Hello friends,
Having spent some time discussing the Four Noble Truths (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3801), as well as their interpretations and applications, I am setting up this topic for discussion of the first aspect of the Noble Eightfold Path--Right View. The two readings for this subject provide (to me) an interesting contrast between the practice of an Arahant vs. a full Buddha's practice.
Please find below both a translation of the K?ty?yana Gotra S?tra from the ?gamas, as well as an excerpt from the Sammaditthi Sutta, wherein the Buddha and Ven. Sariputta respectively expound on Right View. As the Pali Sutta is rather long and of a repetitive nature (as Matt has kindly pointed out in a different thread), I have abridged it to the first iteration, and added the subjects of the later iterations of Ven. Sariputta's discourse.
Quote:
Sammaditthi Sutta: Right View
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then Ven. Sariputta addressed the monks, "Friends!"
"Yes, friend," the monks responded.
Ven. Sariputta said, "'Right view, right view' it is said.[1] To what extent is a disciple of the noble ones a person of right view, one whose view is made straight, who is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma, and who has arrived at this true Dhamma?"
"We would come from a long distance, friend, to learn the meaning of these words in Ven. Sariputta's presence. It would be good if Ven. Sariputta himself would enlighten us as to their meaning. Having listened to him, the monks will bear it in mind."
"Then in that case, friends, listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, friend," the monks responded.
Skillful & unskillful
Ven. Sariputta said, "When a disciple of the noble ones discerns what is unskillful, discerns the root of what is unskillful, discerns what is skillful, and discerns the root of what is skillful, it is to that extent that he is a person of right view, one whose view is made straight, who is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma, and who has arrived at this true Dhamma.
Now what is unskillful? Taking life is unskillful, taking what is not given... sexual misconduct... lying... abusive speech... divisive tale-bearing... idle chatter is unskillful. Covetousness... ill will... wrong views are unskillful. These things are termed unskillful.
And what are the roots of what is unskillful? Greed is a root of what is unskillful, aversion is a root of what is unskillful, delusion is a root of what is unskillful. These are termed the roots of what is unskillful.
And what is skillful? Abstaining from taking life is skillful, abstaining from taking what is not given... from sexual misconduct... from lying... from abusive speech... from divisive tale-bearing... abstaining from idle chatter is skillful. Lack of covetousness... lack of ill will... right views are skillful. These things are termed skillful.
And what are the roots of what is skillful? Lack of greed is a root of what is skillful, lack of aversion is a root of what is skillful, lack of delusion is a root of what is skillful. These are termed the roots of what is skillful.
"When a disciple of the noble ones discerns what is unskillful in this way, discerns the root of what is unskillful in this way, discerns what is skillful in this way, and discerns the root of what is skillful in this way, when — having entirely abandoned passion-obsession, having abolished aversion-obsession, having uprooted the view-&-conceit obsession 'I am'; having abandoned ignorance & given rise to clear knowing — he has put an end to suffering & stress right in the here-&-now, it is to this extent that a disciple of the noble ones is a person of right view, one whose view is made straight, who is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma, and who has arrived at this true Dhamma."
Same basic exposition for: Nutriment, Stress, Aging & Death, Birth, Becoming, Clinging, Craving, Feeling, Contact, Sense Media, Name-and-Form, Consciousness, Fabrication, Ignorance, and Fermentation. Lines of inquiry are changed for each subject. -- from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
So, Ven. Sariputta, as an Arahant teaches that taking the precepts, investigation and understanding of the beginning and ending (i.e., transient nature) of all phenomena is practicing Right View.Quote:
K?ty?yana Gotra S?tra
Sa?yukta ?gama 301
Translated from Taish? Tripi?aka volume 2, number 99
Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the village of N?dika, at a residency deep in the forest. At that time, K?ty?yana Gotra approached the place of the Buddha. Bowing his head at the feet of the Buddha, he then withdrew to one side, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “Bhagav?n, as the Bhagav?n speaks of right view, what is right view? What does the Bhagav?n establish as the right view?”
The Buddha told K?ty?yana Gotra, “The worldly have two kinds of support to which they grasp and adhere: existence and non-existence. This grasping and adhering is either supported by existence or supported by non-existence. Suppose one is without this grasping, not grasping at a mental realm which causes suffering, not dwelling, and not discerning a self. When suffering arises, it arises, and when suffering ends, it ends. He regards these without doubt and without confusion, and then without these, he has self-realization. This is called the right view, and what the Tath?gata establishes as the right view. Why is this so? One who sees the arising of the world, is not one who holds to its non-existence. One who sees elimination of the world, is not one who holds to its existence. This is called freedom from the Two Extremes, which is spoken of as the Middle Path. That is to say, this existence is the cause of that existence, and this arising is the cause of that arising. These are caused by ignorance, including even the entire arising of the pure mass of suffering. When ignorance ends, then from this comes the end of such actions, including even the end of the pure mass of suffering.
After the Buddha had spoken this s?tra, Venerable K?ty?yana Gotra heard what the Buddha had truly said. Not giving rise to outflows, his mind obtained liberation, and he attained arhatship. -- from http://www.lapislazulitexts.com/T02_009 ... sutra.html
The Buddha seems to be suggesting that Right View is not grasping at existence or non-existence (clinging and aversion) for phenomena, but rather seeing them as they are at any point with no clinging. This to me reeks of Shikantaza.
Additionally, the Buddha defines the Middle Path as neither clinging to the world coming or going. Simply letting go of this clinging is Right View and, coincidentally, Awakening.
Metta,
Saijun
EDIT: Upon reading the Chinese Sutra a second time, am I the only one who can hear the Heart Sutra murmuring through it?
