry for taking so long to get to this, but hopefully late is better than never. :slight_smile:

I believe the second one is better supported by the EBTs. The factors of awakening are really about samādhi practice, including the factors that lead to samādhi. They are very close to the sequence of dependent liberation, found e.g. at AN 10.2 , both being causal sequences where one factor leads to the next. It is this causality, to my mind, which necessitates a fairly narrow definition for each term in the sequence.

Dhammavicaya (“investigation of mental qualities”) is supported on one side by mindfulness and on the other side it leads to energy (viriya) and joy (pīti). As has been pointed out above, mindfulness here seems to be used quite broadly, and the suttas specifically support interpreting it as either satipaṭṭhāna or dhammānussatī. When it refers to satipaṭṭhāna, it makes good sense to equate dhammavicaya with dhammānupassanā, the last of the satipaṭṭhānas. Both have to do with understanding good and bad mental qualities, and both have samādhi as their aim. The purpose of investigating these mental qualities is obviously to enable you to let go of them. As you do so you are removing some of the last barriers to samādhi, and joy and energy will be the natural result. And this is what you see in the factors of awakening and also in dependent liberation.

When dhammavicaya refers to dhammānussatī, the process is slightly different. In this case, the removal of the defilements is more automatic. As you reflect on the Dhamma, your mind turns away from the world and the defilements go (see e.g. AN 6.10). Joy and energy are the natural outcome, just as in the case of satipaṭṭhāna. In this case the investigation of mental qualities is probably more to do with just observing the disappearance of defilements as you contemplate the Dhamma. You come to understand the process and what sort of contemplation works.

This is not to say, of course, that investigating “the wholesome and the unwholesome, the blameable and the blameless, the inferior and the superior” is not useful outside of this context. Obviously it is. The difference is that the removal of refined defilements takes more clarity and wisdom, and so happens at a later stage on the path.

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Thank you Bhante. :anjal: