Venerable members of the Sangha,
Venerable fellows,
valued Upasaka, Upasika
Buddha-parisata,
"entertaining" here another time for a good, or follow the ways of the Noble-Ones, to often discuss and cross-question matters wit each other (even if practical no more required for the questioner, the asked or even both):
Venerable
Ariyadhammika - while discussing matters on Vinaya, better on
certain usuals in the practice of Duthangas - generously shared the four great references mentioned in AN 4.180 and DN16. Asked if Bhante might be pleased and approves further detail investigation of the meaning of the Sutta, if he would like to help here, he stayed silent. Staying silent my person assumes it as being an acceptance and so would like to invite foremost the Theras and Venerables, coming in touch with the topic, to help, out of compassion, to get a good understanding of the meaning.
Here the translated and given part from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (my person has current no possibility to supply with a, for the Sangha, given-to-make-use-of-it-translation on AN 4.180.
The Four Great References
7. And there the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Now, bhikkhus, I shall make known to you the four great references. [37] Listen and pay heed to my words." And those bhikkhus answered, saying:
"So be it, Lord."
8-11. Then the Blessed One said: "In this fashion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might speak: 'Face to face with the Blessed One, brethren, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives a community with elders and a chief. Face to face with that community, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name live several bhikkhus who are elders, who are learned, who have accomplished their course, who are preservers of the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the Summaries. Face to face with those elders, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives a single bhikkhu who is an elder, who is learned, who has accomplished his course, who is a preserver of the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the Summaries. Face to face with that elder, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation.'
"In such a case, bhikkhus, the declaration of such a bhikkhu is neither to be received with approval nor with scorn. Without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is not the Blessed One's utterance; this has been misunderstood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it. But if the sentences concerned are traceable in the Discourses and verifiable by the Discipline, then one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is the Blessed One's utterance; this has been well understood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' And in that way, bhikkhus, you may accept it on the first, second, third, or fourth reference. These, bhikkhus, are the four great references for you to preserve."
Here it has been said, delivered (my person hopes that he had traced the right Pali-section for it as well):
Without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline...
Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṃ – ‘addhā, idaṃ tassa bhagavato vacanaṃ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tesañca therānaṃ suggahita’nti.
[/bockq]
What is the meaning of "one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline", how should this be understood. What counts as source of Sutta (Dhamma), source of Vinaya? What is meant by "this is the Blessed One's utterance"?
Related to it my person comes a Sutta to mind, where people criticized another to do not recite the texts of the Buddha, the Buddha never said this, and the Buddha declared that what ever dhammic teaching a Noble person would give, would count as said by the Buddha.
(My person just did not remember the name of it, Nyom
Moritz once quoted it in the talk-box in relation of "proving another attainments from time to time, and proving ones own", which was advocated by the criticized person and rejected to have not been told by the Buddha.)
Related to it also a certain structure of relay-ability comes to mind, starting with the lowest trustworthy source, ones own opinion, goes on to a knower of one book, two, three, then one who has mastered the Jhanas, Streamenter, Oncereturner... and finally the Arahat as highest kind of teacher, relay-ability (parts of this comment might have it's origin in the commentaries).
In how far can all this be possible adopted to merely literary sources most might have access? Would just relay on literary sources give even the possibility to prove within this standards, lacking on refined sources find only by Noble Ones?
My person hopes he could give here useful anchors to investigate this topic as well as hints on slippery tracks possible to use by defilement to take them as an anchor.
May the Venerable Ones, out of compassion, help to get a good and most proper understanding of the meaning, while providing a way of thinking suitable for possible many states of developments of wisdom and attentivity.
May who ever knowledgeable, or tracing good accounts, feel free of giving into this topic here.