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Majjhima Nikāya 117

Mahācattārīsakasutta

The Great Forty · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heard—sutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monastery.ārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā mendicantsbhikkhū addressed:āmantesi:
"mendicants"“bhikkhavo”ti.
"venerable sir"“Bhadante”ti theyte mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato replied.paccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said this:etadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

noble“ariyaṁ to youvo, mendicantsbhikkhave, right immersionsammāsamādhiṁ I will teachdesessāmi with its vital conditionssaupanisaṁ with its prerequisitessaparikkhāraṁ.
thatTaṁ listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū to the Buddhabhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the BuddhaBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

“Mendicants, I will teach you noble right immersion with its vital conditions and its prerequisites. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

what“Katamo andca, monksbhikkhave, nobleariyo right immersionsammāsamādhi with its vital conditionssaupaniso with its prerequisites?saparikkhāro?
that is, right view,Seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right purpose,sammāsaṅkappo, right speech,sammāvācā, right action,sammākammanto, right livelihood,sammāājīvo, right effort,sammāvāyāmo, right mindfulness;sammāsati;
whichyā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, with theseimehi with seven factorssattahaṅgehi of mindcittassa unificationekaggatā as prerequisites—parikkhatā—
thisayaṁ is called,vuccati, monksbhikkhave, nobleariyo right immersionsammāsamādhi with its vital conditionssaupaniso alsoitipi, with its prerequisitessaparikkhāro also.itipi.

“And what is noble right immersion with its vital conditions and its prerequisites? They are: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness. Unification of mind with these seven factors as prerequisites is called noble right immersion ‘with its vital conditions’ and also ‘with its prerequisites’.

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi going firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi going firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
wrong viewMicchādiṭṭhiṁ as wrong view‘micchādiṭṭhī’ti understandspajānāti, right viewsammādiṭṭhiṁ as right view‘sammādiṭṭhī’ti this is hispajānāti—sāssa ishoti right viewsammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong view as wrong view and right view as right view, that’s your right view.

whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhi?
there is not‘Natthi givingdinnaṁ, there is notnatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ, there is notnatthi offeringhutaṁ, there is notnatthi of good and badsukatadukkaṭānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, there is notnatthi thisayaṁ worldloko, there is notnatthi otherparo worldloko, there is notnatthi mothermātā, there is notnatthi fatherpitā, there is notnatthi beingssattā spontaneously rebornopapātikā, there is notnatthi in the worldloke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye and thisimañca worldlokaṁ and the otherparañca worldlokaṁ oneselfsayaṁ with insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā describepavedentī’ti—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhi.

And what is wrong view? ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is wrong view.

whichKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi?
right view, I say, is twofoldSammādiṭṭhimpahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofolddvāyaṁ I sayvadāmi—
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi accompanied by defilementssāsavā partakes of good deedspuññabhāgiyā ripens in attachmentsupadhivepakkā;
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā.

And what is right view? Right view is twofold, I say. There is right view that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments. And there is right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi accompanied by defilementssāsavā partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyā ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakkā?
there is‘Atthi givingdinnaṁ, there isatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ, there isatthi offeringhutaṁ, there isatthi of good and bad deedssukatadukkaṭānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, there isatthi thisayaṁ worldloko, there isatthi otherparo worldloko, there isatthi mothermātā, there isatthi fatherpitā, there isatthi beingssattā spontaneously rebornopapātikā, there isatthi in the worldloke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye thisimañca worldlokaṁ otherparañca worldlokaṁ with their ownsayaṁ insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā they describepavedentī’ti—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi accompanied by defilementssāsavā partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyā ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakkā.

And what is right view that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments? ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is right view that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments.

whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā?
whichYā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, intent on the nobleariyacittassa intent on the undefiledanāsavacittassa who possesses the noble pathariyamaggasamaṅgino the noble pathariyamaggaṁ developingbhāvayato wisdompaññā the faculty of wisdompaññindriyaṁ the power of wisdompaññābalaṁ the awakening factor of investigation of principlesdhammavicayasambojjhaṅgo right viewsammādiṭṭhi as a factor of the pathmaggaṅgaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā.

And what is right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the wisdom—the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, the awakening factor of investigation of principles, and right view as a factor of the path—in one intent on the noble, intent on the undefiled, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is called right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

heSo wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhiyā for the abandoning ofpahānāya strivesvāyamati, right viewsammādiṭṭhiyā, for the attainment ofupasampadāya, that for him issvāssa ishoti right effortsammāvāyāmo.
heSo mindfulsato wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhiṁ gives uppajahati, mindfulsato right viewsammādiṭṭhiṁ having embracedupasampajja dwellsviharati, that for him issāssa ishoti right mindfulnesssammāsati.
thus theseItiyime threetayo thingsdhammā right viewsammādiṭṭhiṁ run afteranuparidhāvanti circle aroundanuparivattanti, namelyseyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right effortsammāvāyāmo, right mindfulnesssammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong view and embrace right view: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong view and embrace right view: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right view, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

in this contextTatra, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
wrong purposeMicchāsaṅkappaṁ 'wrong purpose'‘micchāsaṅkappo’ti one understandspajānāti, right purposesammāsaṅkappaṁ 'right purpose'‘sammāsaṅkappo’ti one understandspajānāti, that is one'ssāssa ishoti right viewsammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong purpose as wrong purpose and right purpose as right purpose, that’s your right view.

whichKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, wrong purposemicchāsaṅkappo?
purpose of sensualityKāmasaṅkappo, purpose of malicebyāpādasaṅkappo, purpose of crueltyvihiṁsāsaṅkappo—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wrong purposemicchāsaṅkappo.

And what is wrong purpose? Purposes of sensuality, of malice, and of cruelty. This is wrong purpose.

whichKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo?
right purposeSammāsaṅkappampahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofolddvāyaṁ I sayvadāmi—
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko;
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro factor of the pathmaggaṅgo.

And what is right purpose? Right purpose is twofold, I say. There is right purpose that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments. And there is right purpose that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko?
purpose of renunciationNekkhammasaṅkappo, purpose of good willabyāpādasaṅkappo, purpose of harmlessnessavihiṁsāsaṅkappo:
this‘ayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko’.

And what is right purpose that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments? Purposes of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is right purpose that is accompanied by defilements.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro a factor of the pathmaggaṅgo?
whichYo indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, of one intent on the nobleariyacittassa of one intent on the undefiledanāsavacittassa who possesses the noble pathariyamaggasamaṅgino the noble pathariyamaggaṁ developingbhāvayato thinkingtakko placing of the mindvitakko thoughtsaṅkappo plantingappanā implantingbyappanā of the mindcetaso embeddingabhiniropanā verbal processvacīsaṅkhāro—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro a factor of the pathmaggaṅgo.

And what is right purpose that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the thinking—the placing of the mind, thought, planting, implanting, embedding of the mind, verbal process—in one intent on the noble, intent on the undefiled, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right purpose that is noble.

heSo of wrong purposemicchāsaṅkappassa for the giving uppahānāya makes an effortvāyamati, of right purposesammāsaṅkappassa for the embracingupasampadāya, for him thissvāssa ishoti right effortsammāvāyāmo.
heSo mindfulsato wrong purposemicchāsaṅkappaṁ gives uppajahati, mindfulsato right purposesammāsaṅkappaṁ having embracedupasampajja dwellsviharati; for him thissāssa ishoti right mindfulnesssammāsati.
these indeedItiyime threetayo thingsdhammā around right purposesammāsaṅkappaṁ keep runninganuparidhāvanti keep circlinganuparivattanti, namely right viewseyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right effortsammāvāyāmo, right mindfulnesssammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong purpose and embrace right purpose: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong purpose and take up right purpose: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right purpose, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

there; in that contextTatra, O monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes first; is the forerunnerpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, O monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes first; is the forerunnerpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
wrong speechMicchāvācaṁ as wrong speech‘micchāvācā’ti understandspajānāti, right speechsammāvācaṁ as right speech‘sammāvācā’ti understandspajānāti; for him thatsāssa ishoti right viewsammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong speech as wrong speech and right speech as right speech, that’s your right view.

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