Exploring the Path: Introduction

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa

**Introduction to 3.2.2: Vibhaṅgasuttaṃ, Part Two: Sammādiṭṭhi – What Is Right View?**

Catunnaṃ ariyasaccānaṃ, yathābhūtaṃ adassanā;

Saṃsitaṃ¹ dīghamaddhānaṃ,² tāsu³ tāsveva⁴ jātisu.

Tāni etāni diṭṭhāni, bhavanetti⁵ samūhatā;⁶

Ucchinnaṃ mūlaṃ dukkhassa, natthidāni punabbhavo’ti.⁷

Because of not perceiving the Four Noble Truths in their real nature,

One has transmigrated through many existences for a long time,

Now that these Truths have been perceived,

The root of suffering is scattered and there is no more renewed becoming.

When finishing the previous lesson, the wish was expressed:

‘May the following lessons inspire one to dive into a deeper understanding of the first necessary link of the Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo — being a mandatory pre-requisite to realize the remaining one’s in order to come into the possession of the essence of the highest goal, which is Nibbāna!’

It referred especially to the following quote from the Pubbaṅgamasutta where the Buddha emphasises the fundamental, crucial and specific preparatory function of sammādiṭṭhi:⁸

Sūriyassa, bhikkhave, udayato⁹ etaṃ pubbaṅgamaṃ etaṃ pubbanimittaṃ,¹⁰ yadidaṃ — aruṇuggaṃ.¹¹ Evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ etaṃ pubbaṅgamaṃ etaṃ pubbanimittaṃ, yadidaṃ – sammādiṭṭhi.

The dawn, Bhikkhus, is the forerunner and precursor of the rising of the sun. In the same way, right view is the forerunner and precursor of wholesome states.

Sammādiṭṭhikassa,¹² bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo pahoti,¹³ sammāsaṅkappassa sammāvācā pahoti, sammākammanto pahoti, sammākammantassa sammāājīvo pahoti, sammāājīvassa sammāvāyāmo pahoti, sammāvāyāmassa sammāsati pahoti, sammāsatissa sammāsamādhi pahoti, sammāsamādhissa sammāñāṇaṃ pahoti, sammāñāṇissa sammāvimutti pahotī’ti.¹⁴

For one of right view, Bhikkhus, right thought originates. For one of right thought, right speech originates. For one of right speech, right action originates. For one of right action, right livelihood originates. For one of right livelihood, right effort originates. For one of right effort, right awareness originates. For one of right awareness, right concentration originates. For one of right concentration, right knowledge originates. For one of right knowledge, right liberation originates.

May the lessons on sammādiṭṭhi inspire more and more people to realize sammādiṭṭhi, not only as a logical, intellectual prerequisite for further development but to sincerely strive for inner realization and, thus, realize sammādiṭṭhi as the base, prerequisite and forerunner of ascertaining the remaining links of the Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo!¹⁵

saṃsitaṃ: saṃsarati (pp.) – transmigrate, continuously go through.¹
dīghamaddhānaṃ: dīghaṃ + addhānaṃ – long + time, period.²
tāsu: ta (loc. fem. pl.) those.³
tāsveva: tāsu + v + eva (emphatic particle) – those + even, so. tāsu + tāsu: emphasis through repetition.⁴
bhavanetti: bhavaṃ + etti – becoming, existence + here, from this.⁵
samūhatā: samūhanti (pp.): removed.⁶
Paṭhamakoṭigāmasuttaṃ, Koṭigāmavaggo, Saccasaṃyuttaṃ, Mahāvaggo, Saṃyuttanikāyo.⁷
There are various forerunners as may be seen from the sutta on kalyāṇamitta which emphasises a good and virtuous friend whose advice is beneficial, acting as a guide on the path by encouraging, supporting and helping lead one towards liberation. See 3.1.8 Upaḍḍhasuttaṃ - The Importance of a Kalyāṇamitta.⁸
udayato: rise.⁹
pubbanimittaṃ: pubba + nimittaṃ – before + sign.¹⁰
aruṇuggaṃ: aruṇa + uggaṃ – dawn; the sun + rise: sunrise.¹¹
sammādiṭṭhikassa: sammādiṭṭhi + ko (gen.) – the suffix ko here indicates possession: ‘holding right view’. Although the following links are all with the Genitive-, Dative-ending and may also be translated as ‘from right view, right thought arises’, the translation ‘for one of’ is maintained to convey the meaning.¹²
pahoti, pabhavati: to proceed from, to originate.¹³
Pubbaṅgamasuttaṃ, Paccorohaṇivaggo Dasakanipātapāḷi, Aṅguttaranikāyo.¹⁴
Meditators and participants of a Vipassana meditation course in the tradition of S.N. Goenka may notice that his discourses first highlight the ethical preconditions (sīla) before the other constituents of the path are explained. For this, see the Introduction to 3.2.5 Sammādiṭṭhisuttaṃ - Assuring the Path.¹⁵