9.
The Discourse on Right View
89. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks: "Friends, monks!" "Friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"'Right view, right view', friend, is said. In what respect, friend, is a noble disciple one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching?"
"We would come even from afar, friend, to the presence of the Venerable Sāriputta to understand the meaning of this statement. It would be good indeed if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Venerable Sāriputta himself. Having heard from the Venerable Sāriputta, the monks will remember it." "If so, friends, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"Since, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome and understands the unwholesome root, understands the wholesome and understands the wholesome root - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is the unwholesome, what is the unwholesome root, what is the wholesome, what is the wholesome root? Killing living beings, friends, is unwholesome, taking what is not given is unwholesome, sexual misconduct is unwholesome, lying is unwholesome, divisive speech is unwholesome, harsh speech is unwholesome, idle chatter is unwholesome, covetousness is unwholesome, anger is unwholesome, wrong view is unwholesome - this is called, friends, the unwholesome. And what, friends, is the unwholesome root? Greed is an unwholesome root, hate is an unwholesome root, delusion is an unwholesome root - this is called, friends, the unwholesome root.
"And what, friends, is the wholesome? Abstention from killing living beings is wholesome, abstention from taking what is not given is wholesome, abstention from sexual misconduct is wholesome, abstention from lying is wholesome, abstention from divisive speech is wholesome, abstention from harsh speech is wholesome, abstention from idle chatter is wholesome, non-covetousness is wholesome, non-anger is wholesome, right view is wholesome - this is called, friends, the wholesome. And what, friends, is the wholesome root? Non-greed is a wholesome root, non-hate is a wholesome root, non-delusion is a wholesome root - this is called, friends, the wholesome root.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands the unwholesome, thus understands the unwholesome root, thus understands the wholesome, thus understands the wholesome root, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
90. "Good, friend," those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for the Venerable Sāriputta's saying, asked the Venerable Sāriputta a further question - "But might there be, friend, another method by which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching?"
"There might be, friends. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands nutriment, understands the origin of nutriment, understands the cessation of nutriment, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of nutriment - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is nutriment, what is the origin of nutriment, what is the cessation of nutriment, what is the practice leading to the cessation of nutriment? There are, friends, these four nutriments for the presence of beings or for the support of those seeking birth. Which four? Edible food, gross or subtle, contact is the second, mental volition is the third, consciousness is the fourth. From the origin of craving is the origin of nutriment, from the cessation of craving is the cessation of nutriment, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of nutriment, as follows - right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands nutriment, thus understands the origin of nutriment, thus understands the cessation of nutriment, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of nutriment, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
91. "Good, friend," those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for the Venerable Sāriputta's saying, asked the Venerable Sāriputta a further question - "But might there be, friend, another method by which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching?"
"There might be, friends. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands suffering, understands the origin of suffering, understands the cessation of suffering, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is suffering, what is the origin of suffering, what is the cessation of suffering, what is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering? Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish are suffering, association with what is not dear is suffering, separation from what is dear is suffering, not getting what one wishes for is also suffering, in brief, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering - this is called, friends, suffering. And what, friends, is the origin of suffering? It is this craving which leads to rebirth, accompanied by delight and lust, finding delight here and there, as follows - sensual craving, craving for existence, craving for non-existence - this is called, friends, the origin of suffering. And what, friends, is the cessation of suffering? That which is the complete fading away and cessation of that very craving without remainder, the giving up, the relinquishment, the freedom, the non-attachment - this is called, friends, the cessation of suffering. And what, friends, is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration - this is called, friends, the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands suffering, thus understands the origin of suffering, thus understands the cessation of suffering, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
92. "Good, friend," those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for the Venerable Sāriputta's saying, asked the Venerable Sāriputta a further question - "But might there be, friend, another method by which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching?"
"There might be, friends. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands ageing and death, understands the origin of ageing and death, understands the cessation of ageing and death, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of ageing and death - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is ageing and death, what is the origin of ageing and death, what is the cessation of ageing and death, what is the practice leading to the cessation of ageing and death? Whatever ageing, decaying, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, deterioration of life span, maturing of the faculties of those various beings in those various orders of beings - this is called, friends, ageing. And what, friends, is death? Whatever passing away, decease, breaking up, disappearance, death, dying, making of time, breaking up of the aggregates, discarding of the body, arrest of the life faculty of those various beings from those various orders of beings - this is called, friends, death. Thus this ageing and this death - this is called, friends, ageing and death. From the origin of birth is the origin of ageing and death, from the cessation of birth is the cessation of ageing and death, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of ageing and death, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands ageing and death, thus understands the origin of ageing and death, thus understands the cessation of ageing and death, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of ageing and death, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
93. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands birth, understands the origin of birth, understands the cessation of birth, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of birth - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is birth, what is the origin of birth, what is the cessation of birth, what is the practice leading to the cessation of birth? Whatever birth, coming into being, descent, production, manifestation of the aggregates, acquisition of the sense bases of those various beings in those various orders of beings - this is called, friends, birth. From the origin of becoming is the origin of birth, from the cessation of becoming is the cessation of birth, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of birth, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands birth, thus understands the origin of birth, thus understands the cessation of birth, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of birth, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
94. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands existence, understands the origin of existence, understands the cessation of existence, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of existence - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is existence, what is the origin of existence, what is the cessation of existence, what is the practice leading to the cessation of existence? There are these three existences, friends - sensual existence, fine-material existence, immaterial existence. From the origin of clinging is the origin of existence, from the cessation of clinging is the cessation of existence, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of existence, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands existence, thus understands the origin of existence, thus understands the cessation of existence, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of existence, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering. To this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
95. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands clinging, understands the origin of clinging, understands the cessation of clinging, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of clinging - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is clinging, what is the origin of clinging, what is the cessation of clinging, what is the practice leading to the cessation of clinging? There are these four kinds of clinging, friends - clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to moral rules and austerities, clinging to the doctrine of self. From the origin of craving is the origin of clinging, from the cessation of craving is the cessation of clinging, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of clinging, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands clinging, thus understands the origin of clinging, thus understands the cessation of clinging, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of clinging, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
96. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands craving, understands the origin of craving, understands the cessation of craving, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of craving - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is craving, what is the origin of craving, what is the cessation of craving, what is the practice leading to the cessation of craving? There are these six classes of craving, friends - craving for visible form, craving for sound, craving for odour, craving for flavour, craving for tangible object, craving for mental objects. From the origin of feeling is the origin of craving, from the cessation of feeling is the cessation of craving, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of craving, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands craving, thus understands the origin of craving, thus understands the cessation of craving, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of craving, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
97. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands feeling, understands the origin of feeling, understands the cessation of feeling, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of feeling - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is feeling, what is the origin of feeling, what is the cessation of feeling, what is the practice leading to the cessation of feeling? There are these six classes of feeling, friends - feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of mind-contact. From the origin of contact is the origin of feeling, from the cessation of contact is the cessation of feeling, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of feeling, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands feeling, thus understands the origin of feeling, thus understands the cessation of feeling, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of feeling, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
98. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands contact, understands the origin of contact, understands the cessation of contact, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of contact - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is contact, what is the origin of contact, what is the cessation of contact, what is the practice leading to the cessation of contact? There are these six classes of contact, friends - eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact. From the origin of the six sense bases is the origin of contact, from the cessation of the six sense bases is the cessation of contact, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of contact, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands contact, thus understands the origin of contact, thus understands the cessation of contact, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of contact, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
99. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands the six sense bases, understands the origin of the six sense bases, understands the cessation of the six sense bases, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of the six sense bases - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, are the six sense bases, what is the origin of the six sense bases, what is the cessation of the six sense bases, what is the practice leading to the cessation of the six sense bases? There are, friends, these six sense bases - the eye sense base, the ear sense base, the nose sense base, the tongue sense base, the body sense base, the mind sense base. From the origin of mentality-materiality is the origin of the six sense bases, from the cessation of mentality-materiality is the cessation of the six sense bases, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of the six sense bases, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands the six sense bases, thus understands the origin of the six sense bases, thus understands the cessation of the six sense bases, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of the six sense bases, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
100. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands mentality-materiality, understands the origin of mentality-materiality, understands the cessation of mentality-materiality, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of mentality-materiality - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is mentality-materiality, what is the origin of mentality-materiality, what is the cessation of mentality-materiality, what is the practice leading to the cessation of mentality-materiality? Feeling, perception, volition, contact, attention - this is called, friends, mentality; the four primary elements and the materiality derived from the four primary elements - this is called, friends, materiality. Thus this mentality and this materiality - this is called, friends, mentality-materiality. From the origin of consciousness is the origin of mentality-materiality, from the cessation of consciousness is the cessation of mentality-materiality, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of mentality-materiality, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands mentality-materiality, thus understands the origin of mentality-materiality, thus understands the cessation of mentality-materiality, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of mentality-materiality, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
101. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands consciousness, understands the origin of consciousness, understands the cessation of consciousness, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is consciousness, what is the origin of consciousness, what is the cessation of consciousness, what is the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness, friends - eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness. From the origin of activities is the origin of consciousness, from the cessation of activities is the cessation of consciousness, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands consciousness, thus understands the origin of consciousness, thus understands the cessation of consciousness, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, etc. makes an end of suffering - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
102. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands activities, understands the origin of activities, understands the cessation of activities, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of activities - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, are activities, what is the origin of activities, what is the cessation of activities, what is the practice leading to the cessation of activities? There are these three activities, friends - bodily activity, verbal activity, mental activity. From the origin of ignorance is the origin of activities, from the cessation of ignorance is the cessation of activities, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of activities, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands activities, thus understands the origin of activities, thus understands the cessation of activities, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of activities, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
103. "Good, friend," indeed etc. asked - "But might there be, friend, etc. "There might be, friend. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands ignorance, understands the origin of ignorance, understands the cessation of ignorance, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of ignorance - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is ignorance, what is the origin of ignorance, what is the cessation of ignorance, what is the practice leading to the cessation of ignorance? Whatever, friends, is not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering, not knowing the cessation of suffering, not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of suffering - this is called, friends, ignorance. From the origin of mental corruptions is the origin of ignorance, from the cessation of mental corruptions is the cessation of ignorance, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of ignorance, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands ignorance, thus understands the origin of ignorance, thus understands the cessation of ignorance, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of ignorance, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
104. "Good, friend," those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for the Venerable Sāriputta's saying, asked the Venerable Sāriputta a further question - "But might there be, friend, another method by which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching?"
"There might be, friends. Since, friends, a noble disciple understands mental corruption, understands the origin of mental corruption, understands the cessation of mental corruption, and understands the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruption - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching. But what, friends, is mental corruption, what is the origin of mental corruption, what is the cessation of mental corruption, what is the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruption? There are these three mental corruptions, friends - mental corruption of sensuality, mental corruption of existence, mental corruption of ignorance. From the origin of ignorance is the origin of mental corruption, from the cessation of ignorance is the cessation of mental corruption, it is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruption, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.
"Since, friends, a noble disciple thus understands mental corruption, thus understands the origin of mental corruption, thus understands the cessation of mental corruption, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruption, he, having completely abandoned the underlying tendency to lust, having dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, having abolished the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am', having abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, makes an end of suffering in this very life - to this extent too, friends, a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is upright, who is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, who has arrived at this Good Teaching."
This the Venerable Sāriputta said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Venerable Sāriputta had said.
The Discourse on Right View is concluded as ninth.