Two Kinds of Views (2) (EA15.2)

Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “There are two kinds of views. What are the two? They are the views of existence and the views of inexistence. Of those, which are the views of existence? They are the view of desire existence, view of form existence, and view of formless existence.

“What is the view of desire existence? This refers to the five desires. What are the five desires? They are forms seen by the eye that are extremely desirable, esteemed, and thought about. Having never abandoned forms, worldly people revere them. When the ear hears sounds … nose smells odors … tongue tastes flavors … body feels tender touches … mind cognizes notions … These are said to be the views of existence.

“What are the views of inexistence? They are the view of permanence, view of impermanence, view of something being destroyed, view of nothing being destroyed, view of being limited, view of being limitless, view of having a self, view of no self, view of having life, view of no life, view of other selves, view of other lives … These sixty-two views are called views of inexistence and unreal views. These are said to be the views of inexistence.

“Therefore, monks, you should abandon these two kinds of views. Thus, monks, you should train yourselves.”

When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

This sūtra is part of the Dharma Pearls translation project.

Prepared by Charles Patton for SuttaCentral.