The Six Directions in the Navakovada: What They Are and the Duties of Each

The six directions in the Navakovada in full, with explanations: parents, teachers, wife and children, friends, those who work for us, and ascetics and brahmins, with the duties both ways, from the Sigālaka Sutta

The six directions are six groups of people around us, whom the Buddha compared to the six directions of space: mother and father are the front direction, teachers the right-hand direction, children and wife the rear direction, friends the left-hand direction, servants and workers the lower direction, and ascetics and brahmins the upper direction. Each direction has duties running both ways. The source is the Sigālaka Sutta (DN 31) in the Tipitaka, and the Navakovada sums it up point by point in its section on practice for lay people. This page quotes the six directions of the Navakovada in full, explains each direction, gives the Pali from the discourse with a translation, a simple map of the six directions, and how to use them in daily life.

What are the six directions? Their source in the Sigālaka Sutta

In the Sigālaka Sutta the Buddha is staying in the Bamboo Grove near Rājagaha. One morning a young man named Sigālaka, a householder's son, rises early, leaves the city and, with his clothes and hair still wet, raises his joined palms to the various directions: east, south, west, north, below and above. The Buddha, entering the city for alms, sees him and asks why he is doing this. Sigālaka answers that on his deathbed his father told him to revere the directions, and he does so out of respect for his father's words. The Buddha says:

Na kho, gahapatiputta, ariyassa vinaye evaṁ cha disā namassitabbā.

Householder's son, that is not how the six directions are revered in the training of the noble one.

DN 31

So Sigālaka asks to be taught how the directions are revered in the noble one's training. The Buddha does not forbid revering the directions; he gives it a new meaning. The six directions are six groups of people bound up with us, and revering them is doing our duty towards those people well. After the duties of each direction, the discourse repeats that the direction is then covered and protected, safe and free of danger.

Evamassa esā puratthimā disā paṭicchannā hoti khemā appaṭibhayā.

And that is how his eastern direction is covered, safe and free of danger.

DN 31

So the six directions mean the relationships around us, in which each side looks after the other, not directions in space. When we fulfil our duties towards a direction, that direction is covered: that side of our life is secure and safe.

What are the six directions? The Navakovada's wording

The Navakovada, a widely used first-level Dhamma textbook, places the six directions in its section on practice for lay people, in the chapter of sixes. The list of the six under the heading 'The six directions' reads as follows in the Navakovada's own wording (our translation).

• Puratthima-disa, the front direction: mother and father.
• Dakkhina-disa, the right-hand direction: teachers.
• Pacchima-disa, the rear direction: children and wife.
• Uttara-disa, the left-hand direction: friends.
• Hetthima-disa, the lower direction: servants.
• Uparima-disa, the upper direction: ascetics and brahmins.

The Navakovada gives its source as the Pāṭika section of the Dīgha Nikāya, where the Sigālaka Sutta is found. The names of the directions are Pali: puratthima is east, dakkhiṇa south, pacchima west, uttara north, heṭṭhima below and uparima above. The six directions of the Navakovada call the first four the front, the right, the rear and the left, because when you stand facing east, south is on your right, west behind you and north on your left. In Pali itself, puratthima also means 'in front' and dakkhiṇa also means 'right'. The word bao, 'servant', in the Navakovada means a domestic servant; the discourse says dāsakammakarā, slaves and hired workers. Today this corresponds to employees and everyone who works for us.

A simple map of the six directions

Picture yourself in the centre, standing and facing east. The six groups of people are around you like this:

• Centre: you, with duties towards every direction
• In front (east): mother and father
• On the right (south): teachers
• Behind (west): children and wife, or partner and children
• On the left (north): friends and colleagues
• Below: servants, employees and those who work for us
• Above: ascetics and brahmins, that is, monastics and people of virtue

The commentary on the discourse explains the positions roughly like this. Parents are in front because they helped us before anyone else. Teachers are on the right because they are worthy of honour and offerings. Children and wife are behind because they follow after us. Friends are on the left because with friends we get across all kinds of difficulty. Those who work for us are below because, in the society of that time, they served at one's feet. And ascetics and brahmins are above because they stand high in virtue. An easy way to remember: in front are those who came before us, behind are those who follow us, on the right are those who give us knowledge, on the left are the friends who help us, below are those who help with our work, and above are those who show the mind its way.

The six directions: duties running both ways

The heart of the six directions is duty that runs both ways. One side should look after the other in five ways, and the side looked after in this way helps in return in five ways, except for the upper direction, where ascetics and brahmins help in return in six ways. The sections below quote the six directions of the Navakovada in full, direction by direction, and then explain them in today's language, compared with the Sigālaka Sutta.

The front direction: mother and father

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 1, quoted from the original (our translation): '1. Puratthima-disa, the front direction, mother and father: a child should look after them in five ways.'

1. They raised me; I support them in return.
2. Doing their work for them.
3. Keeping up the family line.
4. Conducting oneself so as to be worthy of the inheritance.
5. When they have passed away, making merit and dedicating it to them.

'Mother and father, looked after in this way, help their child in five ways:'

1. Keeping them from doing evil.
2. Settling them in good.
3. Having them learn an art and a skill.
4. Finding them a suitable wife.
5. Handing over property at the proper time.

In the discourse the child resolves on five things: they raised me, so I will support them in return; I will do their work; I will keep up the family line; I will look after the inheritance; and when they have passed away I will make an offering for them. The Navakovada explains the fourth as conducting oneself so as to be worthy of the inheritance: being a child the parents can trust to look after what they built, not just waiting to inherit. The parents keep the child from evil, settle them in good, have them learn a way to earn a living, help them find a suitable partner, which reflects a society in which parents arranged marriages, and hand over property at the proper time. In life today, the child's duty means caring for parents in old age, keeping in touch, helping with what they can no longer manage, and not harming the family's good name. The parents' duty means setting an example, giving an education, and preparing the child to stand on their own feet.

The right-hand direction: teachers

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 2, quoted from the original (our translation): '2. Dakkhina-disa, the right-hand direction, the teacher: a pupil should look after the teacher in five ways.'

1. By rising to greet them.
2. By going to wait on them.
3. By listening to them.
4. By attending to their needs.
5. By learning their art respectfully.

'The teacher, looked after in this way, helps the pupil in five ways:'

1. Training them well.
2. Teaching them well.
3. Teaching the whole art, hiding nothing.
4. Speaking well of them among friends.
5. Providing protection in every direction (that is, wherever they go, they will not go hungry).

The teacher in this direction means anyone who teaches knowledge and skills, so today it includes schoolteachers, university lecturers and those who train us at work. The pupil shows respect, comes when it is time to learn, listens well, helps look after the teacher, and studies with care. The word the Navakovada renders as 'obey' means in Pali listening attentively, out of a wish to learn, not doing what one is told without thinking. The teacher trains the pupil well, makes sure they understand clearly, teaches everything without holding back, introduces the pupil to friends and people in the field, and provides protection in every direction, which the Navakovada explains as 'wherever they go, they will not go hungry': the skills the teacher gives will support the pupil anywhere.

The rear direction: children and wife

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 3, quoted from the original (our translation): '3. Pacchima-disa, the rear direction, the wife: a husband should look after her in five ways.'

1. By honouring her as his wife.
2. By not looking down on her.
3. By not being unfaithful to her.
4. By giving her authority.
5. By giving her clothing and adornments.

'The wife, looked after in this way, helps her husband in five ways:'

1. Managing the work well.
2. Caring well for her husband's people.
3. Not being unfaithful to her husband.
4. Guarding the wealth her husband has earned.
5. Being diligent and not lazy in all her tasks.

In the list of directions, the rear direction is children and wife, but in the duties both the discourse and the Navakovada speak only of husband and wife, because the duties between parents and children were already given under the front direction. The husband honours his wife, does not look down on her, is faithful, gives her authority over the household, and gives her clothing and adornments. The wife runs the household well, looks after the household and her husband's people, is faithful, guards what has been earned, and is diligent in every task. The details reflect families in the Buddha's time, but the main principles, respect, faithfulness, shared authority, care for each other and looking after the family's resources, apply to both partners today.

The left-hand direction: friends

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 4, quoted from the original (our translation): '4. Uttara-disa, the left-hand direction, friends: a person of good family should look after friends in five ways.'

1. By sharing.
2. By pleasant speech.
3. By doing what benefits them.
4. By being the same towards them.
5. By not deliberately saying what is untrue.

'Friends, looked after in this way, help him in five ways:'

1. Protecting their friend when he is careless.
2. Protecting their friend's property when he is careless.
3. Being a refuge when there is danger.
4. Not abandoning him in misfortune.
5. Respecting even his family line.

The first four ways of treating friends, sharing, speaking well, helping and being even-minded, match the four sangahavatthu exactly. The fifth is keeping your word and not departing from the truth. In the discourse the word for friends, mitta, is paired with amacca, meaning colleagues and companions, so this direction includes colleagues too. Friends looked after this way give back by protecting us when we slip, looking after our property when we are off guard, being a refuge in danger, not abandoning us in misfortune, and respecting our family and descendants. Earlier on, the Sigālaka Sutta also teaches how to tell four kinds of false friend, the taker, the talker, the flatterer and the one who leads you to ruin, from four kinds of true friend: the helper, the friend in good times and bad, the one who gives good advice, and the one who truly cares. The Navakovada sums these up in its section on lay practice as well.

The lower direction: servants and workers

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 5, quoted from the original (our translation): '5. Hetthima-disa, the lower direction, servants: a master should look after them in five ways.'

1. By assigning work according to their strength.
2. By giving food and pay.
3. By caring for them when they are sick.
4. By sharing special delicacies with them.
5. By giving them leave at the proper times.

'Servants, looked after in this way, help their master in five ways:'

1. Starting work before the master.
2. Finishing work after the master.
3. Taking only what the master gives.
4. Doing the work well and better.
5. Spreading the master's good name wherever they go.

In life today, this direction is employees, staff and everyone who works for us. The employer's duty is to give work that fits each person's strength, pay wages and benefits, look after them when they are ill, share special things, such as a reward or a gift when a job is done, and give rest at the proper times. Employees give back by starting early, finishing late, taking nothing they are not allowed, doing the work better and better, and speaking well of their employer. Note that the discourse begins with the employer's duties: fair workloads, pay, care in sickness and time off. When an employer treats workers fairly, their diligence and honesty follow.

The upper direction: ascetics and brahmins

The six directions of the Navakovada, item 6, quoted from the original (our translation): '6. Uparima-disa, the upper direction, ascetics and brahmins: a person of good family should look after them in five ways.'

1. By bodily action: doing everything with loving-kindness.
2. By speech: saying everything with loving-kindness.
3. By thought: thinking everything with loving-kindness.
4. By keeping an open door: not barring them from the house.
5. By giving material gifts.

'Ascetics and brahmins, looked after in this way, help him in six ways:'

1. Keeping him from doing evil.
2. Settling him in good.
3. Helping him with a kind heart.
4. Letting him hear what he has not heard.
5. Making clear what he has already heard.
6. Showing him the way to heaven.

Ascetics and brahmins in the Buddha's time meant religious people and teachers of religion in general; today the term corresponds to monks, nuns, and people who keep the precepts and teach the Dhamma. Householders treat them with kindly deeds, words and thoughts, keep their door open to them, and offer the requisites they need, as far as they can. Note that this is the only direction that helps in return in six ways: keeping us from evil, settling us in good, helping with a kind heart, letting us hear what we have not heard, making clear what we have heard, and showing the way to a good destination. So the duty of monastics towards householders is to teach and guide, not merely to receive offerings.

Before the six directions: fourteen things to leave behind

The Sigālaka Sutta does not start with the six directions. The Buddha first says that a noble disciple who has left fourteen bad things behind has the six directions covered and is practising to win in both this world and the next. The fourteen are:

• The four corrupt deeds, actions that stain a life: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying, which match the first four of the five precepts.
• The four kinds of bias: doing wrong out of favouritism, hostility, delusion or fear. Read more on the four biases.
• The six drains on wealth: drinking, roaming the streets at night, chasing shows and festivals, gambling, keeping bad company, and laziness at work. The discourse lists six drawbacks for each.

The order matters. Before we can look after the people around us, we must look after our own conduct. Someone still caught up in drink, gambling or bias cannot fully do their duty to parents, partner or friends. The discourse also advises dividing wealth into four parts: one to spend, two to invest in work, and one to keep for hard times. The corrupt deeds, the drains on wealth, and the false and true friends are also summed up in the Navakovada's section on lay practice.

The closing verses: the Pali with a translation

When he has taught the duties of every direction, the Buddha sums up in verse:

Mātāpitā disā pubbā,
ācariyā dakkhiṇā disā;
Puttadārā disā pacchā,
mittāmaccā ca uttarā.
Dāsakammakarā heṭṭhā,
uddhaṁ samaṇa brāhmaṇā;
Etā disā namasseyya,
alamatto kule gihī.

Mother and father are the east, teachers the south, children and wife the west, friends and colleagues the north, servants and workers below, ascetics and brahmins above. A householder able to care for the family should revere these directions.

DN 31

The verses that follow praise the virtuous, the gentle, the hard-working, those not shaken by misfortune, and those who know how to support others, as the kind who win honour; then they end with the verses on the ways of holding together: giving, kind words, helpful conduct and equal treatment. So the six directions and the ways of holding together are one teaching: the six directions say whom we have duties towards, and the ways of holding together say how to hold their hearts. At the end of the discourse Sigālaka declares himself a lay follower, going for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha for life.

The six directions as a teaching for daily life

Revering the directions in this teaching does not mean facing any way. It means checking whether we are doing our duty to each group of people. A simple way is to go through them one at a time, for example once a week.

• Front: call or visit your parents, take care of what they can no longer manage, and protect the family's good name.
• Right: thank your teachers or those who trained you, study with care, and if you teach, teach everything without holding back.
• Rear: respect your partner, be faithful, share the responsibilities at home, and look after the family's resources together.
• Left: keep your word to friends, stand by them in hard times, and do not depart from the truth.
• Below: if people work for you, give fair workloads, pay on time, look after them when ill, and let them rest. If you are an employee, do good, honest work.
• Above: approach monastics and Dhamma teachers with kindness, support them as you can, and ask about what you don't yet know.

One person stands in several directions at once. We are our parents' child and may be our children's parent, the pupil of some teachers and the teacher of others, an employee and perhaps an employer. So the six directions do not give one set of duties; they give duties for each role we have in each relationship. A similar teaching is found in the Mangala Sutta, which counts caring for mother and father and cherishing children and partner among the highest blessings.

The six directions in the Navakovada in brief

• The six directions are six groups of people around us: parents, teachers, children and wife, friends, servants and workers, and ascetics and brahmins.
• The source is the Sigālaka Sutta (DN 31), and the six directions of the Navakovada are in its section on lay practice, in the chapter of sixes.
• Each direction has duties both ways, five on each side, except that ascetics and brahmins help in return in six ways.
• Revering the directions in the noble one's training means doing our duty to these people, not bowing to directions in space.
• Before we can look after the six directions, we must give up the four corrupt deeds, the four biases and the six drains on wealth.

Based on: Siṅgāla Sutta (DN 31) · Navakovada (public domain) · Maṅgala Sutta (Snp 2.4)