Sigalovada Sutta is the 31st Sutta described in the Digha Nikaya

Digha Nikaya

The Digha Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the first of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...

 ("Long Discourses of Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...

"). It is also known as the Sīgāla Sutta, the Sīgālaka Sutta, the Sigālovāda Sutta, and the Sigālovāda Suttanta ("The Sigāla Homily").

Buddhaghosa

Buddhaghosa

Bhadantācariya Buddhaghoṣa（Chinese: 覺音）was a 5th-century Indian Theravadin Buddhist commentator and scholar. His best-known work is the Visuddhimagga, or Path of Purification, a comprehensive summary and analysis of the Theravada understanding of the Buddha's path to liberation...

 has referred to this sutta as "the Vinaya

Vinaya

The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha, based in the canonical texts called Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline...

 [Buddhist code of discipline] of the householder

Householder (Buddhism)

In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms. Most broadly, it refers to any layperson, and most narrowly, to a wealthy and prestigious familial patriarch...

."
In modern times, Bhikkhu Bodhi

Bhikkhu Bodhi

Bhikkhu Bodhi , born Jeffrey Block, is an American Theravada Buddhist monk, ordained in Sri Lanka and currently teaching in the New York/New Jersey area...

 has identified this sutta as the "most comprehensive Nikāya

Nikaya

Nikāya is a word of meaning "collection", "assemblage", "class" or "group" in both Pāḷi and Sanskrit. It is most commonly used in reference to the Buddhist texts of the Sutta Piṭaka, but can also refer to the monastic divisions of Theravāda Buddhism...

 text" which pertains "to the happiness directly visible in this present life."

Sigala's honoring his father

The Sigalovada Sutta takes place when Lord Buddha encountered a youth called Sigala in his morning stroll. The young man, in drenched attire, prostrated and worshipped the four compass direction (East, South, West and North), plus the Earth (Down) and the Sky (Up). When asked by Lord Buddha why he did so, the youth Sigala replied that he had been told by his late father to do so and he thought that it was right to uphold his father's wishes. Lord Buddha then, based on Sigala's point of view, taught him on how a noble one (Pali: ariya) should worship the Six directions.

Avoid evil ways

The Buddha first describes fourteen evil ways that should be avoided by a householder. The Buddha enumerates these evil ways to be avoided as:

• the four defilements of action:

1. taking life (panatipato)
2. stealing (adinnadanam)
   1. sexual misconduct (kamesu micchacaro)
3. lying (musavado)
   • the four causes of evil action:
4. desire (chanda)
5. hate (dosa)
6. ignorance (moha)
7. fear (bhaya)
   • the six ways of squandering wealth:
8. indulging in intoxicants
9. wandering the streets at inappropriate times
10. frequenting public spectacle
11. compulsive gambling
12. malevolent companionship
13. habitual idleness

Choose true friends

The Buddha then elaborated on the importance of having and being a true friend, as he described what true friends are; and what true friends are not; and, how true friends will aid in attaining a blissful life.

Protect close relationships

Finally, returning to the topic of the six directions, the Buddha described the Four Compass Direction as : parents (East), teachers (South), wife (West), and friends and colleagues (North), and the two vertical directions as: ascetics and Brahmins (Up) and the Servants (Down). He elaborated on how to respect and support them, and how in turn the Six will return the kindness and support.

The householder's commitments and the reciprocal acts of those he honors, as identified by the Buddha, are represented below in accordance with the four directions on the horizontal plane (east, south, west and north):

		North FRIENDS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		generosity kind words helpfulness impartiality integrity	supportiveness protect your wealth provide shelter loyalty honor your family
West WIFE				East PARENTS
commitments	reciprocal acts			commitments	reciprocal acts
honor her respect her fidelity share authority provide gifts	organize duties hospitality fidelity wise budgeting skillfulness			support them fulfill their duties honor traditions deserve inheritance honor their passing	restrain from evil nurture goodness teach skills arrange marriage provide inheritance
		South TEACHERS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		rise to greet them attend to them eager receptivity serve them master their teaching	thoroughly instruct ensure comprehension provide well-roundedness provide referrals ensure safety

Nadir WORKERS		To the left are shown the householder's commitments to and the reciprocal acts of employees and servants (representing the nadir, below the practitioner's body). To the right are shown the householder's commitments to and the reciprocal acts of religious guides (representing the zenith, above the practitioner's body).		Zenith ASCETICS
commitments	reciprocal acts			commitments	reciprocal acts
apt work just wages health care perks leave time	rise early stay late no stealing work well allegiance			loving acts loving speech loving thoughts hospitality material support	restrain  from evil nurture goodness lovingkindness enlighten clarify teach goodness

Contemporary commentaries

Bhikkhu Bodhi has contrasted the Buddha's responsibility-reciprocity statements with modern-day social theory, stating:

"This practice of 'worshipping the six directions,' as explained by the Buddha, presupposes that society is sustained by a network of interlocking relationships that bring coherence to the social order when its members fulfill their reciprocal duties and responsibilities in a spirit of kindness, sympathy, and good will.... Thus, for Early Buddhism

Early Buddhism

The term Early Buddhism can refer to:* Pre-sectarian Buddhism, which refers to the Teachings and monastic organization and structure, founded by Gautama Buddha....

, the social stability and security necessary for human happiness and fulfillment are achieved, not through aggressive and potentially disruptive demands for 'rights' posed by competing groups, but by the renunciation of self-interest and the development of a sincere, large-hearted concern for the welfare of others and the good of the greater whole."

See also

• Householder (Buddhism)
  Householder (Buddhism)
  In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms. Most broadly, it refers to any layperson, and most narrowly, to a wealthy and prestigious familial patriarch...
  
  
• Five Precepts

Related Suttas:

• Dhammika Sutta
  Dhammika Sutta
  The Dhammika Sutta is part of the Sutta Nipata. In this sutta, the Buddha instructs a lay disciple named Dhammika on rules for monks and on the "layman's rule[s] of conduct" .- Dhammika asks of virtue :...
  
   (Sn 2.14)
• Dighajanu Sutta
  Dighajanu Sutta
  The Dighajanu Sutta , also known as Byagghapajja Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta, is part of the Anguttara Nikaya . For Theravada scholars, this Pali canon discourse is one of several considered key to understanding Buddhist lay ethics...
  
  (AN 8.54)