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Selected Topics in
Development of Buddhism
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
CONCEPT OF NIYĀMA
BY
SANU MAHATTHANADULL, PH.D.
T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L B U D D H I S T S T U D I E S C O L L E G E , M C U
AUGUST 28, 2015
Examples of topic for doing
the assignments
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The Buddha’s Bodies (Kāya)
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Pure Mind (Amalavijñāna)
Emptiness (Suññatā)
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The Worthy One (Arahant)
The EnlightenmentBeing
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(Bodhisattva)
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The Supreme Happiness (Nibbāna) 
Action (Kamma)
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Reincarnation (Avatāra)
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Caste (Vañña)
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Meditation
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Tranquility development (Samatha- 
bhāvanā)
Insight meditation (Vipassanābhāvanā)
Ordination (Pabbajjā or
upasampadā)
Aggregate (Khandha)
The Four elements
Extremes (Antā)
Peace (Santi)
Niyāma
The monastic order (Saṅgha)
Characteristic behavior (Carita)
Cosmos (Cakkavāḷa)
Continueing…
Examples of topic for doing
the assignments (cont.)
 Origin of the world and the
universe
 Hell and Heaven
 The Three Spheres (Tebhūmi)
 Charity (Dāna)
 Merit (Puñña)
 A serpentlike water-god (Nāga)
 The Five precepts (Pañcasīla)
 The Fundamental Precepts
(Pāṭimokkha)
 The Buddha’s relics (Dhātu)
 The four requisites (Pacaya)
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Almfood (Piṇḍdapāta)
Forest Robe (Paṁsukūla-cīvara)
Ghost (Peta)
The Brahma world (Brahmacariya)
Buddha image (Buddhapaṭimā or
Buddharūpa)
Buddha’s footprint (Buddhapāda)
Vegetarianism (Maṁsavirati)
Sacrifice (Yañña)
Fetters (Saṁyojana)
Etc.
Niyāma: The Buddhist Laws
of Nature
How different between primary
and secondary sources?
 Meaning
 Constituents
 Significance
 etc.
1.Niyāma in Tipiṭaka
It has the more causative sense of:
 Inevitability
 certainty
 The nature of the fixed course
of the Dhamma.
1.Niyāma in Tipiṭaka (cont.)
The Paccayasutta:
katamo ca bhikkhave, paṭiccasamuppādo. jātipaccayā
bhikkhave jarāmaraṇaṃ uppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ
anuppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ ṭhitāva sā dhātu
dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā idapaccayatā
Whether there is an arising of Tathāgatas or no arising of
Tathāgatas, that element still persists, the stableness of the
Dhamma, the fixed course of the Dhamma (dhammaniyāmatā), specific conditionality.
S.II. 25.
1.Niyāma in Tipiṭaka (cont.)
The Uppādāyasutta:
uppādā vā bhikkhave tathāgatānaṃ anuppādā vā
tathāgatānaṃ ṭhitāva sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā
dhammaniyāmatā sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā’ti . . . sabbe
saṅkhārā dukkhā’ti . . . sabbe dhammā anattā’ti
Monks, whether there be an appearance or nonappearance of Tathāgata, this causal law of nature ,
this orderly fixing of things prevails, namely, All
phenomena are impermanent… misery. . . Not the self.
A.I.285.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma:
I. Bīja-niyāma
II. Utu-niyāma
III.Kamma-niyāma
IV.Dhamma-niyāma
V. Citta-niyāma
DhsA.272.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma
I. Bīja-niyāma:
Of these, the Germinal order [reveals] a giving of this and
that similar modes of fruition to this or that seed, as in the
gram’s top shoots sprouting to the north, the southern
creeper growing round a tree from the right, the
sunflower’s facing the sun, the Māluva creeper growing
towards a tree, the holes occurring in the top of the
cocoanut.
DhsA.272.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma
II. Utu-niyāma:
The Caloric order is the simultaneous
blossoming, fructifying and sprouting
of such and such trees at such and such
seasons.
DhsA.272.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma
III. Kamma-niyāma:
Thrice-conditioned
kamma
gives
thriceconditioned, twice-conditioned, unconditioned
result; twice-conditioned kamma gives twiceconditioned, unconditioned result, not thriceconditioned result – this giving of suitable results
by various kammas is the Moral Order.
DhsA.274.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma
IV. Dhamma-niyāma:
Bodhisats taking conception, being born of a
mother, their final enlightenment, as Tathāgata
turning the wheel of Dhamma, the surrender of life
and uter passing away:- the world-earthquake at
each is of the Dhamma Order.
DhsA.274.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold Niyāma
V. Citta-niyāma:
And when an object strikes the sentient organism there is
no doer or instigator to say, “Be thou adverting,” etc. From
the time the object strikes the sentient organism; each
according to its own nature adverting by the five doors
agitates the life-continuum, visual cognition accomplishes
the function of receiving, the resultant mind-cognitionelement that of examining, the inoperative mind-cognitionelement that of determining, apperception enjoys the taste
of the object:- all this is understood as the Psychical
Order.
DhsA.274.
2.Exegetical Works (cont.)
The Fivefold
Niyāma
Germinal
Order
Moral
Order
Caloric
Order
Psychical
Order
Dhamma
Order
3.Modern Interpretations
Buddha-Niyāma as the order of the Buddha
which showing that the enlightenment of the
Buddha was not coincidence. Meanwhile, SavakaNiyāma in his aspect means the order of the
disciples comprising the laymen, devas and
Brahmās who have received deliverance from any
one of the many Buddhas. Lastly, Jati-Niyāma
represents the order of birth
(Ledi Sayadaw, 1978: 178, 247)
3.Modern Interpretations (cont.)
The Sixfold Niyāma
Phra Debvedī has proposed
the Sixth Law called
Saṅgamaniyama
(Law of social-สังคมนิยมน์)
which related particularly to
human beings.
(Phra Debvedī , 2003 C.E: 156)
Conclusion of the Development
Tipiṭaka
Commentaries
1.Dhammaniyāmatā
1.Bīja-niyāma
-
2.Utu-niyāma
3.Kamma-niyāma
4.Dhamma-niyāma
5.Citta-niyāma
-
Ledi Sayadaw
1
2
3
4
5
6.Buddha-Niyāma
7.Savaka-Niyāma
8.Jati-Niyāma
Phra Debvedī
1
2
3
4
5
6.Saṅgamaniyama
-