<p>According to the commentary on that sutta (via Ven. Mingun Sayadaw):</p>
<ul>
<li>Suttas</li>
<li>Suttānuloma: the great authorities as described in the Vinaya and in the discourses</li>
<li>Ācariyavāda/Aṭṭhakathā: the ancient commentaries</li>
<li>Attanomati: views held by elder bhikkhus</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-30T18:54:51.013Z
2023-04-30T18:54:51.013Z
Zac Anger
<p>The Mahāpadesa Sutta describes about the &quot;Four Great Authorities (Mahāpadesas)&quot; that a disciple should refer, if any one claims some new thing to be the word of the Budhha.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www2.buddhistdoor.net/dictionary/details/mahapadesa-sutta" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mahāpadesa Sutta Summary:</a></p>
<p>The Buddha tells the monks of the four mahāpadesā to be respected by
them. If a monks says he has a certain teaching direct from the Buddha
himself, his statement should be compared with the rest of the Vinaya
and Dhamma; if these do not agree, it should be rejected; if they do,
accepted.</p>
<p>The same applies to that which is said to have been learnt from a
group of monks led by a Thera from a body of senior monks residing in
a certain place, or from a single senior monk, proficient in the
Dhamma, the Vinaya, and the Mātikā. A.ii.167ff.; the sutta is
incorporated in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (D.ii.123ff).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Apart from the above four great authorities, Theravadins use another four Authorities called &quot;The Four Vinayas&quot;. What are they?</p>

<theravada><commentary>
What are the "Four Vinayas"?
# What are the "Four Vinayas"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-10-05)

The Mahāpadesa Sutta describes about the "Four Great Authorities (Mahāpadesas)" that a disciple should refer, if any one claims some new thing to be the word of the Budhha.

> [Mahāpadesa Sutta Summary:](https://www2.buddhistdoor.net/dictionary/details/mahapadesa-sutta)
>
> The Buddha tells the monks of the four mahāpadesā to be respected by
> them. If a monks says he has a certain teaching direct from the Buddha
> himself, his statement should be compared with the rest of the Vinaya
> and Dhamma; if these do not agree, it should be rejected; if they do,
> accepted.
>
> The same applies to that which is said to have been learnt from a
> group of monks led by a Thera from a body of senior monks residing in
> a certain place, or from a single senior monk, proficient in the
> Dhamma, the Vinaya, and the Mātikā. A.ii.167ff.; the sutta is
> incorporated in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (D.ii.123ff).

Apart from the above four great authorities, Theravadins use another four Authorities called "The Four Vinayas". What are they?

**Tags:** theravada, commentary


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-04-30. Score: 1

According to the commentary on that sutta (via Ven. Mingun Sayadaw):

* Suttas
* Suttānuloma: the great authorities as described in the Vinaya and in the discourses
* Ācariyavāda/Aṭṭhakathā: the ancient commentaries
* Attanomati: views held by elder bhikkhus


---

