At Savatthi, the Venerable Kaccayana approached the Buddha, bowed down, sat to one side, and said: “Venerable Sir, ‘Right view, right view,’ it is said. In what way is there right view?”
“This world, Kaccayana, generally depends on the dual notions of existence and non-existence. But for one who sees the arising of the world as it really is, with right understanding, the notion of non-existence regarding the world does not apply. And for one who sees the passing away of the world as it really is, with right understanding, the notion of existence regarding the world does not apply.”
“This world, for the most part, Kaccayana, is shackled by attraction, clinging to systems, and dogmatic adherence. But one with right view does not get involved with or cling to those mental fixations, biases or obsessions, and does not affirm, ‘this is myself.’ They know without doubt, or perplexity, that what arises is just Dukkha, or suffering, arising. What ceases is just Dukkha ceasing. And this knowledge is their own, not dependent on anyone else. This, Kaccayana, is what constitutes right view.”
“Everything exists. This is one extreme view. Nothing exists. This is the other extreme. Avoiding both extremes, the Tathargata teaches by way of the middle. Ignorance or not knowing the truth of the way things really are is the condition for mental fabrication. Mental fabrication is the condition for sense consciousness. Sense consciousness is the condition for name and form, mentality and materiality. Name and form is the condition for the six spheres of sense activity. The six spheres are the conditions for sense contact. Sense contact is the condition for feeling. Feeling is the condition for craving. Craving is the condition for clinging. Clinging is the condition for becoming. Becoming is the condition for birth. Birth is the condition for aging and death, for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress and despair. That is how this entire mass of suffering arises.”
“But with the complete fading away and cessation of that very ignorance, mental fabrication ceases. With mental fabrication ceasing, sense consciousness ceases. With sense consciousness ceasing, name and form ceases. With name and form ceasing, the six spheres of sense activity ceases. With six spheres ceasing, sense contact ceases. With sense contact ceasing, feeling ceases. With feeling ceasing, craving ceases. With craving ceasing, clinging ceases. With clinging ceasing, becoming ceases. With becoming ceasing, birth ceases. With birth ceasing, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress and despair cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”