Sammādiṭṭhisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 9

Right View · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta’s Grovejetavane Anāthapiṇḍika’sanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the venerableāyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto the monksbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
“reverends“āvuso monks!” (quote)bhikkhave”ti.
“reverend!” (quote)“Āvuso”ti indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū of the venerableāyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the venerableĀyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto said thisetadavoca:

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

‘right view“‘Sammādiṭṭhi right view’ (quote)sammādiṭṭhī’ti, reverendsāvuso, is saidvuccati.
in what wayKittāvatā nownu indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teaching? (quote)saddhamman”ti?
even from afar“Dūratopi indeedkho wemayaṁ, reverendāvuso, would comeāgaccheyyāma of the venerableāyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa in the presencesantike of thisetassa statementbhāsitassa to learn the meaningatthamaññātuṁ.
it would be goodSādhu indeed to the venerable himselfvatāyasmantaṁyeva Sāriputtasāriputtaṁ may it occurpaṭibhātu of thisetassa statementbhāsitassa the meaningattho.
from the venerableĀyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa having heardsutvā the monksbhikkhū will remember (quote)dhāressantī”ti.
in that case“Tena thenhi, reverendsāvuso, listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ in mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speak (quote)bhāsissāmī”ti.
“yes, reverend” (quote)“Evamāvuso”ti indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū of the venerableāyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the venerableĀyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto said thisetadavoca:

“Reverends, they speak of this thing called ‘right view’. How do you define a noble disciple who has right view, whose view is correct, who has experiential 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 Sāriputta. May Venerable Sāriputta himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, reverends, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Sāriputta said this:

when“Yato indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako the unskillful andakusalañca understandspajānāti, the root of the unskillful andakusalamūlañca understandspajānāti, the skillful andkusalañca understandspajānāti, the root of the skillful andkusalamūlañca understandspajānāti—
to this extentettāvatāpi indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teachingsaddhammaṁ.

“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 experiential confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

But what is the unskillful and what is its root? And what is the skillful and what is its root? Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view. This is called the unskillful.

and what, reverendsKatamañcāvuso, is the root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ?
greedLobho is a root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ, hatedoso is a root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ, delusionmoho is a root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ—
thisidaṁ is called, reverendsvuccatāvuso, the root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ.

And what is the root of the unskillful? Greed, hate, and delusion. This is called the root of the unskillful.

And what is the skillful? Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view. This is called the skillful.

and what, reverendsKatamañcāvuso, is the root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ?
non-greedAlobho is a root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ, non-hateadoso is a root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ, non-delusionamoho is a root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ—
thisidaṁ is called, reverendsvuccatāvuso, the root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ.

And what is the root of the skillful? Contentment, love, and understanding. This is called the root of the skillful.

whenYato indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako thusevaṁ the unskillfulakusalaṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ the root of the unskillfulakusalamūlaṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ the skillfulkusalaṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ the root of the skillfulkusalamūlaṁ understandspajānāti, heso completelysabbaso the underlying tendency to greedrāgānusayaṁ having given uppahāya, the underlying tendency to aversionpaṭighānusayaṁ having dispelledpaṭivinodetvā, ‘I am’ (quote)‘asmī’ti the underlying tendency to view and conceitdiṭṭhimānānusayaṁ having eradicatedsamūhanitvā, ignoranceavijjaṁ having given uppahāya knowledgevijjaṁ having arouseduppādetvā, in this verydiṭṭheva lifedhamme an end-maker of sufferingdukkhassantakaro ishoti—
to this extentettāvatāpi indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teaching (quote)saddhamman”ti.

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 greed, dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and given rise to 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 experiential confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

“good, reverend!” (quote)“Sādhāvuso”ti indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū of the venerableāyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa the statementbhāsitaṁ having approvedabhinanditvā having agreedanumoditvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Sāriputtasāriputtaṁ a furtheruttari questionpañhaṁ they askedapucchuṁ:
“might there be“siyā then, reverendpanāvuso, anotheraññopi waypariyāyo in whichyathā a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teaching? (quote)saddhamman”ti?

Saying “Good, reverend,” those mendicants approved and agreed with what Sāriputta 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 experiential confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching?”

there might be“Siyā, reverendsāvuso.
whenYato indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako fuel andāhārañca understandspajānāti, its origin andāhārasamudayañca understandspajānāti, its cessation andāhāranirodhañca understandspajānāti, leading to its cessationāhāranirodhagāminiṁ the practice andpaṭipadañca understandspajānāti—
to this extentettāvatāpi indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teachingsaddhammaṁ.

“There might, reverends. A noble disciple understands fuel, 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 experiential confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.

whatKatamo then, reverendpanāvuso, is fuelāhāro, whatkatamo the origin of fuelāhārasamudayo, whatkatamo the cessation of fuelāhāranirodho, whatkatamā leading to the cessation of fuelāhāranirodhagāminī the practicepaṭipadā?
these fourCattārome, reverendsāvuso, fuelsāhārā of those bornbhūtānaṁ orvā of beingssattānaṁ for the maintenanceṭhitiyā, of those seeking birthsambhavesīnaṁ orvā for the assistanceanuggahāya.
whichKatame fourcattāro?
edibleKabaḷīkāro foodāhāro solidoḷāriko orvā subtlesukhumo orvā, contactphasso the seconddutiyo, mental intentionmanosañcetanā the thirdtatiyā, consciousnessviññāṇaṁ the fourthcatutthaṁ.
from the origin of cravingTaṇhāsamudayā the origin of fuelāhārasamudayo, with the cessation of cravingtaṇhānirodhā the cessation of fuelāhāranirodho, just thisayameva nobleariyo eightfoldaṭṭhaṅgiko pathmaggo leading to the cessation of fuelāhāranirodhagāminī is the practicepaṭipadā, namelyseyyathidaṁ—
right viewsammādiṭṭhi right purposesammāsaṅkappo right speechsammāvācā right actionsammākammanto, right livelihoodsammāājīvo right effortsammāvāyāmo right mindfulnesssammāsati right immersionsammāsamādhi.

But what is fuel? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation? These four fuels maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born. What four? Edible food, whether solid or subtle; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth. Fuel originates from craving. Fuel ceases when craving ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of fuel is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

whenYato indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako thusevaṁ fuelāhāraṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ its origināhārasamudayaṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ its cessationāhāranirodhaṁ understandspajānāti, thusevaṁ leading to its cessationāhāranirodhagāminiṁ the practicepaṭipadaṁ understandspajānāti, heso completelysabbaso the underlying tendency to greedrāgānusayaṁ having given uppahāya, the underlying tendency to aversionpaṭighānusayaṁ having dispelledpaṭivinodetvā, ‘I am’ (quote)‘asmī’ti the underlying tendency to view and conceitdiṭṭhimānānusayaṁ having eradicatedsamūhanitvā, ignoranceavijjaṁ having given uppahāya knowledgevijjaṁ having arouseduppādetvā, in this verydiṭṭheva lifedhamme an end-maker of sufferingdukkhassantakaro ishoti—
to this extentettāvatāpi indeedkho, reverendsāvuso, a noble discipleariyasāvako of right viewsammādiṭṭhi ishoti, correct is hisujugatāssa viewdiṭṭhi, in the teachingdhamme with experiential confidenceaveccappasādena endowedsamannāgato, comeāgato to thisimaṁ true teaching (quote)saddhamman”ti.

A noble disciple understands in this way fuel, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendency to greed, dispelled the underlying tendency to aversion, and eradicated the underlying tendency to the view and conceit ‘I am’. They’ve given up ignorance and given rise to 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 experiential confidence in the teaching, and has come to the true teaching.”

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