The Dhammika Sutta is part of the Sutta Nipata

Sutta Nipata

The Sutta Nipata is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. All its suttas consist largely of verse, though some also contain some prose. It is divided into five sections:...

(Sn 2.14). In this sutta

Sutra

Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...

, the Buddha instructs a lay disciple named Dhammika on rules for monks and on the "layman's rule[s] of conduct" (gahatthavatta).

Dhammika asks of virtue

In the sutta

Sutra

Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...

, Dhammika, along with 500 other lay followers (Pali

Páli

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: pancahi upasake

Upasaka

Upāsaka or Upāsikā are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant". This is the title of followers of Buddhism who are not monks, nuns, or novice monastics in a Buddhist order, and who undertake certain vows...

-satehi), approaches the Buddha and his monks (Pali: bhikkhavo

Bhikkhu

A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...

) and Dhammika asks the Buddha how should a disciple (Pali: sāvako) be virtuous (Pali: sādhu) — both a disciple who has gone from home to homeless (Pali: agārā anagārameti) and a disciple from a household (Pali: agārino ... panupāsakāse). Dhammika then proceeds to extol the Buddha's compassion and wisdom.

Monastic virtue

In response to Dhammika's question, the Buddha first addresses his monks and advises them as follows:

• do alms rounds at the appropriate time
• be rid of interest in the five senses
• return from alms rounds, sit alone and turn inward
• do not slander or blame others or seek out disputation
• care for your food, dwelling and robes but do not become attached to them

Lay virtue

The Buddha notes that a householder's obligations prevent a householder from fully pursuing a monk's path. Thus, the Buddha articulates "the layman's duty" (Pali: gahatthavatta), what are essentially the Five Precepts, as follows:

• Do not kill or hurt living things or incite others to kill
• Avoid taking what is not given or inciting others to do so
• Observe celibacy or at least do not have sex with another's wife
• Do not lie or incite others to lie
• Do not drink or incite others to drink intoxicants

For the Uposatha

Uposatha

The Uposatha is Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time , and still being kept today in Buddhist countries. The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy...

, the Buddha extols the practice of the Eight Precepts, which involve the aforementioned Five Precepts (with celibacy alone identified for the third precept) and the following three precepts added:

• Do not eat at inappropriate times (traditionally meaning, one meal before noon)
• Do not wear garlands or perfumes
• Sleep at floor level

The Buddha further stated that, when celebrating the Uposatha, with a purified heart (Pali: pasanna citto) and rejoicing mind (Pali: anumodamāno), the wise (Pali: viññu) share their food and drink with monks of the Sangha

Sangha

Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...

.

In the sutta's last verse, the Buddha advises that, if a lay person supports their parents and engages in fair trading, they will be reborn among self-radiant deva

Deva (Buddhism)

A deva in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being....

s.

See also

• Householder (Buddhism)
  Householder (Buddhism)
  In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms. Most broadly, it refers to any layperson, and most narrowly, to a wealthy and prestigious familial patriarch...
  
  
• Upasaka
  Upasaka
  Upāsaka or Upāsikā are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant". This is the title of followers of Buddhism who are not monks, nuns, or novice monastics in a Buddhist order, and who undertake certain vows...
  
  
• Five Precepts
• Eight Precepts
• Uposatha
  Uposatha
  The Uposatha is Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time , and still being kept today in Buddhist countries. The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy...
  
  
• Related Suttas:
• Dighajanu Sutta
  Dighajanu Sutta
  The Dighajanu Sutta , also known as Byagghapajja Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta, is part of the Anguttara Nikaya . For Theravada scholars, this Pali canon discourse is one of several considered key to understanding Buddhist lay ethics...
  
   (AN
  Anguttara Nikaya
  The Anguttara Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
  
   8.54)
• Sigalovada Sutta
  Sigalovada Sutta
  Sigalovada Sutta is the 31st Sutta described in the Digha Nikaya . It is also known as the Sīgāla Sutta, the Sīgālaka Sutta, the Sigālovāda Sutta, and the Sigālovāda Suttanta ....
  
   (DN
  Digha Nikaya
  The Digha Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the first of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
  
  31)