True DhammaLibrary · Community
MN 9PTS MN 1.4612 min read

Right View

Sammādiṭṭhisutta

Venerable Sāriputta gives a detailed explanation of right view, the first factor of the noble eightfold path. At the prompting of the other mendicants, he approaches the topic from a wide range of perspectives.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 9Middle Discourses 9

0.2SammādiṭṭhisuttaRight View

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:11.4“āvuso bhikkhave”ti.“Reverends, mendicants!”

1.5“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ.“Reverend,” they replied.1.6Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:Sāriputta said this:

2.1“‘Sammādiṭṭhi sammādiṭṭhī’ti, āvuso, vuccati.“Reverends, they speak of this thing called ‘right view’.2.2Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti?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?”2

2.3“Dūratopi kho mayaṁ, āvuso, āgaccheyyāma āyasmato sāriputtassa santike etassa bhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.“Reverend, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable Sāriputta.2.4Sādhu vatāyasmantaṁyeva sāriputtaṁ paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho.May Venerable Sāriputta himself please clarify the meaning of this.2.5Āyasmato sāriputtassa sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

2.6“Tena hi, āvuso, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, reverends, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

2.7“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ.“Yes, reverend,” they replied.2.8Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:Sāriputta said this:

3.1PTS 1.47“Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako akusalañca pajānāti, akusalamūlañca pajānāti, kusalañca pajānāti, kusalamūlañca pajānāti—“A noble disciple understands the unskillful and its root, and the skillful and its root.33.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.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.4

4.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, akusalaṁ, katamaṁ akusalamūlaṁ, katamaṁ kusalaṁ, katamaṁ kusalamūlaṁ?But what is the unskillful and what is its root? And what is the skillful and what is its root?4.2Pāṇātipāto kho, āvuso, akusalaṁ, adinnādānaṁ akusalaṁ, kāmesumicchācāro akusalaṁ, musāvādo akusalaṁ, pisuṇā vācā akusalaṁ, pharusā vācā akusalaṁ, samphappalāpo akusalaṁ, abhijjhā akusalaṁ, byāpādo akusalaṁ, micchādiṭṭhi akusalaṁ—Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view.54.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso akusalaṁ.This is called the unskillful.

5.1Katamañcāvuso, akusalamūlaṁ?And what is the root of the unskillful?5.2Lobho akusalamūlaṁ, doso akusalamūlaṁ, moho akusalamūlaṁ—Greed, hate, and delusion.5.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso, akusalamūlaṁ.This is called the root of the unskillful.

6.1Katamañcāvuso, kusalaṁ?And what is the skillful?6.2Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī kusalaṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇī kusalaṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī kusalaṁ, musāvādā veramaṇī kusalaṁ, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī kusalaṁ, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī kusalaṁ, samphappalāpā veramaṇī kusalaṁ, anabhijjhā kusalaṁ, abyāpādo kusalaṁ, sammādiṭṭhi kusalaṁ—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.66.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso, kusalaṁ.This is called the skillful.

7.1Katamañcāvuso, kusalamūlaṁ?And what is the root of the skillful?7.2Alobho kusalamūlaṁ, adoso kusalamūlaṁ, amoho kusalamūlaṁ—Contentment, love, and understanding.7.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso, kusalamūlaṁ.This is called the root of the skillful.

8.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ akusalaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ akusalamūlaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ kusalaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ kusalamūlaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—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.78.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.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.”

9.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ uttari pañhaṁ apucchuṁ:Saying “Good, reverend,” those mendicants approved and agreed with what Sāriputta said. Then they asked another question:9.2“siyā panāvuso, aññopi pariyāyo yathā ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti?“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?”8

10.1PTS 1.48“Siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.10.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako āhārañca pajānāti, āhārasamudayañca pajānāti, āhāranirodhañca pajānāti, āhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands fuel, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.910.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.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.

11.1Katamo panāvuso, āhāro, katamo āhārasamudayo, katamo āhāranirodho, katamā āhāranirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is fuel? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?11.2Cattārome, āvuso, āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā, sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya.These four fuels maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born.1011.3Katame cattāro?What four?11.4Kabaḷīkāro āhāro oḷāriko vā sukhumo vā, phasso dutiyo, manosañcetanā tatiyā, viññāṇaṁ catutthaṁ.Edible food, whether solid or subtle; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.1111.5Taṇhāsamudayā āhārasamudayo, taṇhānirodhā āhāranirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo āhāranirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—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:1211.6sammādiṭṭhi sammāsaṅkappo sammāvācā sammākammanto, sammāājīvo sammāvāyāmo sammāsati sammāsamādhi.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

12.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ āhāraṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āhārasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āhāranirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—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.12.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.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.”

13.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ uttari pañhaṁ apucchuṁ:Saying “Good, reverend,” those mendicants … asked another question:13.2“siyā panāvuso, aññopi pariyāyo yathā ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti?“But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who … has come to the true teaching?”

14.1PTS 1.49“Siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.14.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako dukkhañca pajānāti, dukkhasamudayañca pajānāti, dukkhanirodhañca pajānāti, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.1314.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.When they’ve done this, they’re defined as a noble disciple who … has come to the true teaching.15.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, katamo dukkhasamudayo, katamo dukkhanirodho, katamā dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is suffering? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?15.2Jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsāpi dukkhā, appiyehi sampayogopi dukkho, piyehi vippayogopi dukkho, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ, saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā—Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are suffering; being coupled with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering.1415.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso, dukkhaṁ.This is called suffering.16.1Katamo cāvuso, dukkhasamudayo?And what is the origin of suffering?16.2Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is,1516.3kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā—craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence.1616.4ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, dukkhasamudayo.This is called the origin of suffering.17.1Katamo cāvuso, dukkhanirodho?And what is the cessation of suffering?17.2Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo—It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.1717.3ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, dukkhanirodho.This is called the cessation of suffering.18.1Katamā cāvuso, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?And what is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering?18.2Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:18.3sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi—right view … right immersion.18.4ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā.This is called the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

19.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ dukkhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ dukkhasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ dukkhanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—A noble disciple understands in this way suffering, 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.19.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.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.”

20.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ uttari pañhaṁ apucchuṁ:Saying “Good, reverend,” those mendicants … asked another question:20.2“siyā panāvuso, aññopi pariyāyo yathā ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti?“But reverend, might there be another way to describe a noble disciple who … has come to the true teaching?”

21.1“Siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.21.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako jarāmaraṇañca pajānāti, jarāmaraṇasamudayañca pajānāti, jarāmaraṇanirodhañca pajānāti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation …1821.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.22.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, jarāmaraṇaṁ, katamo jarāmaraṇasamudayo, katamo jarāmaraṇanirodho, katamā jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what are old age and death? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?22.2Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jarā jīraṇatā khaṇḍiccaṁ pāliccaṁ valittacatā āyuno saṁhāni indriyānaṁ paripāko—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.1922.3ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, jarā.This is called old age.22.4Katamañcāvuso, maraṇaṁ?And what is death?2022.5Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā tamhā sattanikāyā cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālaṅkiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo, kaḷevarassa nikkhepo, jīvitindriyassupacchedo—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.22.6idaṁ vuccatāvuso, maraṇaṁ.This is called death.22.7Iti ayañca jarā idañca maraṇaṁ—Such is old age, and such is death.22.8idaṁ vuccatāvuso, jarāmaraṇaṁ.This is called old age and death.22.9Jātisamudayā jarāmaraṇasamudayo, jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Old age and death originate from rebirth. Old age and death cease when rebirth ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of old age and death is simply this noble eightfold path …”2122.10sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

23.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—23.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

24.1PTS 1.50“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—24.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

25.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.25.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako jātiñca pajānāti, jātisamudayañca pajānāti, jātinirodhañca pajānāti, jātinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands rebirth, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …25.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.26.1Katamā panāvuso, jāti, katamo jātisamudayo, katamo jātinirodho, katamā jātinirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is rebirth? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?26.2Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo, āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho—The rebirth, inception, conception, regeneration, manifestation of the aggregates, and acquisition of the sense fields of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings.26.3ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, jāti.This is called rebirth.26.4Bhavasamudayā jātisamudayo, bhavanirodhā jātinirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo jātinirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Rebirth originates from continued existence. Rebirth ceases when continued existence ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of rebirth is simply this noble eightfold path …”26.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

27.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ jātiṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jātisamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jātinirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jātinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—27.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

28.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—28.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

29.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.29.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako bhavañca pajānāti, bhavasamudayañca pajānāti, bhavanirodhañca pajānāti, bhavanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands continued existence, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.2229.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.30.1Katamo panāvuso, bhavo, katamo bhavasamudayo, katamo bhavanirodho, katamā bhavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is continued existence? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?30.2Tayome, āvuso, bhavā—There are these three states of continued existence.2330.3kāmabhavo, rūpabhavo, arūpabhavo.Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm.2430.4Upādānasamudayā bhavasamudayo, upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Continued existence originates from grasping. Continued existence ceases when grasping ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of continued existence is simply this noble eightfold path …”30.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

31.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ bhavaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ bhavasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ bhavanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ bhavanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti.31.2Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

32.1PTS 1.51“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—32.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

33.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.33.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako upādānañca pajānāti, upādānasamudayañca pajānāti, upādānanirodhañca pajānāti, upādānanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands grasping, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …2533.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.34.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, upādānaṁ, katamo upādānasamudayo, katamo upādānanirodho, katamā upādānanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is grasping? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?34.2Cattārimāni, āvuso, upādānāni—There are these four kinds of grasping.34.3kāmupādānaṁ, diṭṭhupādānaṁ, sīlabbatupādānaṁ, attavādupādānaṁ.Grasping at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self.2634.4Taṇhāsamudayā upādānasamudayo, taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo upādānanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Grasping originates from craving. Grasping ceases when craving ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of grasping is simply this noble eightfold path …”34.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

35.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ upādānaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ upādānasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ upādānanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ upādānanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—35.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

36.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—36.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

37.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.37.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako taṇhañca pajānāti, taṇhāsamudayañca pajānāti, taṇhānirodhañca pajānāti, taṇhānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands craving, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …37.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.38.1Katamā panāvuso, taṇhā, katamo taṇhāsamudayo, katamo taṇhānirodho, katamā taṇhānirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is craving? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?38.2Chayime, āvuso, taṇhākāyā—There are these six classes of craving.38.3rūpataṇhā, saddataṇhā, gandhataṇhā, rasataṇhā, phoṭṭhabbataṇhā, dhammataṇhā.Craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.2738.4Vedanāsamudayā taṇhāsamudayo, vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo taṇhānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Craving originates from feeling. Craving ceases when feeling ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of craving is simply this noble eightfold path …”38.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

39.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ taṇhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ taṇhāsamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ taṇhānirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ taṇhānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—39.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

40.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—40.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

41.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.41.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako vedanañca pajānāti, vedanāsamudayañca pajānāti, vedanānirodhañca pajānāti, vedanānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …2841.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.42.1Katamā panāvuso, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is feeling? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?42.2Chayime, āvuso, vedanākāyā—There are these six classes of feeling.42.3cakkhusamphassajā vedanā, sotasamphassajā vedanā, ghānasamphassajā vedanā, jivhāsamphassajā vedanā, kāyasamphassajā vedanā, manosamphassajā vedanā.Feeling born of contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.42.4Phassasamudayā vedanāsamudayo, phassanirodhā vedanānirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Feeling originates from contact. Feeling ceases when contact ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of feeling is simply this noble eightfold path …”42.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

43.1PTS 1.52Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ vedanaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ vedanāsamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ vedanānirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ vedanānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—43.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

44.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—44.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

45.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.45.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako phassañca pajānāti, phassasamudayañca pajānāti, phassanirodhañca pajānāti, phassanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands contact, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …2945.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.46.1Katamo panāvuso, phasso, katamo phassasamudayo, katamo phassanirodho, katamā phassanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is contact? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?46.2Chayime, āvuso, phassakāyā—There are these six classes of contact.46.3cakkhusamphasso, sotasamphasso, ghānasamphasso, jivhāsamphasso, kāyasamphasso, manosamphasso.Contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.3046.4Saḷāyatanasamudayā phassasamudayo, saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo phassanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Contact originates from the six sense fields. Contact ceases when the six sense fields cease. The practice that leads to the cessation of contact is simply this noble eightfold path …”46.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

47.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ phassaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ phassasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ phassanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ phassanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—47.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

48.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—48.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

49.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.49.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako saḷāyatanañca pajānāti, saḷāyatanasamudayañca pajānāti, saḷāyatananirodhañca pajānāti, saḷāyatananirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands the six sense fields, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation …3149.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.50.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, saḷāyatanaṁ, katamo saḷāyatanasamudayo, katamo saḷāyatananirodho, katamā saḷāyatananirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what are the six sense fields? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?50.2Chayimāni, āvuso, āyatanāni—There are these six sense fields.50.3cakkhāyatanaṁ, sotāyatanaṁ, ghānāyatanaṁ, jivhāyatanaṁ, kāyāyatanaṁ, manāyatanaṁ.The sense fields of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.3250.4Nāmarūpasamudayā saḷāyatanasamudayo, nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saḷāyatananirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—The six sense fields originate from name and form. The six sense fields cease when name and form cease. The practice that leads to the cessation of the six sense fields is simply this noble eightfold path …”50.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

51.1PTS 1.53Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ saḷāyatanaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saḷāyatanasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saḷāyatananirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saḷāyatananirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—51.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

52.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—52.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

53.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.53.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako nāmarūpañca pajānāti, nāmarūpasamudayañca pajānāti, nāmarūpanirodhañca pajānāti, nāmarūpanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands name and form, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation …3353.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.54.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, nāmarūpaṁ, katamo nāmarūpasamudayo, katamo nāmarūpanirodho, katamā nāmarūpanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what are name and form? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?54.2Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro—Feeling, perception, intention, contact, and application of mind—3454.3idaṁ vuccatāvuso, nāmaṁ;this is called name.54.4cattāri ca mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāyarūpaṁ—The four principal states, and form derived from the four principal states—3554.5idaṁ vuccatāvuso, rūpaṁ.this is called form.54.6Iti idañca nāmaṁ idañca rūpaṁ—Such is name and such is form.54.7idaṁ vuccatāvuso, nāmarūpaṁ.This is called name and form.54.8Viññāṇasamudayā nāmarūpasamudayo, viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo nāmarūpanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Name and form originate from consciousness. Name and form cease when consciousness ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of name and form is simply this noble eightfold path …”54.9sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

55.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ nāmarūpaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ nāmarūpasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ nāmarūpanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ nāmarūpanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—55.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

56.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—56.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

57.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.57.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako viññāṇañca pajānāti, viññāṇasamudayañca pajānāti, viññāṇanirodhañca pajānāti, viññāṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …3657.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.58.1Katamaṁ panāvuso, viññāṇaṁ, katamo viññāṇasamudayo, katamo viññāṇanirodho, katamā viññāṇanirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is consciousness? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?58.2Chayime, āvuso, viññāṇakāyā—There are these six classes of consciousness.58.3cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, sotaviññāṇaṁ, ghānaviññāṇaṁ, jivhāviññāṇaṁ, kāyaviññāṇaṁ, manoviññāṇaṁ.Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness.3758.4Saṅkhārasamudayā viññāṇasamudayo, saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo viññāṇanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Consciousness originates from choices. Consciousness ceases when choices cease. The practice that leads to the cessation of consciousness is simply this noble eightfold path …”58.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

59.1PTS 1.54Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ viññāṇaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ viññāṇasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ viññāṇanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ viññāṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya …pe… dukkhassantakaro hoti—

59.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.60.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—60.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

61.1“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.61.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako saṅkhāre ca pajānāti, saṅkhārasamudayañca pajānāti, saṅkhāranirodhañca pajānāti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation …3861.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.62.1Katame panāvuso, saṅkhārā, katamo saṅkhārasamudayo, katamo saṅkhāranirodho, katamā saṅkhāranirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what are choices? What is their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation?3962.2Tayome, āvuso, saṅkhārā—There are these three kinds of choice.62.3kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro.Choices by way of body, speech, and mind.4062.4Avijjāsamudayā saṅkhārasamudayo, avijjānirodhā saṅkhāranirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhāranirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Choices originate from ignorance. Choices cease when ignorance ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of choices is simply this noble eightfold path …”62.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

63.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ saṅkhāre pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhārasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhāranirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—63.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

64.1“Sādhāvuso”ti kho …pe… apucchuṁ—64.2siyā panāvuso …pe…“Might there be another way to describe a noble disciple?”

64.3“siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.65.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako avijjañca pajānāti, avijjāsamudayañca pajānāti, avijjānirodhañca pajānāti, avijjānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands ignorance, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation …4165.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.65.3Katamā panāvuso, avijjā, katamo avijjāsamudayo, katamo avijjānirodho, katamā avijjānirodhagāminī paṭipadā?But what is ignorance? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?65.4Yaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya aññāṇaṁ—Not knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.65.5ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, avijjā.This is called ignorance.66.1Āsavasamudayā avijjāsamudayo, āsavanirodhā avijjānirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo avijjānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Ignorance originates from defilement. Ignorance ceases when defilement ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of ignorance is simply this noble eightfold path …”4266.2sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

67.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ avijjaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ avijjāsamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ avijjānirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ avijjānirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—67.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.

68.1PTS 1.55“Sādhāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ uttari pañhaṁ apucchuṁ:Saying “Good, reverend,” those mendicants approved and agreed with what Sāriputta said. Then they asked another question:68.2“siyā panāvuso, aññopi pariyāyo yathā ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti?“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?”

69.1“Siyā, āvuso.“There might, reverends.69.2Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako āsavañca pajānāti, āsavasamudayañca pajānāti, āsavanirodhañca pajānāti, āsavanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadañca pajānāti—A noble disciple understands defilement, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.4369.3ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ.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.

70.1Katamo panāvuso, āsavo, katamo āsavasamudayo, katamo āsavanirodho, katamā āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadāti?But what is defilement? What is its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation?70.2Tayome, āvuso, āsavā—There are these three defilements.70.3kāmāsavo, bhavāsavo, avijjāsavo.The defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.70.4Avijjāsamudayā āsavasamudayo, avijjānirodhā āsavanirodho, ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—Defilement originates from ignorance. Defilement ceases when ignorance ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of defilement is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:4470.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

71.1Yato kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako evaṁ āsavaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āsavasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āsavanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ āsavanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, so sabbaso rāgānusayaṁ pahāya, paṭighānusayaṁ paṭivinodetvā, ‘asmī’ti diṭṭhimānānusayaṁ samūhanitvā, avijjaṁ pahāya vijjaṁ uppādetvā, diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti—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 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.71.2ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ariyasāvako sammādiṭṭhi hoti, ujugatāssa diṭṭhi, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, āgato imaṁ saddhamman”ti.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.”

71.3Idamavocāyasmā sāriputto.That is what Venerable Sāriputta said.71.4Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.Satisfied, the mendicants approved what Sāriputta said.

71.5Sammādiṭṭhisuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The Chinese and Sanskrit parallels depict this discourse as a conversation between Sāriputta and Mahākoṭṭhita, a context that appears to have been lost in the Pali. The sutta proceeds by starting with a simple analysis of right view, gradually stepping into deeper waters. Much of the discourse is framed in terms of dependent origination, but it focuses on the dependently originated phenomena, rather than the process of causality (see SN 12.20 for this distinction).

    ↩ mn9:1.3

  2. In other words, a stream-enterer. In MN 141:5.6, Sāriputta is said to teach students as far as as stream-entry, while his friend Moggallāna leads them to arahantship.

    ↩ mn9:2.2

  3. That is, the deed and the motivating force behind the deed.

    ↩ mn9:3.1

  4. Sāriputta had a deliberate, systematic, and unhurried approach to teaching. First he introduces a fundamental question, in this case stream-entry. Then he gives a simple and practical answer. Then he goes on to draw out implications both broad and deep.

    ↩ mn9:3.2

  5. Note that covetousness, ill will, and wrong view are strong forms of greed, hate, and delusion respectively.

    ↩ mn9:4.2

  6. These are the “ten ways of doing skillful deeds” (dasakusalakammapathā). There is a detailed explanation at MN 41:7.1.

    ↩ mn9:6.2

  7. This passage, which is repeated throughout the sutta, indicates the arahant. The phrasing is problematic, as it suggests that one has right view (stream-entry) only after fully relinquishing all defilements (arahantship). The commentary records a discussion of this problem, but in fact it is probably due to a textual corruption in the Pali text, as the parallels at MA 29 and SA 344 lack this passage. This shows how difficulties in the Pali text can sometimes lead to fruitless discussions in the absence of the broader context offered by parallels.

    ↩ mn9:8.1

  8. By giving a brief and simple answer to a profound question, Sāriputta leaves room for the audience to request further explanation. This teaching method ensures audience engagement and conveys information in digestible doses.

    ↩ mn9:9.2

  9. Sāriputta introduces the framework of the four noble truths, but structured in terms of “fuel” rather than suffering.

    “Fuel” (or “food” or “nutriment”, āhāra) refers to both the thing that acts as a condition, fuel, or support, as well as the internal grasping and attachment to that thing. Its use as a philosophical term appears to be an innovation by the Buddha, replacing the anna so dear to Vedic seers.

    ↩ mn9:10.2

  10. Also at MN 38:15.1, SN 12.11, SN 12.12, SN 12.63, SN 12.64; cp Snp 1.8:5.3.

    “About to be born” is sambhavesī, which I follow Norman and Bodhi in reading as a future active participle, although the commentary takes it in the sense “seeking” to be born. Compare such Sanskrit constructions as Rig Veda 1.66.8, yamo ha jāto yamo janitvaṁ (“the twin that is born and the twin about to be born”) and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.3.1.24, bhūtaṁ caiva bhaviṣyacca jātaṁ ca janiṣyamāṇaṁ (“has become and will be, born and to be born”).

    The phrase is one of several in the suttas that appears to indicate an intermediate state between one life and the next, despite the fact that this view is formally rejected by the Theravada Abhidhamma (Kv 8.2).

    ↩ mn9:11.2

  11. Coarse edible food sustains the bodies of beings in the human and animal realms, while fine edible food sustains the gods and ancestors, a belief intertwined with the Vedic notion that the gods partake of the food offered in sacrifice (eg. Rig Veda 1.187).

    “Contact” (phassa) is the interaction between the inner and outer worlds, allowing us to situate ourselves in a sensory world full of fears and joys, stimulating feeling and hence the craving for more.

    “Volition” (manosañcetanā) allows us to act in the world revealed by the senses and secure further “fuel”.

    “Consciousness” (viññāṇa) is aware of all this, experiencing suffering, and giving rise to a new “name and form” in a future life in a fruitless search to find a world free of pain. Thus the four “fuels” can be considered as a distinctive perspective on dependent origination, which is expanded further in the subsequent items.

    ↩ mn9:11.4

  12. The word āhāra (“fuel”, “food”, “nutriment”) means literally “intake”, and is etymologically parallel to upādāna, “grasping”, “uptake”. Both terms have dual senses, on the one hand denoting fuel or sustenance, and on the other grasping and attachment. That is why here (as at MN 38:16.1), āhāra is created by craving, just like upādāna in the standard sequence (MN 38:17.8).

    ↩ mn9:11.5

  13. Here Sāriputta gives the classic statement on the four noble truths in terms of suffering (dukkha).

    ↩ mn9:14.2

  14. The definitions of the four noble truths are direct quotes from the Buddha’s first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (SN 56.11:4.2). They are notably emphasized by Sāriputta, who delves even further into them (MN 28:3.2, MN 141:10.2), as he does later in this sutta also.

    ↩ mn9:15.2

  15. This definition clarifies two common misunderstandings. First, not all desire causes suffering, for some kinds of desire lead out of suffering (SN 51.15:4.1). Second, rebirth is not a tangential part of the Buddha’s teachings, uncritically inherited from cultural suppositions; it is baked into the fundamental meaning of the four noble truths.

    The idiom tatratatra (literally “there, there”) is not selective (“here and there”) but distributive (“everywhere”). By taking pleasure in sense experience, the mind binds itself to the need for continued stimulation in future lives. The distancing sense “there” is important, for craving does not merely satisfy itself with what it currently experiences, but must always seek out renewed gratification. For an Upaniṣadic precursor, see the note to the same idiom at MN 2:8.8.

    ↩ mn9:16.2

  16. Craving is a primal desire or hunger, often unconscious.

    “Craving for sensual pleasures” (kāmataṇhā): the desire to experience pleasure through any of the five senses.

    “Craving for continued existence” (bhavataṇhā): the desire to continue living in some form after death.

    “Craving for nonexistence” (vibhavataṇhā): the desire to annihilate the self.

    ↩ mn9:16.3

  17. These terms are used widely in different senses, but here they are all synonyms of “extinction” (nibbāna).

    Note especially the appearance of cāga (“giving”) here. Giving is regarded as the most basic foundation of moral practice, yet even in its simplest form it partakes of the same nature as Nibbāna.

    ↩ mn9:17.2

  18. This is a nice example of Sāriputta’s analytical genius. He picks up “old age and death” from the explanation of “suffering” and treats it within the framework of the four noble truths. This creates continuity with the previous sections, as well as situating it within the Buddha’s teachings as a whole, since all footprints fit in an elephant’s footprint (MN 28:2.1). Further, he deepens understanding by applying the four noble truths recursively, bringing small details into close focus. Meanwhile, this item, following on from “suffering”, leads into the familiar sequence of items from dependent origination. Thus he simultaneously broadens the scope by linking the four noble truths with dependent origination.

    ↩ mn9:21.2

  19. Jarā is neither the process of getting old (“ageing”), nor a psychological metaphor, but the physical state of being old (“old age”). The same applies to the definitions of “death” and “rebirth”.

    ↩ mn9:22.2

  20. Text lacks the expected question “what is old age?” on the previous section.

    ↩ mn9:22.4

  21. Jāti refers to ongoing transmigration into new lives, “rebirth”. The only way to escape old age and death is to not be reborn.

    ↩ mn9:22.9

  22. Bhava means “being, existence, life” in the sense of “past and future lives”. The concept of bhava includes both active and resultant dimensions of life. Consider it by analogy with, say, visiting a park. First there is the spark of an idea, a vague impression of a “park” in the mind, which solidifies into an intention. Acting on it, one goes to the park, where it becomes one’s reality, the “world” one inhabits. Likewise, by creating ideas and volitions in the mind, one is aligning or tuning into the corresponding realm of existence, priming the mind to project itself into that state and make it a reality when one is reborn there.

    ↩ mn9:29.2

  23. The idea of three “worlds” (loka) or “states of existence” (bhava), variously defined, is shared between Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. It originally referred to the earth (bhū, pṛthivi), the midspace (antarikṣa), and the heavens or sky (diva, svarga), the respective abodes of humanity, the ancestors, and the gods. In the mythology underlying the Vedas they were formed by Indra’s heroic deeds: empowered by soma, he first slew the dragon Vṛtra who bound the world in a mass of darkness, then he separated earth from sky, leaving the midspace between (Rig Veda 2.15), thus creating the visible or intelligible world.

    ↩ mn9:30.2

  24. The “sensual realm” encompasses all realms, including the human, from the lowest hell to the highest of the sensual heavens, the gods who control what is imagined by others.

    “Luminous form” (rūpa) refers to the Brahmā realms attained through the luminous mind of jhāna.

    The “formless” realms are attained through the formless meditations.

    ↩ mn9:30.3

  25. “Grasping” (upādāna) has the active sense of “taking up” a new life, not just “clinging” to what one has. As noted above, it has a dual sense, because, like āhāra, it also means the “fuel” that sustains the fire of existence (SN 3.1:10.1, SN 12.52:1.2).

    ↩ mn9:33.2

  26. Grasping begins with the primal desire of the senses, but the three other graspings are rather intellectual and sophisticated. Only a grown human being with a developed linguistic ability is able to formulate a view to become attached to, and likewise with attachment to religious observances and vows, and to theories of a self.

    ↩ mn9:34.3

  27. We have met the three kinds of craving above, while here craving is analyzed in terms of the six senses, which relates it to the items to come.

    Dhammataṇhā is idiomatically translated as “craving for ideas”, although its scope is broader than just discursive thinking. It refers to any kind of craving for mental phenomena, which includes, for example, craving for the mental pleasure of deep meditation.

    ↩ mn9:38.3

  28. “Feeling” is vedanā, from the root vid (“to experience”) and having the applied meaning of “hedonic tone”, whether pleasant, painful, or neutral.

    ↩ mn9:41.2

  29. “Contact” is phassa, otherwise “touch”, or “impingement”. It occurs when sense stimulus meets sense organ in experience.

    ↩ mn9:45.2

  30. Contact through the physical senses occurs by way of impingement or physical resistance, the impact of a stimulating energy with the sense organ. Mental contact occurs by way of designation or conceptualization.

    ↩ mn9:46.3

  31. “Field” is āyatana, literally a “stretching out”, i.e. a field or dimension.

    ↩ mn9:49.2

  32. In Buddhism, the mind is the “sixth sense”, which knows mental phenomena just as physical senses know physical phenomena.

    ↩ mn9:50.3

  33. “Name and form” (nāmarūpa) is a Vedic concept referring to the multiplicity of material forms (rūpa) and associated names (nāma), especially the individual “sentient organisms” such as gods and humans (Rig Veda 5.43.10, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.6.1, Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.3.2), which are ultimately absorbed into the divine, like rivers in the ocean (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.8, Praśna Upaniṣad 6.5).

    ↩ mn9:53.2

  34. Name and form are treated analytically (see also DN 15:20.8, SN 12.2:11.1). This brings them out of the world of metaphysics and theology and into the realm of mindful experience and rational inquiry. These five factors make it possible for consciousness to function.

    ↩ mn9:54.2

  35. The “principal states” (mahābhūtā) are earth, water, fire, and air, corresponding to the states of matter, namely solid, liquid, plasma, and gas. For the history of this term, see note on MN 28:4.2.

    “Derived” (upādāya) form is not explained in the suttas, but one passage indicates it includes “space” (MN 28:26.1). The Abhidhamma traditions explain it as including the objects of the senses, the subtle matter that receives sense impressions, and various other material phenomena.

    ↩ mn9:54.4

  36. “Consciousness” (viññāṇa) is simple subjective awareness, the sense of knowing. It is the subjective awareness that makes the entire multiform world of concepts and appearances possible.

    ↩ mn9:57.2

  37. External sense consciousness is the sheer awareness of a physical property. The eye, for example, is only aware of light. The mind, relying on the five factors of “name”, processes this data into meaningful concepts and ideas.

    ↩ mn9:58.3

  38. This is the final item in the Chinese and Sanskrit parallels.

    ↩ mn9:61.2

  39. Saṅkhāra in early Buddhism has three main doctrinal senses. (1) The broadest sense is “conditioned phenomena”, which essentially means “everything except Nibbāna”. (2) Sometimes it is a physical or mental “process” or “activity”, such as vitality or the breath. (3) In the five aggregates and dependent origination it has the sense of “morally potent volitions or choices” and is a synonym for cetanā (“intention”) or kamma (“deed”). It is defined as good, bad, and imperturbable choices (DN 33:1.10.77, SN 12.51:9.4), the latter of which refers to the kamma of the fourth jhāna and above. In this sense it is the moral “choices” for good or ill that propel consciousness into a new rebirth.

    ↩ mn9:62.1

  40. This set of three refers to deeds carried out through the body, speech, and mind (eg. MN 57:8.2). “Mind” is citta, while the Sanskrit Dṛṣṭisampannasūtra has mano in the parallel passage (SF 172). In dependent origination these are synonyms (SN 12.61:2.1). Not to be confused with the same terms when used in the context of mindfulness of breathing (SN 41.6:1.5).

    ↩ mn9:62.3

  41. “Ignorance” is the only item not found in the Chinese and Sanskrit parallels. Perhaps the original form of the sutta treated ignorance solely under its inverse, which is right view itself. Thus the lack of ignorance as a separate item could have been deliberate, emphasizing how the entirety of right view, encompassing all items in the discourse, implies the opposite of ignorance.

    ↩ mn9:65.1

  42. The current presentation is unique, as ignorance is itself one of the defilements (āsava). Ignorance is normally the final item in dependent origination, the “head” from which all follows (Snp 5.1:51.1). Nonetheless, causality is not a linear process, so a starting point is identified only for practical reasons. At AN 10.62:2.4 the five hindrances are said to be the “fuel” for ignorance.

    ↩ mn9:66.1

  43. The appearance of “defilement” (āsava) at the end is appropriate, as its appearance in the four noble truths formula usually signifies arahantship. Nonetheless, the Chinese and Sanskrit parallels place it much earlier, after the four fuels. The sequence of the remaining items is mostly consistent between parallels.

    ↩ mn9:69.2

  44. Ignorance and defilements are locked in a cycle of mutual dependent conditioning: ignorance begets more ignorance. Compare the mutual conditioning of consciousness with name and form at DN 15:20.1. One implication of this is that no first point of ignorance and hence no first point of transmigration can be known.

    ↩ mn9:70.4