Episode Transcript
## Sutta 1 - A miscellany on wrong view
Monks, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen unwholesome qualities of mind arise and arisen unwholesome qualities of mind increase and expand so much as on account of wrong view. For one of wrong view, unarisen unwholesome qualities of mind increase and expand.
Monks, I do not see even one other thing on account of which unarisen wholesome qualities of mind do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities of mind diminish so much as on account of wrong view. For one of wrong view, unarisen wholesome qualities of mind do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities of mind diminish.
Monks, I do not see even one other thing on account of which, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell, so much as on account of wrong view. Possessing wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell.
Monks, for a person of wrong view, whatever bodily, verbal, or mental conduct he undertakes in accordance with that view, and whatever volition, aspiration, wish, and volitional formations he engenders in accordance with that view, all lead to what is undesirable, unwanted and disagreeable, to harm and suffering. For what reason? Because the view is bad. Just as, when a seed of neem, bitter cucumber or bitter gourd is planted in moist soil, it transforms any nutriment it obtains from the soil and the water in to a fruit with bitter, harsh, and disagreeable taste, even so is it for a person of wrong view. For what reason? Because the view is bad.
AN 1: 1
## Sutta 2 - The blind men and the elephant
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, beliefs, and opinions, relying on different views.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who had this doctrine and view: “The cosmos is eternal. This is the only truth, anything else is futile.”
Others held views such as the following, each regarding their own view as true and others as silly. “The cosmos is not eternal.”
“The cosmos is finite.”
“The cosmos is infinite.”
“The soul and the body are one and the same.”
“The soul is one thing, the body another.”
“A realized one still exists after death.”
“A realized one no longer exists after death.”
“A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death.”
“A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.”
They were fighting, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words: “Such is Truth, such is not Truth! Such is not Truth, such is Truth!”
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. The Buddha said:
“The wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless. They don’t understand what is beneficial or what is not beneficial, nor what is the truth and what is not the truth. That’s why they are fighting, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words.
Once upon a time, mendicants, right here in Sāvatthī there was a certain king. Then the king addressed a man, ‘Please, worthy man, gather all those blind from birth throughout Sāvatthī and bring them together in one place.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ that man replied. He did as the king asked, then said to him, ‘Your Majesty, the blind people throughout Sāvatthī have been gathered.’ ‘Well then, my man, show them an elephant.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ that man replied. He did as the king asked.
To some of the blind people he showed the elephant’s head, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s ear, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s tusk, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s trunk, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s flank, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s leg, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s thigh, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the elephant’s tail, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’ To some of them he showed the tip of the elephant’s tail, saying, ‘Here is the elephant.’
Then he approached the king and said, ‘Your Majesty, the blind people have been shown the elephant. Please go at your convenience.’
Then the king went up to the blind people and said, ‘Have you seen the elephant?’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty, we have been shown the elephant.’ ‘Then tell us, what kind of thing is an elephant?’
The blind people who had been shown the elephant’s head said, ‘Your Majesty, an elephant is like a pot.’
Those who had been shown the ear said, ‘An elephant is like a winnowing fan.’
Those who had been shown the tusk said, ‘An elephant is like a ploughshare.’
Those who had been shown the trunk said, ‘An elephant is like a plough-pole.’
Those who had been shown the flank said, ‘An elephant is like a storehouse.’
Those who had been shown the leg said, ‘An elephant is like a pillar.’
Those who had been shown the thigh said, ‘An elephant is like a mortar.’
Those who had been shown the tail said, ‘An elephant is like a pestle.’
Those who had been shown the tip of the tail said, ‘An elephant is like a broom.’
Saying, ‘Such is an elephant, not such! Such is not an elephant, such is!’ they punched each other with their fists. At that, the king was pleased.
In the same way, mendicants, the wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless. They don’t understand what is beneficial or what is not beneficial, nor what is the truth and what is not the truth. That’s why they are fighting, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words. ‘Such is Truth, such is not! Such is not Truth, such is!’”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
> “Some ascetics and brahmins, it seems,cling to these things. Arguing, they dispute,the folk who see just one part.”
>
Ud 6:4
## Sutta 3 - Held by two kinds of views
“Overcome by two misconceptions, mendicants, some gods and humans get stuck, some overreach, while those with vision see.
And how do some get stuck? Because of love, delight, and enjoyment of existence, when the Dhamma is being taught for the cessation of existence, the minds of some gods and humans do not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided. That is how some get stuck.
And how do some overreach? Some, becoming horrified, repelled, and disgusted with existence, delight in nonexistence: ‘When this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death: that is peaceful, that is sublime, that is how it is.’ That is how some overreach.
And how do those with vision see? It’s when a mendicant sees what has come to be as having come to be. Seeing this, they are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding what has come to be. That is how those with vision see.”
It 49; 43-44
## Sutta 4 - A heart pervading the whole world
“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four?
Firstly, an individual meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They enjoy this and like it and find it rewarding. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the Divinity’s host. The lifespan of the gods of the Divinity’s host is one eon. An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm. But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life. This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
Furthermore, an individual meditates spreading a heart full of compassion … a heart full of rejoicing … a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They enjoy this and like it and find it rewarding. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of streaming radiance. The lifespan of the gods of streaming radiance is two eons. … they’re reborn in the company of the gods of universal beauty. The lifespan of the gods of universal beauty is four eons. … they’re reborn in the company of the gods of abundant fruit. The lifespan of the gods of abundant fruit is five hundred eons. An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm. But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life. This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
These are the four individuals found in the world.”
AN 4:125
## Sutta 5 - The Stream of Tears
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving. What do you think? Which is more: the flow of tears you’ve shed while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time—weeping and wailing from being coupled with the unloved and separated from the loved—or the water in the four oceans?”
“As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the flow of tears we’ve shed while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans.”
“Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this. The flow of tears you’ve shed while roaming and transmigrating is indeed more than the water in the four oceans. For a long time you’ve undergone the death of a mother … father … brother … sister … son … daughter … loss of relatives … loss of wealth … or loss through illness. From being coupled with the unloved and separated from the loved, the flow of tears you’ve shed while roaming and transmigrating is indeed more than the water in the four oceans.
Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
SN 15:3
## Sutta 6 - The Stream of Blood
Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove. Then thirty mendicants from Pāvā went to the Buddha. All of them lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and owned just three robes; yet they all still had fetters. They bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.
Then it occurred to the Buddha, “These thirty mendicants from Pāvā live in the wilderness, eat only almsfood, wear rag robes, and own just three robes; yet they all still have fetters. Why don’t I teach them the Dhamma in such a way that their minds are freed from defilements by not grasping while sitting in this very seat?”
Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.
What do you think? Which is more: the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time, or the water in the four oceans?”
“As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the flow of blood we’ve shed when our head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans.”
“Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this. The flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is indeed more than the water in the four oceans. For a long time you’ve been cows, and the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a cow is more than the water in the four oceans. For a long time you’ve been buffalo … sheep … goats … deer … chickens … pigs … For a long time you’ve been bandits, arrested for raiding villages, highway robbery, or adultery. And the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a bandit is more than the water in the four oceans.
Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of the thirty mendicants from Pāvā were freed from defilements by not grasping.
SN 15:13
