2. Right View as the Forerunner
2.4 Definition of Wrong View
2.8 Two Kinds of Right View
2.13 The Mundane Right View
2.17 The Noble Right View
2.21 Interrelation of Right View, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness
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The discussion begins with 10 micchādiṭṭhi—wrong view—by examining how it takes shape in ordinary life situations and how each form can be philosophically interpreted through contemporary ways of thinking.
1. Natthi dinnaṃ — There is nothing given.
Denies that giving (dāna/cāga) has any moral or spiritual consequence. It rejects generosity as a meaningful act.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
A form of utilitarian egoism and consumer logic — value is measured by personal return. If generosity yields no visible gain, it’s “waste.”
Consequence
Such thinking shrinks the heart. When giving loses meaning, relationships become transactional and trust collapses. Society becomes competitive rather than cooperative.
2. Natthi yiṭṭhaṃ — There is nothing offered.
Rejects ritual or spiritual offering as futile. This originally referred to sacrifices or acts of merit done with reverence.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Scientific materialism or pragmatic secularism: only what yields tangible results is worth doing. Symbolic meaning is stripped away.
Consequence
Life becomes functional but hollow. Without gestures of offering, gratitude and reverence fade — the sacred dimension of existence disappears.
3. Natthi hutaṃ — There is nothing sacrificed.
Denies the moral worth of self-sacrifice or religious oblation. In early India, hutaṃ referred to fire offerings, but here it points to any renunciatory act.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Hedonistic individualism: happiness equals pleasure, not virtue. Sacrifice is viewed as weakness.
Consequence
Without the spirit of sacrifice, love cannot deepen, nor can society sustain altruism. Every “loss” feels unjust because one’s worldview equates value with self-gain.
4. Natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṃ kammānaṃ phalaṃ vipāko — There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions.
Denies moral causality (kamma-vipāka). In this view, good and evil are mere opinions, not laws of cause and effect.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Moral relativism and existential nihilism — morality is a human invention, not natural law.
Consequence
5. Natthi ayaṃ loko — There is no this world.
Denies the moral or spiritual structure of the present world. It suggests that what we perceive is meaningless flux.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Philosophical skepticism or postmodern absurdism — truth and meaning are social fictions.
Consequence
Without confidence in this world’s order, there is no motivation for moral effort. Mindfulness degenerates into mere coping, not comprehension.
6. Natthi paro loko — There is no other world.
Denies rebirth, continuity of consciousness, or post-mortem moral consequence.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Reductionist naturalism — consciousness is a brain product; death is annihilation.
Consequence
Such a belief can encourage irresponsibility or despair: if there’s nothing beyond death, moral restraint feels optional, and suffering lacks deeper context.
7. Natthi mātā — There is no mother.
Denies moral obligation or gratitude toward one’s mother.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Psychological individualism — selfhood is autonomous, not relational. Gratitude is replaced by entitlement.
Consequence
Family compassion erodes. When maternal care is unvalued, empathy weakens across society. The womb that nurtures becomes invisible — spiritually, this mirrors denial of interdependence (paṭiccasamuppāda).
8. Natthi pitā — There is no father.
Denies the worth or duty toward one’s father — symbolizing the breakdown of ethical hierarchy and gratitude.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Anti-authority relativism — all hierarchies are suspect; independence equals wisdom.
Consequence
Without recognition of rightful guidance, moral education collapses. Societies lose moral memory, and every generation “reinvents” life without wisdom from the past.
9. Natthi sattā opapātikā —There are no beings reborn spontaneously.
Denies the existence of non-human or spiritual beings — devas, brahmās, petas, etc.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Empirical reductionism — reality equals measurability.
Consequence
This view erases wonder and humility. Human beings act as sole proprietors of the universe, which fuels ecological exploitation and spiritual emptiness.
10. Natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā… — There are no true ascetics and Brahmins who have realized for themselves this world and the next.
Denies the existence of enlightened beings or authentic spiritual teachers.
In Daily Life
Underlying View
Cynical rationalism and post-truth skepticism — truth is relative, virtue performative.
Consequence
1. Atthi dinnaṃ — There is what is given.
Affirms that giving (dāna/cāga) is meaningful and karmically fruitful — generosity creates moral energy and binds beings in mutual goodwill.
In Daily Life
When someone shares time, food, or knowledge without expectation, they strengthen unseen trust in the world. A teacher who patiently guides students, a friend who listens, or a stranger who donates blood — all act from this conviction that giving matters.
Underlying View
Relational humanism and ethical realism: value is intrinsic to generosity; the act itself transforms giver and receiver.Philosophically akin to Aristotelian virtue ethics and Buddhist merit economy.
Consequence
This view cultivates an abundance mindset and gratitude. Society becomes collaborative rather than competitive; compassion circulates like currency.
2. Atthi yiṭṭhaṃ — There is what is offered.
Affirms that offerings, rituals, and expressions of reverence have moral efficacy when performed with trust and understanding.
In Daily Life
Lighting incense, volunteering at the temple, or offering food to monks are not superstitions but acts that elevate consciousness by acknowledging interdependence. Even non-religious acts — offering a meal to a friend or honouring ancestors — spring from this view.
Underlying View
Symbolic realism: gestures shape the mind. Meaning arises from intention (cetanā), not material return. Comparable to phenomenological or ritual hermeneutic perspectives that treat symbol as lived truth.
Consequence
Transforms ordinary acts into sacred participation; cultivates mindfulness, humility, and gratitude toward all who sustain life.
3. Atthi hutaṃ — There is what is sacrificed.
Affirms the moral worth of self-sacrifice, restraint, and renunciation done for wholesome ends.
In Daily Life
A parent working hard for children’s education, a doctor serving in remote areas, or a monk renouncing luxury — all exemplify this principle. Sacrifice redefines “loss” as moral investment.
Underlying View
Ethical altruism and Buddhist sīla-paramī — genuine happiness arises from voluntary renunciation. Philosophically resonates with Kantian duty and existential authenticity — choosing value beyond pleasure.
Consequence
Deepens patience and compassion; transforms suffering into meaning; builds resilient families and communities.
4. Atthi sukatadukkaṭānaṃ kammānaṃ phalaṃ vipāko — There is fruit and result of good and bad actions.
Affirms the universal law of moral causality (kamma-vipāka). Actions of body, speech, and mind bear results congruent with their quality.
In Daily Life
People with this view live responsibly: they avoid gossip, deceit, or exploitation because they understand consequences. They practice kindness not for reward but for harmony of conscience.
Underlying View
Moral realism: ethics is woven into the fabric of reality, not human convention. Aligns with Hindu karma theory, Stoic moral order, and natural law ethics.
Consequence
Creates moral accountability and hope. Even when justice seems delayed, trust in karmic order prevents despair and sustains wholesome conduct.
5. Atthi ayaṃ loko — There is this world.
Canonical Meaning
Affirms that the present life has moral structure; the world we experience is neither illusion nor chaos but governed by conditionality (paṭicca-samuppāda).
In Daily Life
One sees beauty and pain as lawful, not random. Farmers trust seasons; teachers trust learning; meditators trust that attention bears insight. Belief in order fosters calm and responsibility.
Underlying View
Process realism and Buddhist conditionalism — existence unfolds lawfully through causes and conditions.
Consequence
Cultivates wisdom (paññā) and non-resentment; the practitioner becomes grounded in reality, not escapist.
6. Atthi paro loko — There is the other world.
Canonical Meaning
Affirms continuity beyond death; consciousness and moral consequence persist. “Other world” includes realms of rebirth and spiritual dimensions.
In Daily Life
People who hold this view approach death with mindfulness, not fear. They care for dying relatives, plant trees, and educate children as legacies beyond themselves. They see existence as a continuum, not consumption.
Underlying View
Transcendental moral realism: life exceeds the material frame. Comparable to Platonic idealism and Whiteheadian process metaphysics.
Consequence
Fosters long-term ethics, ecological care, and compassion for unseen beings; brings serenity amid impermanence.
7. Atthi mātā — There is mother.
Affirms the moral and karmic significance of motherhood; gratitude to one’s mother is a virtue and source of merit.
In Daily Life
Children care for aging mothers, remember her sacrifices, and reflect her patience in their own relationships. They recognize that one’s very body and breath arise from maternal kindness (mātā-pema).
Underlying View
Ethic of care and relational ontology — selfhood is interdependent, not autonomous. Echoes Confucian filial piety and Buddhist gratitude (kataññutā).
Consequence
Softens pride, strengthens empathy; the family becomes a moral classroom where love translates into social virtue.
8. Atthi pitā — There is father.
Affirms the role of paternal guidance and moral inheritance. Gratitude to one’s father symbolizes respect for wisdom and tradition.
In Daily Life
Respecting elders, mentors, and teachers; listening before arguing; and upholding integrity learned from predecessors. Modern life reclaims mentorship through this view.
Underlying View
Ethical traditionalism with critical reverence — honouring guidance while using discernment. Parallel to Aristotelian phronesis (practical wisdom handed down).
Consequence
Restores continuity between generations; builds moral lineage where learning and discipline are cherished.
9. Atthi sattā opapātikā — There are beings reborn spontaneousl
Affirms existence of non-human realms — devas, brahmās, petas — signifying vast, unseen dimensions of consciousness.
In Daily Life
One perceives nature and the cosmos with reverence. Respect for animals, forests, and unseen life arises. Dreams, intuition, or moral awe are not dismissed as fantasies but glimpses of deeper interconnected life.
Underlying View
Cosmic pluralism and spiritual ecology — reality includes visible and invisible forms of sentience. Resonates with panpsychism and deep ecology.
Consequence
Fosters humility and environmental ethics; one lives with care, knowing the universe is alive with moral presence.
10. Atthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṃ parañca lokaṃ sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī — There are in this world true ascetics and brahmins who have realized this world and the other by direct knowledge and proclaim it.
Affirms that noble ones (ariya-puggala) exist — beings who have realized truth and guide others authentically.
In Daily Life
Faith in awakened exemplars inspires practice. Seeing genuine teachers — monks, nuns, or laypersons — restores trust that liberation is possible. It also reminds one to be worthy of trust in oneself.
Underlying View
Epistemic optimism and moral realism — truth can be known; awakening is attainable. Philosophically akin to Socratic moral knowledge and phenomenological authenticity.
Consequence
Replaces cynicism with trust (saddhā); sustains moral striving and reverence for wisdom traditions.
1. So micchādiṭṭhiyā pahānāya vāyamati, sammādiṭṭhiyā upasampadāya svāssa hoti sammāvāyāmo.
He/She strives to abandon wrong view and to enter upon right view — this is his right effort.How it works in daily life
In our day-to-day living, wrong views appear as habitual assumptions:
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I must always win.
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Happiness depends on possessions.
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If I suffer, someone else must be blamed.
2. So sato micchādiṭṭhiṃ pajahati, sato sammādiṭṭhiṃ upasampajja viharati, sāssa hoti sammāsati.
How it works in daily life
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You catch yourself generalizing (Nothing ever works for me) and see it as a thought, not a truth.
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You recognize greed or resentment arising and label them without feeding them.
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You bring awareness to your speech, livelihood, and relationships so that they reflect understanding.
Mindfulness here is not just bare awareness; it is awareness suffused with discernment (sampajañña) — remembering the Dhamma view.
3. Iti yime tayo dhammā sammādiṭṭhiṃ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti — sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.
The Buddha declares that these three are mutually conditioning:
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Right view gives direction.
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Right effort provides the power to actualize that direction.
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Right mindfulness maintains continuity and guards purity of view.
They “flow together” (anuparidhāvanti) like three currents feeding one river: wisdom, energy, and mindfulness forming a living cycle of practice.
How it works in daily life
Think of it as the engine of ethical and mental transformation:
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Right view → knowing what is wholesome and unwholesome.
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Right effort → choosing and sustaining the wholesome.
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Right mindfulness → remembering, monitoring, and adjusting moment by moment.
In practical terms:
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When you remember the law of kamma (right view),
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you resist harmful impulses and cultivate generosity or patience (right effort),
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and you stay aware of your motives and reactions (right mindfulness).
This triad keeps daily life aligned with Dhamma instead of reactive habits.
In enlightenment
At the supramundane level, these three are no longer sequential but simultaneous faculties (indriya):
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Wisdom (paññā) sees the truth.
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Energy (viriya) responds with unshakable courage.
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Mindfulness (sati) holds the mind in balance.
There is another important point we should discuss — perhaps you may have overlooked it. How did the number four arise in the classification of wrong and right views as given in the topic?
It is because when a person develops a wrong view, many unwholesome (akusala) mental states arise dependent on that view. Thus, we take that as the third factor — the dependent states of wrong view. Conversely, when a person cultivates right view, many wholesome (kusala) and holistic mental states arise dependent on that view. This is taken as the fourth factor — the dependent states of right view.
Therefore, we have four dhamma elements in total according to the main outline of MN 117 (Mahācattārīsaka Sutta):
- Wrong View (micchādiṭṭhi) – the direct holding of a distorted understanding.
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Right View (sammādiṭṭhi) – the direct holding of a correct understanding.
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Dependent States of Wrong View (micchādiṭṭhipaccayā akusalā dhammā) – when wrong view arises, it conditions many akusala (unwholesome) dhammas.
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Dependent States of Right View (sammādiṭṭhipaccayā kusalā dhammā) – when right view arises, it supports many kusala (wholesome) dhammas.
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