➥ sottiya:

• for sottiya:
  • fully versed in Vedic scriptural knowledge
  • fully versed in profound knowledge

Etymologically: hearing

Sottiyo is linked to Vedic śrotas, ‘hearing.’

Brahmans: academic mastery

For Brahmanists and students, sottiyo meant academic mastery of the three Vedas:

• Fully versed in Vedic scriptural knowledge, perfect in Vedic scriptural knowledge,

Sottiyo vedasampanno. (Tha 1170-1)

Buddhists: arahantship

For Buddhists sottiyo implies arahantship: ‘fully versed in profound knowledge,’ which is defined in different ways. For example:

• One who has heard and fully understood the whole teaching… they call him fully versed in profound knowledge.

Sutvā sabbadhammaṁ abhiññāya loke… sottiyo ti. (Snp 534)

For further definitions, see Illustrations.

Teaching purposes: flow

For teaching purposes the Buddha sometimes linked sottiyo to srotas, stream or flow, the root of the word ‘rinsed.’ For example:

• Through the rinsing away of seven things a bhikkhu is fully versed in profound knowledge.

sattannaṁ bhikkhave dhammānaṁ nissutattā sottiyo hoti. (AN iv 145)

➥ sottiyo: (main article see: sottiya)

Illustration: sottiyo, fully versed in profound knowledge

Formerly I was Brahmā’s offspring, now I am a Brahman indeed,

Brahmabandhu pure āsiṁ so idānimhi brāhmaṇo

A master of the three final knowledges, fully versed in profound knowledge, one who is blessed with profound knowledge, spiritually cleansed.

Tevijjo sottiyo camhi vedagū camhi nahātako ti. (Thi 290)

Illustration: sottiyo, fully versed in profound knowledge

In what way is a bhikkhu one fully versed in profound knowledge?

Kathañca bhikkhave bhikkhu sottiyo hoti?

Unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors that are defiling, and which lead to renewed states of individual existence, suffering, unpleasant karmic consequences, and future birth, old age, and death are rinsed away from him

Nissutāssa honti pāpakā akusalā dhammā saṅkilesikā ponobhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇīyā. (MN i 280)

Illustration: sottiyo, fully versed in profound knowledge

Through the rinsing away of seven things a bhikkhu is fully versed in profound knowledge.

sattannaṁ bhikkhave dhammānaṁ nissutattā sottiyo hoti

1) the view of personal identity is rinsed away from him.

sakkāyadiṭṭhi nissutā hoti

2) doubt [about the excellence of the teaching] is rinsed away from him.

vicikicchā nissutā hoti

3) adherence to observances and practices is rinsed away from him.

sīlabbataparāmāso nissuto hoti

4) attachment is rinsed away from him.

rāgo nissuto hoti

5) hatred is rinsed away from him.

doso nissuto hoti

6) undiscernment of reality is rinsed away from him.

moho nissuto hoti

7) self-centredness is rinsed away from him.

māno nissuto hoti. (AN iv 145)

Illustration: sottiyo, fully versed in Vedic scriptural knowledge

• Even if one obtained a hundred lifetimes repeatedly amongst human beings, all of them as a brahman, and was fully versed in Vedic scriptural knowledge, perfect in Vedic scriptural knowledge,

Yo ca jātisataṁ gacche sabbā brāhmaṇajātiyo
Sottiyo vedasampanno manussesu punappunaṁ.

… And was a scholar [of the sacred texts], a master of the three Vedas, one would not deserve a fraction of the respect that is due [to Venerable MahāKassapa].

Ajjhāyako pi ce assa tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū
Etassa vandanāyetaṁ kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ. (Tha 1170-1)