Study the Organization of Perseverance for Purity in the Dasuttara Sutta

Abstract

This academic article aims to examine the doctrinal framework of “energy for purity” as presented in the Dasuttara Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya, Pāṭikavagga, a text distinguished by its systematic arrangement of teachings from onefold to tenfold classifications. The present study focuses on investigating the concept of effort (viriya) as a crucial factor conducive to the attainment of purity in morality (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā), drawing upon explanations found in the Tipiṭaka, its commentaries, and the Visuddhimagga. The findings indicate that the notion of effort in the Dasuttara Sutta extends beyond general industriousness in worldly activities. It encompasses contemplative or meditative effort, constituting the “energy for purity,” ranging from sīlavisuddhi (purification of morality) to vimuttivisuddhi (purification of deliverance). Such effort functions to eradicate unwholesome states and to cultivate wholesome qualities, thereby directly contributing to the purification of the mind and forming the foundation for the seven stages of purification outlined in the Visuddhimagga—from sīlavisuddhi to ñāṇadassanavisuddhi. Furthermore, the emphasis on effort in the Dasuttara Sutta reflects the principle of anupubbapaṭipadā, or gradual practice, which proceeds step by step without skipping stages, and requires sustained effort as its essential driving force. The study also highlights that effort in this sutta embodies both viriyārambha (the earnest arousing of effort) and viriyaparipūraṇa (the fulfillment or perfection of effort), making it an indispensable factor in consummating purity and ultimately realizing the noble path, its fruition, and Nibbāna. Thus, the doctrinal insights on “energy for purity” in the Dasuttara Sutta hold profound value both in theoretical Buddhist studies and in practical meditative application, particularly as a guiding principle for the cultivation of insight meditation leading to the realization of the Path, Fruition, and Nibbāna.