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- Majjhima Nikaya 9
- Sammaditthi Sutta
- The Discourse on Right View
- Translated from the Pali by Nanamoli Thera
edited and revised by Bhikkhu Bodhi
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
From The Discourse on Right View: The Sammaditthi Sutta and its Commentary
(WH 377/379), edited and revised by Bhikkhu Bodhi, (Kandy: Buddhist Publication
Society, 1991).
1. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi
in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. There the Venerable
Sariputta addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Friends, bhikkhus." --
"Friend," they replied. The Venerable Sariputta said this:
2. "'One of right view, one of right view' is said, friends. In what way is a
noble disciple one of right view, whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in
the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma?"
"Indeed, friend, we would come from far away to learn from the Venerable Sariputta
the meaning of this statement. It would be good if the Venerable Sariputta would explain
the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will remember
it."
"Then, friends, listen and attend closely to what I shall say."
"Yes, friend," the bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sariputta said this:
3. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome, the root of the
unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of right
view, whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at
this true Dhamma.
4. "And what, friends, is the unwholesome, what is the root of the unwholesome,
what is the wholesome, what is the root of the wholesome? Killing living beings is
unwholesome; taking what is not given is unwholesome; misconduct in sensual pleasures is
unwholesome; false speech is unwholesome; malicious speech is unwholesome; harsh speech is
unwholesome; gossip is unwholesome; covetousness is unwholesome; ill will is unwholesome;
wrong view is unwholesome. This is called the unwholesome.
5. "And what is the root of the unwholesome? Greed is a root of the unwholesome;
hate is a root of the unwholesome; delusion is a root of the unwholesome. This is called
the root of the unwholesome.
6. "And what is the wholesome? Abstention from killing living beings is wholesome;
abstention from taking what is not given is wholesome; abstention from misconduct in
sensual pleasures is wholesome; abstention from false speech is wholesome; abstention from
malicious speech is wholesome; abstention from harsh speech is wholesome; abstention from
gossip is wholesome; non-covetousness is wholesome; non-ill will is wholesome; right view
is wholesome. This is called the wholesome.
7. "And what is the root of the wholesome? Non-greed is a root of the wholesome;
non-hate is a root of the wholesome; non-delusion is a root of the wholesome. This is
called the root of the wholesome.
8. "When a noble disciple has thus understood the unwholesome, the root of the
unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, he entirely abandons the
underlying tendency to lust, he abolishes the underlying tendency to aversion, he
extirpates the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am,' and by abandoning
ignorance and arousing true knowledge he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that
way too a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is straight, who has perfect
confidence in the Dhamma and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
9. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
10. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands nutriment, the origin of
nutriment, the cessation of nutriment, and the way leading to the cessation of nutriment,
in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
11. "And what is nutriment, what is the origin of nutriment, what is the cessation
of nutriment, what is the way leading to the cessation of nutriment? There are these four
kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that already have come to be and for the
support of those seeking a new existence. What four? They are physical food as nutriment,
gross or subtle; contact as the second; mental volition as the third; and consciousness as
the fourth. With the arising of craving there is the arising of nutriment. With the
cessation of craving there is the cessation of nutriment. The way leading to the cessation
of nutriment is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration.
12. "When a noble disciple has thus understood nutriment, the origin of nutriment,
the cessation of nutriment, and the way leading to the cessation of nutriment, he entirely
abandons the underlying tendency to greed, he abolishes the underlying tendency to
aversion, he extirpates the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am,' and by
abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge he here and now makes an end of
suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is straight,
who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
13. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
14. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands suffering, the origin of
suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way leading to the cessation of suffering,
in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
15. "And what is suffering, what is the origin of suffering, what is the cessation
of suffering, what is the way leading to the cessation of suffering? Birth is suffering;
aging is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain,
grief and despair are suffering; not to obtain what one wants is suffering; in short, the
five aggregates affected by clinging are suffering. This is called suffering.
16. "And what is the origin of suffering? It is craving, which brings renewal of
being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delights in this and that; that is, craving
for sensual pleasures, craving for being and craving for non-being. This is called the
origin of suffering.
17. "And what is the cessation of suffering? It is the remainderless fading away
and ceasing, the giving up, relinquishing, letting go and rejecting of that same craving.
This is called the cessation of suffering.
18. "And what is the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this
Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right concentration. This is called the way
leading to the cessation of suffering.
19. "When a noble disciple has thus understood suffering, the origin of suffering,
the cessation of suffering, and the way leading to the cessation of suffering...he here
and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right
view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
20. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
21. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands aging and death, the origin of
aging and death, the cessation of aging and death, and the way leading to the cessation of
aging and death, in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true
Dhamma.
22. "And what is aging and death, what is the origin of
aging and death, what is the cessation of aging and death, what is the way leading to the
cessation of aging and death? The aging of beings in the various orders of beings, their
old age, brokenness of teeth, grayness of hair, wrinkling of skin, decline of life,
weakness of faculties -- this is called aging. The passing of beings out of the various
orders of beings, their passing away, dissolution, disappearance, dying, completion of
time, dissolution of the aggregates, laying down of the body -- this is called death. So
this aging and this death are what is called aging and death. With the arising of birth
there is the arising of aging and death. With the cessation of birth there is the
cessation of aging and death. The way leading to the cessation of aging and death is just
this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right concentration.
23. "When a noble disciple has thus understood aging and death, the origin of
aging and death, the cessation of aging and death, and the way leading to the cessation of
aging and death...he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble
disciple is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
24. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
25. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands birth, the origin of birth, the
cessation of birth, and the way leading to the cessation of birth, in that way he is one
of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
26. "And what is birth, what is the origin of birth, what is the cessation of
birth, what is the way leading to the cessation of birth? The birth of beings into the
various orders of beings, their coming to birth, precipitation [in a womb], generation,
manifestation of the aggregates, obtaining the bases for contact -- this is called birth.
With the arising of being there is the arising of birth. With the cessation of being there
is the cessation of birth. The way leading to the cessation of birth is just this Noble
Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right concentration.
27. "When a noble disciple has thus understood birth, the origin of birth, the
cessation of birth, and the way leading to the cessation of birth...he here and now makes
an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma."
28. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
29. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands being, the origin of being, the
cessation of being, and the way leading to the cessation of being, in that way he is one
of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
30. "And what is being, what is the origin of being, what is the cessation of
being, what is the way leading to the cessation of being? There are these three kinds of
being: sense-sphere being, fine-material being and immaterial being. With the arising of
clinging there is the arising of being. With the cessation of clinging there is the
cessation of being. The way leading to the cessation of being is just this Noble Eightfold
Path; that is, right view...right concentration.
31. "When a noble disciple has thus understood being, the origin of being, the
cessation of being, and the way leading to the cessation of being...he here and now makes
an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma."
32. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
33. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands clinging, the origin of clinging,
the cessation of clinging, and the way leading to the cessation of clinging, in that way
he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
34. "And what is clinging, what is the origin of clinging, what is the cessation
of clinging, what is the way leading to the cessation of clinging? There are these four
kinds of clinging: clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rituals
and observances, and clinging to a doctrine of self. With the arising of craving there is
the arising of clinging. With the cessation of craving there is the cessation of clinging.
The way leading to the cessation of clinging is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is,
right view...right concentration.
35. "When a noble disciple has thus understood clinging, the origin of clinging,
the cessation of clinging, and the way leading to the cessation of clinging...he here and
now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and
has arrived at this true Dhamma."
36. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
37. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands craving, the origin of craving,
the cessation of craving, and the way leading to the cessation of craving, in that way he
is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
38. "And what is craving, what is the origin of craving, what is the cessation of
craving, what is the way leading to the cessation of craving? There are these six classes
of craving: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for odors, craving for flavors,
craving for tangibles, craving for mind-objects. With the arising of feeling there is the
arising of craving. With the cessation of feeling there is the cessation of craving. The
way leading to the cessation of craving is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right
view...right concentration.
39. "When a noble disciple has thus understood craving, the origin of craving, the
cessation of craving, and the way leading to the cessation of craving...he here and now
makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma."
40. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
41. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands feeling, the origin of feeling,
the cessation of feeling, and the way leading to the cessation of feeling, in that way he
is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
42. "And what is feeling, what is the origin of feeling, what is the cessation of
feeling, what is the way leading to the cessation of feeling? There are these six classes
of feeling: 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. With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling. With the
cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling. The way leading to the cessation
of feeling is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right concentration.
43. "When a noble disciple has thus understood feeling, the origin of feeling, the
cessation of feeling, and the way leading to the cessation of feeling...he here and now
makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma."
44. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
45. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands contact, the origin of contact,
the cessation of contact, and the way leading to the cessation of contact, in that way he
is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
46. "And what is contact, what is the origin of contact, what is the cessation of
contact, what is the way leading to the cessation of contact? There are these six classes
of contact: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact,
mind-contact. With the arising of the sixfold base there is the arising of contact. With
the cessation of the sixfold base there is the cessation of contact. The way leading to
the cessation of contact is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right
concentration.
47. "When a noble disciple has thus understood contact, the origin of contact, the
cessation of contact, and the way leading to the cessation of contact...he here and now
makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma."
48. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
49. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands the sixfold base, the origin of
the sixfold base, the cessation of the sixfold base, and the way leading to the cessation
of the sixfold base, he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
50. "And what is the sixfold base, what is the origin of the sixfold base, what is
the cessation of the sixfold base, what is the way leading to the cessation of the sixfold
base? There are these six bases: the eye-base, the ear-base, the nose-base, the
tongue-base, the body-base, the mind-base. With the arising of mentality-materiality there
is the arising of the sixfold base. With the cessation of mentality-materiality there is
the cessation of the sixfold base. The way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base is
just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right concentration.
51. "When a noble disciple has thus understood the sixfold base, the origin of the
sixfold base, the cessation of the sixfold base, and the way leading to the cessation of
the sixfold base...he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble
disciple is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
52. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
53. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands mentality-materiality, the origin
of mentality-materiality, the cessation of mentality-materiality, and the way leading to
the cessation of mentality-materiality, in that way he is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma.
54. "And what is mentality-materiality, what is the origin of
mentality-materiality, what is the cessation of mentality-materiality, what is the way
leading to the cessation of mentality-materiality? Feeling, perception, volition, contact
and attention -- these are called mentality. The four great elements and the material form
derived from the four great elements -- these are called materiality. So this mentality
and this materiality are what is called mentality-materiality. With the arising of
consciousness there is the arising of mentality-materiality. With the cessation of
consciousness there is the cessation of mentality-materiality. The way leading to the
cessation of mentality-materiality is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right
view...right concentration.
55. "When a noble disciple has thus understood mentality-materiality, the origin
of mentality-materiality, the cessation of mentality-materiality, and the way leading to
the cessation of mentality-materiality...he here and now makes an end of suffering. In
that way too a noble disciple is one of right view...and has arrived at this true
Dhamma."
56. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question:
"But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right
view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
57. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands consciousness, the origin of
consciousness, the cessation of consciousness, and the way leading to the cessation of
consciousness, in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
58. "And what is consciousness, what is the origin of consciousness, what is the
cessation of consciousness, what is the way leading to the cessation of consciousness?
There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness,
nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness. With the
arising of formations there is the arising of consciousness. With the cessation of
formations there is the cessation of consciousness. The way leading to the cessation of
consciousness is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right
concentration.
59. "When a noble disciple has thus understood consciousness, the origin of
consciousness, the cessation of consciousness, and the way leading to the cessation of
consciousness...he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble
disciple is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
60. Saying, "Good friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
61. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands formations, the origin of
formations, the cessation of formations, and the way leading to the cessation of
formations, in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
62. "And what are formations, what is the origin of formations, what is the
cessation of formations, what is the way leading to the cessation of formations? There are
these three kinds of formations: the bodily formation, the verbal formation, the mental
formation. With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of formations. With the
cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of formations. The way leading to the
cessation of formations is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view...right
concentration.
63. "When a noble disciple has thus understood formations, the origin of
formations, the cessation of formations, and the way leading to the cessation of
formations...he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple
is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
64. Saying, "Good friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view...and has
arrived at this true Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
65. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands ignorance, the origin of
ignorance, the cessation of ignorance, and the way leading to the cessation of ignorance,
in that way he is one of right view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
66. "And what is ignorance, what is the origin of ignorance, what
is the cessation of ignorance, what is the way leading to the cessation of ignorance? Not
knowing about suffering, not knowing about the origin of suffering, not knowing about the
cessation of suffering, not knowing about the way leading to the cessation of suffering --
this is called ignorance. With the arising of the taints there is the arising of
ignorance. With the cessation of the taints there is the cessation of ignorance. The way
leading to the cessation of ignorance is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right
view...right concentration.
67. "When a noble disciple has thus understood ignorance, the origin of ignorance,
the cessation of ignorance, and the way leading to the cessation of ignorance...he here
and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right
view...and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
68. Saying, "Good, friend," the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the
Venerable Sariputta's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend,
might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is
straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma and has arrived at this true
Dhamma?" -- "There might be, friends.
69. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands the taints, the origin of the
taints, the cessation of the taints, and the way leading to the cessation of the taints,
in that way he is one of right view, whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in
the Dhamma and has arrived at this true Dhamma.
70. "And what are the taints, what is the origin of the taints, what is the
cessation of the taints, what is the way leading to the cessation of the taints? There are
three taints: the taint of sensual desire, the taint of being and the taint of ignorance.
With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of the taints. With the cessation of
ignorance there is the cessation of the taints. The way leading to the cessation of the
taints is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right
speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration.
71. "When a noble disciple has thus understood the taints, the origin of the
taints, the cessation of the taints, and the way leading to the cessation of the taints,
he entirely abandons the underlying tendency to lust, he abolishes the underlying tendency
to aversion, he extirpates the underlying tendency to the view and conceit 'I am,' and by
abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge he here and now makes an end of
suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is straight,
who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma and has arrived at this true Dhamma."
That is what the Venerable Sariputta said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in
the Venerable Sariputta's words.