Madhyama Āgama Sutta 10: The Discourse on the Destruction of the Āsavas (Part II)

There are seven methods for ceasing the outflows of defilements and eliminating distress and suffering. What are these seven? Some outflows cease through right view; some outflows cease through restraint; some outflows cease through avoidance; some outflows cease through proper use; some outflows cease through endurance; some outflows cease through removal; some outflows cease through contemplation.

Explanation: There are seven methods for ceasing the outflows of defilements and eliminating distress and suffering. What are these seven? Some outflows in the three realms cease through right view; some outflows in the three realms cease through guarding the sense faculties; some outflows in the three realms cease through abandoning unwholesome states; some outflows in the three realms cease through appropriate application; some outflows in the three realms cease through patience; some outflows in the three realms cease through eradication; some outflows in the three realms cease through contemplation.

Original: What does it mean for outflows to cease through right view? Ordinary foolish people do not get to hear the true Dhamma. They do not encounter true spiritual friends. They do not know the Noble Dhamma. They do not train in the Noble Dhamma. They do not know things as they really are. Because of wrong thinking, they entertain such thoughts: I have a past existence; I do not have a past existence; Why do I have a past existence? What was my past existence like? I have a future existence; I do not have a future existence; Why do I have a future existence? What will my future existence be like? They doubt about their own body: What is this? Why is it like this? Where have these beings come from? Where will they go after death? What was the original cause for their existence? What will be the cause for their future existence?

Explanation: What does it mean that outflows in the three realms cease through right view? Ordinary foolish people do not hear the true Dhamma, do not encounter true spiritual friends, do not know the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, cannot train in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, do not know the true nature of phenomena, and cannot think rightly. Consequently, such thoughts arise: "I have a past existence; I do not have a past existence; What is the reason for my past existence? What was my past existence like? I have a future existence; I do not have a future existence; What is the reason for my future existence? What will my future existence be like?" They doubt about their own physical body: "What is this? Why is it like this?" They also wonder: "Where have beings come from? Where will they go after death? What was the original cause for the existence of beings? What must be the cause for beings to exist?"

Original: Engaging in such wrong thinking, depending on whichever view arises among the six views, they take a position: "Truly, a soul exists" – this view arises; "Truly, no soul exists" – this view arises; "The soul perceives the soul" – this view arises; "The soul perceives the non-soul" – this view arises; "The non-soul perceives the soul" – this view arises; "This is the soul: it speaks, it knows, it acts, it teaches action, it arises, it teaches arising; it is born in such and such a place, experiencing the results of good and bad deeds; it definitely comes from nowhere, it definitely does not exist, it definitely should not exist." These are the corruptions of views, being swayed by views, bound by the fetter of views. It is for this reason that ordinary foolish people experience the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Explanation: Because of the ignorance of ordinary people, they develop this wrong thinking. Among these six viewpoints, depending on the arising of their views, they generate thoughts and opinions: believing that there truly exists a sovereign entity called a soul; or, depending on the arising of their views, they generate the perspective that there truly is no such thing as a soul governing beings; or, depending on the arising of their views, they develop the notion that there truly is something called a soul that can perceive this soul; or they believe that there truly is something called a soul within beings that can know there is no soul within beings; or they think that there is no soul within beings that perceives a soul; or they consider that this very thing is the soul – it can speak, it can perceive, it can create, it can teach creation, it can arise, it can teach arising; it is born in such and such a place, experiencing the results of good and bad deeds; it definitely comes from nowhere, it definitely does not exist, it definitely should not exist. These views, thoughts, and opinions of ordinary people are the corruptions produced by their wrong views. They are controlled by their own views, bound by the fetter of their views. Therefore, ordinary people must endure the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Original: The well-instructed noble disciple hears the true Dhamma, encounters true spiritual friends, trains in the Noble Dhamma, and knows things as they really are. They know suffering as it really is; they know the origin of suffering; they know the cessation of suffering; they know the path leading to the cessation of suffering as it really is. Knowing thus, as it really is, the three fetters are abandoned. With the abandonment of the three fetters – identity view, doubt, and adherence to rules and rituals – they attain the fruit of Stream-entry. They are no longer subject to falling into states of woe, are fixed in destiny, with awakening as their destination. They will circle at most seven times among devas and humans, and after seven more existences, they will make an end of suffering. Without this knowledge and vision, distress and anxiety arise. With this knowledge and vision, distress and anxiety do not arise. This is how outflows cease through right view.

Explanation: The well-instructed noble disciple hears the true Dhamma, encounters true spiritual friends, trains their mind with the Noble Dhamma, knows the most true Dhamma, knows suffering as it really is, knows how suffering ceases, and knows the path to the cessation of suffering as it really is. Having thus known the true reality of the five aggregates and the world, the three fetters are completely severed. With the abandonment of identity view, adherence to rules and rituals, and doubt, they attain the fruit of Stream-entry (Sotapanna). From then on, they will not fall into the lower realms. They will certainly proceed towards true awakening, passing through at most seven existences alternating between the heavenly and human realms, and then they will reach the end of suffering, the boundary of suffering. Without possessing such knowledge and vision, distress and anxiety arise. Possessing this knowledge and vision, they are free from the suffering of distress and anxiety. This is the principle of how outflows in the three realms cease through right view.