The introductory verse to the discourse on the lawfulness of things, on the knowledge that comes before the knowledge of Nibbāna.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Dhammaniyāma Sutta, introducing it.
Historical background
ธัมมะนิยามะ is the lawfulness or fixed order of things — that certain things hold whether or not anybody notices them.
The book gives this printing no English title of its own, so the name used in the app is supplied.
Meaning and purpose
The verse places the discourse in a sequence of knowledges: the knowledge that arises before the knowledge of Nibbāna, and the lawfulness of things which is its object. What is being introduced is a preliminary rather than a culmination.
The content of that lawfulness is named in one line: impermanence, suffering, and the not-self of all things. Three items, and the discourse will do nothing but state them.
Calling this the knowledge that comes first is a claim about order. The three characteristics are not a conclusion drawn at the end of the path but the thing seen before anything else can be, which is why they are recited so often in this book.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 119 →
page 119ยัง เว นิพพานะญาณัสสะ ญาณัง ปุพเพ ปะวัตตะเต.
Yaṃ ve nibbānañāṇassa ñāṇaṃ pubbe pavattate.
The knowledge that arises before the knowledge of Nibbana —
ตัสเสวะ วิสะยีภูตา ยายัง ธัมมะนิยามะตา
Tasseva visayībhūtā yāyaṃ dhammaniyāmatā
that very lawfulness of things which is its object,
อะนิจจะตา ทุกขะตา จะ สัพเพสัง จะ อะนัตตะตา
Aniccatā dukkhatā ca sabbesaṃ ca anattatā
impermanence, suffering, and the not-self of all things:
ตัสสา ปะกาสะกัง สุตตัง ยัง สัมพุทเธนะ ภาสิตัง.
Tassā pakāsakaṃ suttaṃ yaṃ sambuddhena bhāsitaṃ.
the discourse that makes it known, spoken by the Awakened One.
สาธูนัง ญาณะจาเรนะ ยะถา พุทเธนะ เทสิตัง
Sādhūnaṃ ñāṇacārena yathā buddhena desitaṃ
For the good, by the course of knowledge, as the Buddha taught it,
โยนิโส ปะฏิปัต๎ยัตถัง ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Yoniso paṭipatyatthaṃ taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
and for the sake of wise practice — let us recite that discourse.