Right View (samma-ditthi)
The Importance of Views
The following is written for the AQA syllabus by Upeksacitta (Robert Ellis), member of the Western Buddhist Order and a former Head of RS.
Right View (alternatively, 'right understanding' or 'right vision') consists partly of the beliefs which will help one towards enlightenment, but also of a full understanding of those beliefs and realisation of their full implications. Right view is thus central to wisdom in Buddhism.
Right View is also often described as the forerunner of the other limbs of the Eightfold Path: this is because it enables one to understand how the other limbs are helpful and to judge what is correct practice. For example, it would be impossible to practise right action without an understanding of what are right or wrong actions. It provides an initial view according to which we then orientate ourselves.
Although in many ways we need some Right View in order to practise Buddhism at all, it’s also true that some initial practice may be needed to get a vision of what lies ahead. Sangharakshita, founder of the FWBO, explains this in terms of a metaphor:
Imagine we want to climb to some lofty mountain peak. What do we do? First we study a map of the terrain, of the surrounding foothills, and of the mountain itself. This study of the map corresponds to the theoretica; study of Buddhist doctrine….But we have to actually start our journey, to get going – we have at least to get to base camp. This corresponds to our preliminary practice of the Buddha’s teaching. Eventually, after several days, weeks, or months of travelling, we catch a glimpse of the distant mountain peak which is the object of our journey. We have come only a little way, and we are still far from the foot of the mountain, but there in the distance we see the shining snow peak. We have a direct perception – a vision – of it, although from a very great distance.
This glimpse of the peak corresponds to Perfect Vision, and it gives us inspiration and encouragement to continue our journey. We can go on from there, keeping our eyes on the peak, never losing sight of it, at least not for more than a few minutes at a time. We may not care how long the journey, how many nights we spend on the way, how difficult the terrain, how hot or cold it is. We may not even care if we are starving, so long as we have our eyes firmly fixed on the peak. We are happy in the knowledge that we are getting nearer day by day, and that one day we shall find ourselves at the foot of the peak - This process of travelling with the peak in view corresponds to traversing the remaining stages of the Noble Eightfold Path. Eventually we may find ourselves on the virgin snows of the peak itself – may find that we have attained Enlightenment, or Buddhahood.
Sangharakshita: Vision and Transformation p.32, Windhorse
Question
Why do you think there are three different translation of samma-ditthi? Note the limitations of each translation below (what does each imply that the others don’t? What does it not tell you?)
Right View
Right Understanding
Right Vision
Extract from the Pali Canon on Right View (with notes in square brackets)
Of those [the other limbs of the Eightfold Path] , Right View is the forerunner. And how is Right View the forerunner? One discerns wrong view as wrong view, and Right View as Right View. This is one's Right View. And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions.[i.e. kamma] There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings [i.e. rebirth] ; no priests or contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly, proclaim this world and the next after having directly known and realized it for themselves [i.e. [possibility of working towards Enlightenment].' This is wrong view.
And what is Right View? Right View, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is Right View with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions [i.e. Right View which still produces kamma]; and there is noble Right View, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path [Right View at a higher stage of the Path, which no longer produces kamma].
And what is the Right View that has effluents, sides with merit, and results in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed [i.e. our good actions do matter]. There are fruits and results of good and bad actions [these actions have kammic results]. There is this world and the next world. There is mother and father. There are spontaneously reborn beings [i.e. there is rebirth]; there are priests and contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly, proclaim this world and the next after having directly known and realized it for themselves [i.e. spiritual progress is possible].' This is the Right View that has effluents, sides with merit, and results in acquisitions.
And what is the right view that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path? The discernment [wisdom], the faculty of discernment, the strength of discernment, analysis of qualities as a factor of Awakening, the path factor of right view in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right view that is without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path. [i.e. one who practises right view spontaneously at a high level will have gained wisdom and will no longer produce kamma as a result of action]
One tries to abandon wrong view and to enter into right view: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view and to enter and remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities-right view, right effort, and right mindfulness-run and circle around right view.
Middle-Length Sayings Sutta 117
So, in summary, the Pali Canon stresses that Right View consists in a complete understanding of the workings of kamma and rebirth, creating responsibility for our actions, which it is claimed will always lead to results for which we will be accountable. It also includes understanding of the possibility of spiritual progress, for without this there would be no positive effect from recognition of kamma and rebirth. An alternative way of putting this same point is in terms of understanding and awareness of the Four Noble Truths.
Awareness of the Four Noble Truths
An important part of Right View consists in the understanding of key Buddhist formulations. These would begin with the Four Noble Truths. A practising Buddhist needs to not only know in theory, but to understand in experience how suffering and frustration is a feature of the human relationship to the world (the First Truth), to understand the causes of that suffering and frustration (the Second Truth), to believe that there is an alternative (the Third Truth) and to appreciate exactly what changes in attitude and behaviour will lead him/her towards that alternative (the Fourth Truth).
To have a full awareness of the Four Noble Truths in one’s life means being able to break down the general idea into what it means in specific practical terms, and remain continuously aware of the Four Noble Truths in one’s life.
Exercise
To get some idea of what is involved in understanding the Four Noble Truths, try
(1) saying what you think the Truth means and
(2) think of examples from your own experience which relate to each Truth. A Buddhist reflecting on the truths might well go through such examples slowly and carefully in meditation, preferably after achieving a state of jhana or deep concentration.
- 1st Noble Truth: Suffering or Frustration
- 2nd Noble Truth: Arising of Suffering or Frustration (i.e. craving and its result in kamma)
- 3rd Noble Truth: The possibility of Enlightenment
- 4th Noble Truth:
The Path to Enlightenment