The Buddha explains that the materialist view—which denies kamma, giving, and the afterlife—arises from clinging to the five aggregates. By seeing all phenomena as impermanent, a noble disciple abandons doubt and secures their destiny as a stream-enterer.

SN 24.5 Natthidinna sutta - There is Nothing Given

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko; natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā; natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedenti. Cātumahābhūtiko ayaṁ puriso yadā kālaṁ karoti pathavī pathavīkāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, āpo āpokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, tejo tejokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, vāyo vāyokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati. Ākāsaṁ indriyāni saṅkamanti. Āsandipañcamā purisā mataṁ ādāya gacchanti. Yāva āḷāhanā padāni paññāyanti. Kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni bhavanti. Bhassantā āhutiyo. Dattupaññattaṁ yadidaṁ dānaṁ. Tesaṁ tucchaṁ musā vilāpo ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti. Bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“When what exists, |bhikkhus,::::| by |clinging to::grasping (at), acquiring, appropriating, taking possession (of), identifying (with) [upādāya]| what, by |fixating::adhering, doubling down; lit. completely entering down [abhinivissa]| on what, does such a view arise: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; no fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn spontaneously; no ascetics and brahmins in the world who are rightly practicing or have rightly practiced, and who, having realized for themselves by |direct knowledge::experiential understanding [abhiññāya]|, declare this world and the other world. This person is composed of the four great elements. When one dies, earth returns to and merges with the earth-body; water returns to and merges with the water-body; fire returns to and merges with the fire-body; wind returns to and merges with the wind-body. The faculties pass into space. Four men, with the bier as the fifth, carry the corpse. The funeral orations last as far as the cremation ground; the bones turn dove grey; the fire offering ends in ashes. |Giving::the act of giving or donating, with an intention to give [dāna]| is prescribed by fools. Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist’?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, and take refuge in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would explain the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.”

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti. Vedanāya sati …pe… saññāya satisaṅkhāresu sativiññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

“When form exists, |bhikkhus,::::| by clinging to form, by fixating on form, such a view arises: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered... Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist.’ When feeling exists... When perception exists... When intentional constructs exist... When consciousness exists, by clinging to consciousness, by fixating on consciousness, such a view arises: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered... Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“What do you think, |bhikkhus,::::| is |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| |permanent::stable, not in flux [nicca]| or |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, venerable sir.”

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“But without clinging to that, could such a view arise: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered... Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, venerable sir.”

“Vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Is |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, the experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| permanent or impermanent?... Is |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| permanent or impermanent?... Are |intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning — patterns, tendencies, and habits — produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]| permanent or impermanent?... Is |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; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]| permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, venerable sir.”

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“But without clinging to that, could such a view arise: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered... Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, venerable sir.”

“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“That which is seen, heard, |sensed::smelled, tasted, felt, or thought [muta]|, cognized, attained, sought after, and pondered over by the mind—is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, venerable sir.”

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti; bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“But without clinging to that, could such a view arise: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered... Fools and the wise are alike cut off and perish with the breakup of the body; after death they do not exist’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, venerable sir.”

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

“When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones has abandoned |doubt::uncertainty, perplexity, hesitation—especially in relation to faith, truth, or decision-making on the path [kaṅkhā]| in these cases, and has abandoned doubt about |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, has abandoned doubt about the arising of suffering, has abandoned doubt about the end of suffering, and has abandoned doubt about the way of practice leading to the end of suffering—this disciple of the Noble Ones|, bhikkhus,::::| is called a |stream-enterer::A stream-enterer is an individual who has attained the first stage of awakening, having completely abandoned the three fetters: 1) personal existence view - identity view, belief in a self, 2) doubt or perplexity regarding suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, and 3) adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation [sotāpanna]|, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, |with full awakening as his destination::culminating in enlightenment [sambodhiparāyaṇa]|.”

Topics & Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
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Recognition of impermanence

Recognition of impermanence

Perceiving all conditioned things as unstable and transient. This recognition weakens attachment by revealing the continual arising and ceasing of phenomena, turning the mind toward wisdom and release.

Also known as: perception of impermanence, perception of instability, realization of transience
Pāli: aniccasaññā
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Stream Entry

Stream Entry

The first stage of awakening, where one overcomes the fetters of 1.) personal existence view: view of being someone, that one is an embodied being, 2.) doubt or perplexity regarding suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, and 3.) adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation. One who has entered the stream is no longer bound for the lower realms, is fixed in destiny, and is bound for full awakening. The four factors of stream-entry are: 1.) association with persons of integrity, 2.) hearing the true teaching, 3.) radical attention, and 4.) practice in accordance with the Dhamma.

Also known as: entering the stream, fruition of stream-entry
Pāli: sotāpatti, sotāpanna
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026