MN 9
PTS: M
i 46
Sammaditthi Sutta: The Discourse on Right
View
translated from the Pali by
Ñanamoli Thera & Bhikkhu Bodhi
©
1998
Alternate translation: Thanissaro
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.