7th November 1999

From right view to Vipassana

This path which is unique to Buddhism leads one away from craving, loosening all bonds of attachment. Life follows life due to one's attachment to sensual pleasures. Therefore distancing oneself from craving brings one closer to escaping existence.

'Samma ditthi' (Right View) is the first of the eight factors in the Noble Eight-Fold Path. Right View, whether it is mundane or supra mundane according to the situation, acts as Right Understanding, which occurs when one focuses on a thought.

A person who has Right View has thoughts which are of use to himself and others. By the word 'samma' good or right, what is meant is something positive. If one has the ability to find out information about something, if one has Right View, automatically Right Understanding follows. If one does not have Right Understanding, Right View will not be possible.

The opposite of Right Understanding is False Understanding which is to perceive truth in a different way. Although some consider important the satisfying of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch, they do not realise that due to the pleasure they receive there is also a very serious adverse effect.

For instance, parents who are expecting the birth of a child are overjoyed when they first get to know that they are to become parents. But simultaneously they receive a load of responsibilities making it necessary for them to take care of the baby.

Together with the development of the baby, the physical changes in the mother along with the attitude to the baby cause stress on the parents.

However, the hopes and expectations the parents have for their child's future suppress the stress they bear.

The mother's labour pains maybe unbearable but they are eased by the overflowing maternal love she experiences. The parents watching the baby's growth have vast expectations for its future. Due to the child the pain and fatigue of the parents become minimal.

Suppression of pain does not signify the ending of pain. That pain will always follow. The Buddha said "puththa vattu manussanam". The greatest asset is a child. Therefore the greatest joy to a mother and father is the child.

All senses are pleased by a child. But to consider this happiness life's prime satisfaction is a myth, because there lies behind the satisfying of these emotions a certain pain. This is because the senses are impermanent.

Losing those we love, in the face of the impermanence of the world, and the pain which comes with this loss is a thing that cannot be altered by even the most powerful being in the world.

Therefore, the objects, which gain the focus of the senses, are known as the objects which cause craving – a desire, created in the mind. Attachment to things, which are impermanent, is a false concept and leads to sorrow.

The Noble Eight-Fold Path which the Buddha preached as the solution contains these eight factors, 'samma ditthi' (Right View), 'samma sankappa' (Right Thought), 'samma vacha' (Right Speech), 'samma kammantha' (Right Action), 'samma ajiva' (Right Livelihood), 'samma vayama' (Right Effort), 'samma sati' (Right Mindfulness) and 'samma samadhi' (Right Concentration).

Right View helps us towards Right Thought, and since the moral words we speak help us erase craving, Right Thought leads to Right Speech. The livelihoods we engage in if they do not work to increase our craving are known as Right Livelihood, and if our actions do not increase craving they are referred to as Right Action. If in this way one works to reduce craving one would be engaging in Right Effort and reflecting on this effort in turn leads to Right Mindfulness.

Thus from Right View working upto Right Mindfulness develops the mind to Right Concentration. And the insight gained at this point leads to the state enabling Vipassana meditation.

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