I ♥︎ Suttas

SN 12.15. With Kaccayana

Once a venerable one from the Kaccayana clan went to the Buddha. He bowed to him, sat down to a side, and asked: “Venerable sir, you mentioned right view, but what constitutes right view?”

“Kaccayana, most of the world relies on a duality: the notion of survival and the notion of nonsurvival. But if you see the origin of ‘the world’ by understanding it in line with reality, you won’t have the notion of nonsurvival with respect to it; and if you see the cessation of ‘the world’ by understanding it in line with reality, you won’t have the notion of survival with respect to it. Most of the world is stuck because it is attracted to things, takes them up, and adheres to them. But if—when it comes to this attraction, taking up, adherence, fixation, and tendency—you are not attracted to anything, do not take it up, and don’t assume it to be your self, then you know without question or doubt that it is only suffering which arises and only suffering which ceases. Your knowledge of this will not depend on others. That is what constitutes right view.

Thinking all survives, that is one side. Thinking all does not survive, that is the other side. Avoiding both these sides, I, the Truthfinder, teach the teaching that lies in the middle:

Dependent on ignorance, there are willful actions. Dependent on willful actions, consciousness. Dependent on consciousness, individual’s body and immaterial aspects. Dependent on individual’s body and immaterial aspects, the six senses. Dependent on the six senses, sense impressions. Dependent on sense impressions, sensations. Dependent on sensations, craving. Dependent on craving, fuel/taking up. Dependent on fuel/taking up, existence. Dependent on existence, birth. And dependent on birth, old age and death, and sorrow, grief, pain, sadness, and distress come to be. That is how this whole mass of suffering originates.

But if ignorance completely fades away and ceases, willful actions will cease. If willful actions cease, consciousness will cease. If consciousness ceases, individual’s body and immaterial aspects will cease. If individual’s body and immaterial aspects cease, the six senses will cease. If the six senses cease, sense impressions will cease. If sense impressions cease, sensations will cease. If sensations cease, craving will cease. If craving ceases, fuel/taking up will cease. If fuel/taking up ceases, existence will cease. If existence ceases, birth will cease. And if birth ceases, old age and death, and sorrow, grief, pain, sadness, and distress, will cease. That is how this whole mass of suffering ceases.”