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SN 24.7PTS SN 3.2091 min read

Cause

Hetusutta

The view that denies causality is given up by seeing the aggregates, as well as what is seen, heard, thought, and known, as impermanent.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 24.7Linked Discourses 24.7
  • 0.21. Sotāpattivagga1. Stream-Entry

0.3HetusuttaCause

1.1PTS 3.210Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise:1.3‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ saṅkilesāya.‘There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings.11.4Ahetū appaccayā sattā saṅkilissanti.Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason.1.5Natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā.There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings.1.6Ahetū appaccayā sattā visujjhanti.Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason.1.7Natthi balaṁ natthi vīriyaṁ natthi purisathāmo natthi purisaparakkamo.There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor.1.8Sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā sabbe bhūtā sabbe jīvā avasā abalā avīriyā niyatisaṅgatibhāvapariṇatā chasvevābhijātīsu sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth’?”

1.9“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

2.1“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises:2.2‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…‘There is no cause or reason …2.3sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’2.4Vedanāya sati …pe…When feeling …2.5saññāya sati …perception …2.6saṅkhāresu sati …choices …2.7viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises:2.8‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…‘There is no cause or reason …2.9sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’

3.1Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,What do you think, mendicants?3.2rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?Is form permanent or impermanent?”

3.3“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…“Impermanent, sir.” …3.4vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:3.5‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…3.6sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?3.7“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

3.8“Vedanā …“Is feeling …3.9saññā …perception …3.10saṅkhārā …choices …3.11viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

3.12“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…“Impermanent, sir.” …

3.13api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:3.14‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…3.15sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?3.16“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

3.17“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?“That which is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind: is that permanent or impermanent?”

3.18“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…“Impermanent, sir.” …

3.19api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?”3.20‘natthi hetu natthi paccayo …pe…3.21sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

3.22“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

4.1PTS 3.211“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti—“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation,4.2ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

4.3Sattamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Makkhali Gosāla’s doctrine of no-cause (ahetukavāda), see SN 22.60:2.2, DN 2:20.2.

    ↩ sn24.7:1.3