Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ñātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Ñātika::also known as Nātika or Nādika. It was a town in the Vajjī region, located between Vesāli and Koṭigāma|, at the Brick House. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Dhātuṁ, bhikkhave, paṭicca uppajjati saññā, uppajjati diṭṭhi, uppajjati vitakko”ti.
“Bhikkhus, |dependent on::contingent on, supported by, grounded on [paṭicca]| the |element::one of the eighteen components of perceptual experience, corresponding to the six sense organs, their associated external field and corresponding consciousness [dhātu]|, there arises a |perception::conception, a notion, a recognition [saññā]|, there arises a |view::belief, an opinion, a concept, a theory [diṭṭhi]|, there arises a |thought::a train of thought, a reflection, thinking [vitakka]|.”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā kaccāno bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “yāyaṁ, bhante, diṭṭhi: ‘asammāsambuddhesu sammāsambuddhā’ti, ayaṁ nu kho, bhante, diṭṭhi kiṁ paṭicca paññāyatī”ti?
When this was said, the venerable Kaccāna addressed the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, regarding those who are not fully awakened Buddhas, the view arises, ‘These are in fact fully awakened Buddhas.’ Dependent on what, venerable sir, |does this view arise::can this view be discerned [diṭṭhi + paññāyati]|?”
“Mahati kho esā, kaccāna, dhātu yadidaṁ avijjādhātu. Hīnaṁ, kaccāna, dhātuṁ paṭicca uppajjati hīnā saññā, hīnā diṭṭhi, hīno vitakko, hīnā cetanā, hīnā patthanā, hīno paṇidhi, hīno puggalo, hīnā vācā; hīnaṁ ācikkhati deseti paññapeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānīkaroti; hīnā tassa upapattīti vadāmi.
“Mighty, Kaccāna, is this element, namely the element of |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|. Dependent on an |inferior::low, deficient [hīna]| element, Kaccāna, there arises an inferior perception, an inferior view, an inferior thought, an inferior |intention::volition, will; the active mental force that organizes and directs associated mental states toward an object. [cetanā]|, an inferior |wish::a prayer, a longing [patthanā]|, an inferior |aspiration::a determination [paṇidhi]|, an inferior person, and an inferior speech. One explains, teaches, presents, establishes, reveals, analyzes, and clarifies what is inferior. His |rebirth::re-arising, reappearance; lit. going near [upapatti]|, I say, is inferior.
Majjhimaṁ, kaccāna, dhātuṁ paṭicca uppajjati majjhimā saññā, majjhimā diṭṭhi, majjhimo vitakko, majjhimā cetanā, majjhimā patthanā, majjhimo paṇidhi, majjhimo puggalo, majjhimā vācā; majjhimaṁ ācikkhati deseti paññapeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānīkaroti; majjhimā tassa upapattīti vadāmi.
Dependent on a middling element, there arises a middling perception, a middling view, a middling thought, a middling intention, a middling wish, a middling aspiration, a middling person, and a middling speech. One explains, teaches, presents, establishes, reveals, analyzes, and clarifies what is middling. His rebirth, I say, is middling.
Paṇītaṁ, kaccāna, dhātuṁ paṭicca uppajjati paṇītā saññā, paṇītā diṭṭhi, paṇīto vitakko, paṇītā cetanā, paṇītā patthanā, paṇīto paṇidhi, paṇīto puggalo, paṇītā vācā; paṇītaṁ ācikkhati deseti paññapeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānīkaroti; paṇītā tassa upapattīti vadāmī”ti.
Dependent on a superior element, there arises a superior perception, a superior view, a superior thought, a superior intention, a superior wish, a superior aspiration, a superior person, and a superior speech. One explains, teaches, presents, establishes, reveals, analyzes, and clarifies what is superior. His rebirth, I say, is superior.”