Samyukta Āgama (301)

Original Text: Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Guest House of the Deep Forest in the Naḷi Village. Then, the Venerable Sakkaccagotta approached the Buddha, paid homage at his feet, stepped back to one side, and addressed the Buddha: "Venerable Sir, you speak of right view. What is right view? How does the Blessed One define right view?" The Buddha told Sakkaccagotta: "The world relies on two kinds [of views]: existence and non-existence. Because of being grasped and clung to, grasped and clung to, [people] rely either on existence or on non-existence. If one does not grasp at this [duality], the mind is not fettered by attachments to mental objects, does not grasp, does not abide, does not conceive 'I am'. Suffering arises and [one knows] it arises; suffering ceases and [one knows] it ceases. Regarding this, one has no doubt, no confusion; it is not known through another but known by oneself. This is called right view. This is called the right view established by the Tathāgata."

Explanation: The Venerable Sakkaccagotta said to the Buddha: "Venerable Sir, what is the right view you speak of? Why do you establish this right view?" The Buddha told Sakkaccagotta: "The world relies on two kinds of supports: existence and non-existence. Because they are grasped and clung to, grasped and clung to, after clinging to these two supports, the understanding of worldly people either relies on existence, believing the world exists, or relies on non-existence, believing the world does not exist. If one does not cling to the two supports of existence and non-existence, the mind abides in the Middle Way. When encountering objects, one neither clings to existence nor to non-existence, does not abide in the notion of 'self', and does not conceive 'I am' – arising with the arising of suffering and ceasing with the cessation of suffering. Regarding this principle of the Middle Way, one has no doubts. It is not known through the teaching of others but is known entirely by oneself. This is called right view, which is the right view established by the Tathāgata."

Original Text: "Why so? With right knowledge and vision of the arising of the world as it really is, if the world were non-existent, [this arising] would not be. With right knowledge and vision of the cessation of the world as it really is, if the world were existent, [this cessation] would not be. This is called speaking the Middle Way, avoiding the two extremes. That is: 'Because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises.' That is: conditioned by ignorance are volitional formations; ... up to ... the arising of this whole mass of suffering. With the cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; ... up to ... the cessation of this whole mass of suffering." After the Buddha had spoken this discourse, the Venerable Sakkaccagotta, hearing the Buddha's words, no longer arose any defilements; his mind was liberated, and he became an arahant.

Explanation: Why is this called right view? With right knowledge and vision of the arising (samudaya) of the world as it really is, one understands that if the world were originally non-existent, the arising of the world would not exist. With right knowledge and vision of the cessation (nirodha) of the world as it really is, one understands that if the world were originally existent, its present cessation and disappearance would not be possible. This is speaking the Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of existence and non-existence. That is to say: "Because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises." Specifically: because there is ignorance, there are volitional formations; because there are volitional formations, there is consciousness; because there is consciousness, there is name-and-form; because there is name-and-form, there are the six sense bases; because there are the six sense bases, there is contact; because there is contact, there is feeling; because there is feeling, there is craving; because there is craving, there is clinging; because there is clinging, there is becoming; because there is becoming, there is birth; because there is birth, there is aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair – the arising of this whole mass of suffering.

And: with the cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations comes cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness comes cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases; with the cessation of the six sense bases comes cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact comes cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling comes cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging comes cessation of becoming; with the cessation of becoming comes cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth comes cessation of aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair – up to the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. After the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, the Venerable Sakkaccagotta, hearing the Buddha's words, no longer arose any defilements; his mind was liberated, and he became an arahant.