What was not said

[Aloka]

In my opinion this sutta is extremely important, when taking into account all the additions that appear to have been added on to the teachings of the historical Buddha after his death.

AN 2:23 Abhasita Sutta: What Was Not Said


"Monks, these two slander the Tathagata. Which two? He who explains what was not said or spoken by the Tathagata as said or spoken by the Tathagata. And he who explains what was said or spoken by the Tathagata as not said or spoken by the Tathagata. These are two who slander the Tathagata."


https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....023.than.html

[Aloka]

Any comments?

[McKmike]

In my opinion this sutta is extremely important, when taking into account all the additions that appear to have been added on to the teachings of the historical Buddha after his death.

I agree, the Pali Canon was a verbal transmission of the Buddha's teaching, it was not committed to writing for several centuries after the Buddhas death

Therefore crucial to the preservation of the teachings is the accuracy of transmission, it is widely accepted that there were additions and alterations to some of the suttas, there is a whole academic pursuit comparing different sources to try to find the earliest Buddhist teaching, the Buddhas actual words

It is, however, in my opinion, not as so important to Buddhists as it would be to most other religions, because Buddha was very clear that what he was expounding was a path to be trodden by each individual, with a view to experience the understandings Buddha pointed to, not a slavish adherence to the scriptures