Diṭṭhi Sutta | Views

At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's park.

Then, Anathapindika, the householder, left Savatthi during the day to see the Blessed One.

Then it occurred to Anathapindika, the householder: It is not the right time to see the Blessed One.

The Blessed One is in seclusion.

It is also not the right time to see the disciples who are pleasing to the mind.

The disciples who are pleasing to the mind are in seclusion.

Perhaps I should approach the park of the wanderers of other sects.

Then, Anathapindika, the householder, approached the park of the wanderers of other sects.

At that time, the wanderers of other sects, having come together, were sitting, making loud noises and talking various kinds of nonsense.

The wanderers of other sects saw Anathapinika, the householder, coming from afar.

Seeing him, they said to one another: Let's be quiet, gentlemen, let's not make a noise.

Here comes Anathapindika, the householder, a follower of the ascetic Gotama.

Among the followers of the ascetic Gotama who are householders wearing white clothes living in Savatthi, he is one of them.

Those venerable ones like quiet, are trained in quiet, and praise quiet.

Perhaps it should be considered proper to approach a quiet assembly.

Then, those wanderers of other sects became silent.

Then, Anathapindika, the householder, approached them and, having approached, exchanged greetings with those wanderers of other sects.

After exchanging courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side.

Sitting to one side, those wanderers of other sects said to him: Tell us what view does the ascetic Gotama hold?

I do not know the full extent of the views of the Blessed One, he replied.

So you do not know the full extent of the views of the ascetic Gotama; tell us, what views do the disciples hold?

I also do not know the full extent of the disciples views, he replied.

So you do not know the full extent of the views of the ascetic Gotama nor the views of the disciples; tell us, what views do you hold?

It is not difficult for us to explain our views.

Please, venerables, first explain your own views according to your beliefs, and then it will not be difficult for us to explain our views.

Upon this request, one wanderer said to Anathapindika, the householder: The world is eternal, this is the only truth, everything else is wrong: this is my view, householder.

Another wanderer said to him: The world is not eternal, this is the only truth, everything else is wrong: this is my view, householder.

Another wanderer said:

The world is finite...

the world is infinite...

the soul and the body are the same...

the soul is one thing, the body another...

the Tathagata exists after death...

the Tathagata does not exist after death...

the Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death...

the Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death, this is the only truth, everything else is wrong: this is my view, householder.

Upon hearing this, Anathapindika, the householder, said to those wanderers: As for the venerable who says: The world is eternal, this is the only truth, everything else is wrong: this is my view his view has arisen either from his own inappropriate attention or because of what others say.

But that view is constructed, conditioned, willed, and arisen dependent on conditions.

Whatever is constructed, conditioned, willed, and arisen dependent on conditions is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering is something this venerable clings to, something he has taken up.

Similarly, for the one who says: The world is not eternal..., and for all the other positions mentioned, their views have arisen either from their own inappropriate attention or because of what others say.

But those views are constructed, conditioned, willed, and arisen dependent on conditions.

Whatever is constructed, conditioned, willed, and arisen dependent on conditions is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering is something these venerables cling to, something they have taken up.

A Tathagata does not exist after death...

A Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death...

A Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death, this alone is true, others are mistaken:

This is my view he said,

This view of this venerable one has arisen either from his own inappropriate attention or because of listening to others.

And this view is indeed arisen, conditioned, willed, and dependently originated.

Whatever is arisen, conditioned, willed, and dependently originated is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering, that is what this venerable one is attached to, that is what this venerable one has embraced.

When this was said, those wanderers said to

Anathapindika the householder:

Householder, all our views have been declared as far as they go.

Tell us what is your view?

Whatever is arisen, conditioned, willed, and dependently originated is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering, that is not mine, I am not that, that is not my self: This is my view, venerable sir.

Whatever is arisen, conditioned, willed, and dependently originated is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering, that you are attached to, that you have embraced.

Whatever is arisen, conditioned, willed, and dependently originated is impermanent.

What is impermanent is suffering.

What is suffering, that is not mine, I am not that, that is not my self: thus it is seen as it really is with proper wisdom.

And I see the further escape from it as it really is.

When this was said, those wanderers sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, heads down, brooding, without response.

Then Anathapindika the householder, knowing that those wanderers were silent, dismayed, got up from his seat and went to the Blessed One; after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side.

Sitting at one side, Anathapindika the householder reported to the Blessed One the entire conversation he had with those wanderers.

Well done, well done, householder.

Thus those foolish men should be rebuked from time to time with timely Dhamma.

Then the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened Anathapindika the householder with a Dhamma talk, after which he, having paid homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, departed.

Then, not long after Anathapindika the householder had left, the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Even if a disciple has been ordained for a hundred years in this Dhamma and Discipline, he should rebuke other sectarians in the same way Anathapindika the householder has rebuked them.