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There's not much background to this question. Did the Buddha ever receive a teaching after his enlightenment; a teaching that he accepted and made use of, either his own or another - or perhaps a teaching from another being other than a human.

Please provide sutta references.

I'm asking because of this term commonly found near or at the end of suttas: 'the job has been done, there is nothing more for this world'

Another way to put it: can one be independent of the teachings? If not, what situations would call forth the remembering and practising of the teachings for an enlightened mind?

Thanks

ADDITIONAL EDIT:

In my quest to answer this question I had found a sutta in which the Buddha had asked Venerable Mahacunda to give him a teaching on the enlightenment factors. You can read it here.

Also, the second part of the question is answered here which references this sutta here.

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  • The answer to this question -- Reference request for “the Buddha takes the Dhamma as his superior” -- might be a partial answer to the questions in the last paragraph above.
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented May 20, 2021 at 20:51
  • @ChrisW - yes, it partially answers the question, but I found a sutta where the Buddha had asked one of his disciples for a teaching. It's very interesting to me! I'll update the question soon.
    – user17652
    Commented May 21, 2021 at 6:19

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I found a sutta where the Buddha had asked one of his disciples for a teaching

Consider this

Then Ven. Sariputta addressed the monks: "Friend monks."

"Yes, friend," the monks responded to him.

Ven. Sariputta said: "All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of five motivations. Which five?

"One asks a question of another through stupidity & bewilderment. One asks a question of another through evil desires & overwhelmed with greed. One asks a question of another through contempt. One asks a question of another when desiring knowledge. Or one asks a question with this thought,[1] 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'

"All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of these five motivations. And as for me, when I ask a question of another, it's with this thought: 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].' - AN 5:165

He whose victory cannot be undone,whose victory no one here approaches, the Buddha, whose range is endless,by what path can you lead the pathless one? - Dhp

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Lord Buddha didn't receive any teachings after his Enlightenment. He spoke with various philosophers, however, and they told him many interesting things, but that doesn't count as "receiving teachings".

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The Buddha, being fully enlightened and fully liberated, does not really need any new teachings for spiritual liberation from anyone, for his benefit.

However, he may ask his arahant disciples to provide teachings or elaboration for the benefit of the unenlightened.

An example of this is SN 12.31. It ends with:

“Good, good, Sāriputta!... (the Buddha repeats here the entire statement of the Venerable Sāriputta) ... it is in such a way that the meaning of this, stated in brief, should be understood in detail.”

Please also see this answer. The Buddha denied complete omniscience. He could potentially know and understand all things, but not all at the same time. He only possesses the full knowledge and understanding of spiritual liberation.

With regards to other types of knowledge, for e.g. of science, the Buddha possesses the intellectual capacity to understand them. So, the Buddha can still receive teachings unrelated to spiritual liberation from others.

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  • 46.16 says he asked Venerable Mahacunda for a teaching on the enlightenment factors. If he did it once, he must have done it before. Have I misinterpreted that sutta? Is there another meaning to it?
    – user17652
    Commented May 22, 2021 at 16:56
  • @NeuroMax The Buddha wanted Ven. Mahacunda to recite or express his understanding of the enlightenment factors, and then the Buddha, his teacher, approved his recitation or understanding. The Buddha did not learn anything new from Ven. Mahacunda.
    – ruben2020 ♦
    Commented May 23, 2021 at 11:28
  • I think one can go further than "does not really need any new teachings for spiritual liberation from anyone" to does not need any teachings at all. He is a Buddha, perfect in behavior & traditions of the Noble One's, he knows everything a Buddha needs to know because he is one and his ranges are limitless. It is said that he even opened up heaven's & hell for all to see ... i think that if someone was to teach a Buddha then the universe wouldn't be able to live with itself, is my conviction.
    – user8527
    Commented May 24, 2021 at 11:08
  • @Buddhism Please see this answer. The Buddha denied complete omniscience. He could potentially know and understand all things, but not all at the same time. He only possesses the full knowledge and understanding of spiritual liberation. With regards to other types of knowledge, for e.g. of science, the Buddha possesses the intellectual capacity to understand them. So, the Buddha can still receive teachings unrelated to spiritual liberation from others.
    – ruben2020 ♦
    Commented May 24, 2021 at 12:09
  • You are making a mistake saying that knowing & seeing things simultaneously is the same as having a capacity to understand. Mn90: Great king, I recall making this statement: ‘There is no ascetic or brahmin who knows all and sees all simultaneously: that is not possible.’”. The Buddha can know & see all things heard, senses or cognized, he can also know the mind of another with his mind. Traditional Theravada holds that he can know anything he directs his mind to albeit not simultaneously. This notion of being capable to understand through instruction is kind of absurd.
    – user8527
    Commented May 24, 2021 at 12:25

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