Right View - Buddha Teaching Words | MN 9 Middle Length Discourses 9 - Samma Ditthi

Middle Length Discourses 9 Right View

So, I have heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. There Sariputta addressed the monks: “Reverends, monks!”

“Reverend,” they replied.

Sariputta said this:

“Reverends, they speak of this thing called ‘right view’. How do you define a noble disciple who has a “right view”, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

“Reverend, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable Sariputta. May Venerable Sariputta himself please clarify the meaning of this statement. The monks will listen and remember it.”

“Well then, reverends, listen and focus your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, reverend,” they replied.

Sariputta said this:

“A noble disciple understands the unskillful and its root, and the skillful and its root. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

So, what is the unskillful and what is its root? And, what is the skillful and what is its root?

Killing living creatures, stealing, wrong behaviors through senses; false speech or lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, or nonsense speech; and covetousness, ill will, and has a wrong view. This is called the unskillful.

And what is the root of the unskillful? Desire or greed, hatred, and delusion. This is called the root of the unskillful.

And what is the skillful?

Stop killing living creatures, Stop stealing, Stop wrong behaviors through senses; Stop false speech or lying, Stop divisive speech, Stop harsh speech, or Stop nonsense speech; and Stop covetousness, Stop ill will, and has a right view. This is called the skillful.

And what is the root of the skillful? No Desire or no greed, no hatred, and no delusion. This is called the root of the skillful.

A noble disciple understands in this way the unskillful and its root, and the skillful and its root. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendency to desire, got rid of the underlying tendency to repulsion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and has produced the knowledge, and make an end of suffering in this very life. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

Saying “Good, sir,” those monks approved and agreed with what Sariputta said.

Then, they asked another question:

“But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands nutriment, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

But what is nutriment? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these four nutriments. They maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those that are about to be born.

What four? Solid food, whether coarse solid or subtle food; contact is the second, mental intention is the third, and consciousness the is fourth.

The arising of craving lead to the arising of nutriment. When craving ceases, Nutriment ceases. 

The practice that leads to the cessation of nutriment is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

A noble disciple understands in the nutriment, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendency to desire, got rid of the underlying tendency to repulsion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and has produced the knowledge, and make an end of suffering in this very life. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

Saying “Good, sir,” those monks approved and agreed with what Sariputta said.

Then, they asked another question:

“But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands the suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

But what is suffering? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

Birth is suffering; old age is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are suffering; association with you don’t like is suffering; separation from you liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering. This is called suffering.

And what is the origin of suffering?

It’s the craving that leads to future lives, accompany with delight and desire, taking pleasure enjoying this and that. That is, craving for senses, craving for existence, and craving to no existence. This is called the origin of suffering.

And what is the cessation of suffering?

It’s the very same cravings are fading away and cease with nothing left over; giving them up, letting them go, releasing them, and not clinging to them. This is called the cessation of suffering.

And what is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering?

It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi. This is called the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

A noble disciple understands in the suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendency to desire, got rid of the underlying tendency to repulsion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and has produced the knowledge, and make an end of suffering in this very life. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

Saying “Good, sir,” those monks approved and agreed with what Sariputta said.

Then, they asked another question:

“But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation of old age and death.

But what are old age and death? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?

The old age, decrepitude, broken teeth, gray hair, wrinkly skin, diminished vitality, and failing faculties of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called old age.

And what is death?

The passing away, perishing, disintegration, demise, mortality, death, decease, breaking up of the aggregates, laying to rest of the corpse, and cutting off of the life faculty of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called death. 

Such is old age, and such is death. This is called old age and death. 

The arising of birth lead to the arising of old age and death. When birth ceases, Old age and death cease.

The practice that leads to the cessation of old age and death is simply this noble eightfold path: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands birth, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of birth.

But what is birth? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation? 

The birth, birth construct, conception, production related, manifestation of the aggregates, and acquisition of the sense fields of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called birth.

Arising of existence lead to arising of birth. When existence ceases, birth ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of birth is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands existence, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of existence.

But what is existence? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these three states of existence. Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of finer form, and the formless realm.

Arising of grasping lead to arising of Existence. When grasping ceases, existence ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of existence is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands grasping, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of grasping.

But what is grasping? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these four kinds of grasping. Grasping at senses delights, Grasping of views, Grasping of precepts behavior, and Grasping of a self.

The arising of craving lead to arising of Grasping. When craving ceases, Grasping cease.

The practice that leads to the cessation of grasping is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands craving, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of craving.

But what is craving? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these six classes of craving. Craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.

The arising of feeling lead to arising of Craving. When feeling ceases, Craving ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of craving is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of feeling.

But what is feeling? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these six classes of feeling. Feeling born of contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

The arising of contact lead to arising of Feeling. When contact ceases, Feeling ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of feeling is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands contact, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of contact.

But what is contact? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these six classes of physical contact. Contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

The arising of six sense fields lead to arising of Contact. When the six sense fields cease, Contact ceases . 

The practice that leads to the cessation of contact is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands the six sense fields, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation of the six sense fields.

But what are the six sense fields? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?

There are these six sense fields. The sense fields of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

The arising of name and form lead to arising of six sense fields. When name and form cease, The six sense fields cease.

The practice that leads to the cessation of the six sense fields is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands name and form, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation of name and form.

But what are name and form? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?

Feeling, perception, intention, contact, and focus of mind, this is called name. The four primary elements, and form derived from the four primary elements, this is called form.

Such is name and such is form. This is called name and form.

The arising of consciousness lead to the arising of Name and form. When consciousness ceases, Name and form cease. 

The practice that leads to the cessation of name and form is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of consciousness.

But what is consciousness? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these six classes of consciousness. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness.

The arising of process construction (sankhara), lead to the arising of consciousness. When process construction (sankhara) cease, Consciousness ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of consciousness is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands process construction (sankhara), their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation process construction (sankhara).

But what are process construction (sankhara)? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?

There are these three kinds of process construction. Process construction by way of body, speech, and mind.

The arising of ignorance lead to the arising of process construction. When ignorance ceases, Process construction cease.

The practice that leads to the cessation of process construction is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands ignorance, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation of ignorance.

But what is ignorance? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

Not knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called ignorance.

The arising of defilement (influences - asava) lead to the arising of Ignorance. When defilement (asava) ceases, Ignorance ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of ignorance is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

Saying “Good, sir,” those monks approved and agreed with what Sariputta said.

Then they asked another question: “But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

“There might, reverends.

A noble disciple understands defilement (influences - asava), its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

But what is defilement, asava? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?

There are these three defilements, asava. The defilements of senses delight (kama), defilement of existence (bhava), and defilement of ignorance (avijja).

The arising of ignorance lead to the arising of defilement. When ignorance ceases, Defilement ceases.

The practice that leads to the cessation of defilement is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.

A noble disciple understands in this way defilement, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendency to desire, got rid of the underlying tendency to repulsion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and has produced the knowledge, and make an end of suffering in this very life. When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has unshakable confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

This is what Venerable Sariputta said. Satisfied, the monks approved what Sariputta said.