Venerable Kaccānagotta asks the Buddha about right view, and the Buddha explains how the world depends on a duality of existence and non-existence, and how the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma by the middle way.

SN 12.15 Kaccānagotta sutta - With Kaccānagotta

At Sāvatthi.

Then the venerable Kaccānagotta went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Kaccānagotta said to the Blessed One:

“‘Right view, right view,’ it is said, venerable sir. To what extent, venerable sir, is there |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|?”

“The world, Kaccāna, for the most part depends on a duality — on the notion of existence and the notion of non-existence.

But for one who sees the arising of the world as it really is with correct wisdom, the notion of non-existence in regard to the world does not occur. And for one who sees the ending of the world as it really is with correct wisdom, the notion of existence in regard to the world does not occur.

This world, Kaccāna, is for the most part |bound by engagement, clinging, and fixation::shackled to going near, grabbing and holding onto [upayupādānābhinivesavinibandha]|.

But to this engagement, clinging, |preconception::mental standpoint, determination [cetasa + adhiṭṭhāna]|, fixation, and |underlying tendency::latent disposition [anusaya]| - one does not engage, nor cling to, nor fixate on with the thought: ‘This is my self.’ [Then] one has no doubt or uncertainty that what arises is merely suffering arising, and what ceases is merely suffering ceasing. One’s |wisdom::insight, knowing [ñāṇa]| about this is |independent of others::not reliant on another [aparapaccayā]|.

In this way, Kaccāna, there is right view.

’Everything exists,’ Kaccāna, this is one extreme.

‘Everything does not exist,’ this is the second extreme.

Avoiding these two extremes, the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]| teaches the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| by the middle way:

’|Dependent on::contingent on, supported by, grounded on [paṭicca]| |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|, bhikkhus, |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]| [arise]; dependent on intentional constructs, |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| arises; dependent on consciousness, |name and form::mentality and materiality—the integrated structure of mental capacities (intention, attention, contact, feeling, perception) and physical form that together constitute and sustain an individual being [nāmarūpa]| arises; dependent on name and form, the |six sense bases::The six internal sense bases—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—are the faculties that enable sensory contact and experience. They are not the physical organs themselves, but the functional conditions that enable consciousness to meet an object [saḷāyatana]| arise; dependent on the six sense bases, |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]| arises; dependent on contact, |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| arises; dependent on felt experience, |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| arises; dependent on craving, |clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying [upādāna]| arises; dependent on clinging, |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]| arises; dependent on existence, |birth::rebirth, conception, coming into existence [jāti]| arises; dependent on birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair arise. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering.

With the |complete fading away and ending::remainderless dispassion and cessation [asesavirāganirodha]| of ignorance comes ending of intentional constructs; with the ending of intentional constructs, ending of consciousness; with the ending of consciousness, ending of name and form; with the ending of name and form, ending of the six sense bases; with the ending of the six sense bases, ending of contact; with the ending of contact, ending of felt experience; with the ending of felt experience, ending of craving; with the ending of craving, ending of clinging; with the ending of clinging, ending of existence; with the ending of existence, ending of birth; with the ending of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair cease. Thus is the ending of this whole mass of suffering.’”

Last updated on July 13, 2025

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