Kaccayanagotta-Sutta

Kaccayanagotta-Sutta
THUS HAVE I HEARD: THE BLESSED ONE WAS ONCE LIVING AT
Savatthi, in the monastery of Anathapindika, in Jeta’s Grove. At that time the venerable
Kaccayana of that clan came to visit him, and saluting him, sat down at one side. So
seated, he questioned the Exalted one: “Sir [people] speak of ‘right view, right view.’ To
what extent is there a right view?”
“This world, Kaccayana, is generally inclined towards two [views]: existence and
non-existence. To him who perceives with right wisdom the uprising of the world as it
has come to be, the notion of non-existence in the world does not occur. Kaccayana, to
him who perceives with right wisdom the ceasing of the world as it has come to be, the
notion of existence in the world does not occur.
The world, for the most part, Kaccayana, is bound by approach, grasping and
inclination. And he who does not follow that approach and grasping, that determination
of mind, that inclination and disposition, who does not cling to or adhere to a view: ‘This
is my self,’ who thinks: ‘suffering that is subject to arising, arises; suffering that is
subject to ceasing, ceases,’ such a person does not doubt, is not perplexed. Herein, his
knowledge is not other-dependent. Thus far, Kaccayana, there is ‘right view.’
‘Everything exists,’—this, Kaccayana, is one extreme.
‘Everything does not exist,’—this, Kaccayana, is the second extreme.
Kaccayana, without approaching either extreme, the Tathagata teaches you a
doctrine by the middle.
Dependent upon ignorance arise dispositions; dependent upon dispositions arise
consciousness; dependent upon consciousness arises the psychophysical personality;
dependent upon the psychophysical personality arise the six senses; dependent upon the
six senses arises contact; dependent upon contact arises feeling; dependent upon feeling
arises craving; dependent upon craving arises grasping; dependent upon grasping arises
becoming; dependent upon becoming arises birth; dependent upon birth arise old age
and death, grief, lamentation, suffering, dejection and despair. Thus arises the entire
mass of suffering. However, from the utter fading away and ceasing of ignorance, there is
ceasing of dispositions; from the ceasing of dispositions, there is ceasing of
consciousness; from the ceasing of consciousness, there is ceasing of the psychophysical
personality; from the ceasing of the psychophysical personality, there is ceasing of the six
senses; from the ceasing of the six senses, there is ceasing of contact; from the ceasing of
contact, there is ceasing of feeling; from the ceasing of feeling, there is ceasing of
craving; from the ceasing of craving, there is ceasing of grasping; from the ceasing of
grasping, there is ceasing of becoming; from the ceasing of becoming, there is ceasing of
birth; from the ceasing of birth, there is ceasing of old age and death, grief, lamentation,
suffering, dejection and despair. And thus there is the ceasing of this entire mass of
suffering.”