Buddhist professor THICH NU TINH QUANG : RIGHT VIEW (samyak-dṛṣṭi / sammā-diṭṭhi)

Thich Nu Tinh Quang

The first point of the Eightfold Path is the ‘right view’, which is also called ‘right vision’ or ‘perfect vision’, as it usually translated from original language (samyak-dṛṣṭi / sammā-diṭṭhi). However, we shall notice that this is not an accurate translation. So the ‘right’ in such case, means either ‘perfect’, ‘proper’, ‘whole’, than the opposite word to ‘wrong’.

So what is Right View? It is indisputable that this is a first stage of the Noble Eightfold Path of the Buddha. As mentioned above, the eight stages of the path are divided into three groups, and the Right View is an element of the first group – Wisdom (Sanskrit: prajñā, Pāli: paññā). This is the most important step, because from it, and only from it, begins the following of the path of the Buddha. Many people believe that Right View means to study all the theoretical Buddhism base, they think that the first step implies a complete investigation and a logical interpretation of the Buddha's teachings; however, it is not so, because its definition by the Buddha sounds as following: “There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are contemplatives & Brahmans who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.”[1]

That demonstrates to us that Right View lies rather in a sphere of emotional experiences than in the field of understanding with the help of intelligence is a complete understanding. In its essence, Right View is a spiritual insight, experience, and having gone through that person comes to his or her own path. Without overcoming it and assimilating this experience, it is impossible to advance further since all further steps are based, in fact, solely on the Right View. If in the future a person, depending on their personal situation may follow the path in a free manner, for example, the first sequence may revise its methods of earning a living (the fifth stage), and then work on their own speech (the third stage, respectively), so it does not have practical difference. Nevertheless, without the Right View, following eightfold path is impossible. Thus, Right View is a harbinger of following Eightfold Path.

Right View includes Worldly right view and Out-of-worldly right view. The Worldly right view is the establishment of concepts of good and evil, cause and effect, karma, and laity and saint ... It also known as self-karma’ right view, so we understand about our own good and evil actions that are received by ourselves. Having the Right View, we can clearly define what good and what bad karma is, and the root of moral and immoral.

However, self-karma's right view is not the way to approach towards liberation; full understanding the Four Noble Truths that is complete demand for Out-of-worldly right view. Four Noble Truths Right of the Out-of-worldly right view has two stages of development: One is the Right view of depending upon the truth (saccAnulomika-sammAdiTThi 諦隨順見), as corresponds to the Four Noble Truth’s wise, and received principles to dharma of the Four noble Truth; that is the concept of the nature Right view. Other one is to contemplate the truth of Righ view (sammAdiTThi saccapaTivedha 諦通達見) which is wisdom arising by practice Four Noble Truth, and that is experience of Right view. Eightfold Path is the initial penetration in nature of the Four Noble Truth, so whatever ones have deep insight the Four Noble they are attained Nirvana. Therefore, the Four Noble Truth is the first point and also last point of the path of liberation. The Right view is also wise eyes - to see clearly the nature of the three poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance, and be freed from them by right looking with the phenomenon principles of impermanence and non-self.

According to Sangharakshita, in the Indian Buddhist tradition, Eightfold Path can be divided in two parts: the 'Path of Vision' (darsana-marga), which includes the right view, and the 'Path of Transformation' (bhavana-marga), including remaining seven steps. [2]

Right View is primarily the vision of the whole nature of being: a vision of the ways of conditioned being, as well as the vision of the unconditioned and the ways to achieve it in the context of Buddhism: “…Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clinging (sustenances), & biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or cling to these attachments, clinging, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions, nor is he resolved on 'my self’; he has no uncertainty or doubt that, when there is arising, only stress is arising, and that when there is passing away, only stress is passing away. In this, one's knowledge is independent of others. It is to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.” [3] Therefore, Right View implies a proper understanding of one or another thing, and in the first place it is related to the Four Noble Truths-the characteristics of the conditioned being-karma and rebirth.

The real value of the Right View principle is not easy to describe in words, but rather thought a special spiritual experience, which naturally occurs only in special circumstances, or in the special practices. Since it is highly personal recommended, every individual may experience it in different ways. Some people come to Right View, having experienced some personal tragedy, by which they decide to consider the principles of being more intensively, trying to get to the meaning of life. Others may have come up to this level, due to ecstatic feeling, which came from the contemplation of nature, or from listening to music. Some have come to that in a long meditation, constantly keeping their minds in a pure tranquility. Sometimes, understanding of Right View is attained with age, when a person is already having some experience on the basis of his view of the world, and by comparing the set of facts finally sees a glimpse of truth, and the future direction, which is to follow.[4] This is illustrated, for example, by the following quote of the Buddha: “And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view [5] which shows the possibility of coming to the Right View through the interaction with stress.

As it was mentioned above, everything that was spoken by the Buddha is not a strict directive to act specifically. The Buddha merely gave a good advice to the mankind, gave the direction where to go and what to strive for, and gave the map while not denying the fact that there is possibility of existence of parallel roads leading to nirvana. In our opinion, the existence of such parallel paths is a good proof of the effectiveness of the method: if different people came to the same conclusions and acquired a similar view of the world, or in other words, if different opinions and theories, eventually led to similar conclusions, not denying, but only proving it, then we can say that the theory is confirmed experimentally. In many systems, there is the concept of beliefs, there is a concept of a starting point, which is often very similar or completely identical to the 'mystical experience', as it is commonly called.

For example, let us take a look at newer theories and concepts of personal development, which entered the world recently. A famous American psychologist Timothy Leary (October 1920 – May 1996), promotes the concept of 'eight-circuit model of consciousness' of his own authorship, and also speaks of a certain education, which is the starting point for the further personal development. In his concept he describes eight circuits operating in the human mind, with four of them at this stage of human development, are given to us initially, which means that each person on the planet has these circuits from birth. The remaining four are given not to everyone and the purpose of existence; following this theory, it consists in their further development. To open a fifth stage, it is required 'to realize the world' that often occurs through a 'mystical experience'. In his book Neurologic, Leary calls such condition ‘the rapture circuit’ (Leary, V - I). As methods for achieving such a state Leary, among other things, points out a long-term practice of meditation. His associate in a worldview, Robert Anton Wilson, in his book Prometheus Rising also refers to many mystics of the past, such as Aleister Crowley and Gurdjieff who said similar things by other names.

However, basis of Right View in Buddhism is also correctly understanding about skillfulness and unskillfulness, about what should do and should not do, as the actions bring benefits to one and others that is illuminated by the Right View, so the actions are not being driven by greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance…And those who have Right view in Buddhism are likely to escape the suffering, and afflictions, and achieved joy-happiness right here and now:

“…Right view is…When a disciple of the noble ones discerns what is unskillful, discerns the root of what is unskillful, discerns what is skillful, and discerns the root of what is skillful, it is to that extent that he is a person of right view, one whose view is made straight, who is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma, and who has arrived at this true Dhamma.

Now what is unskillful? Taking life is unskillful, taking what is not given... sexual misconduct... lying... abusive speech... divisive tale-bearing... idle chatter is unskillful. Covetousness... ill will... wrong views are unskillful. These things are termed unskillful.

And what are the roots of what is unskillful? Greed is a root of what is unskillful; aversion is a root of what is unskillful; delusion is a root of what is unskillful. These are termed the roots of what is unskillful.

And what is skillful? Abstaining from taking life is skillful, abstaining from taking what is not given... from sexual misconduct... from lying... from abusive speech... from divisive tale-bearing... abstaining from idle chatter is skillful. Lack of covetousness... lack of ill will... right views are skillful. These things are termed skillful.

And what are the roots of what is skillful? Lack of greed is a root of what is skillful, lack of aversion is a root of what is skillful, and lack of delusion is a root of what is skillful. These are termed the roots of what is skillful.

When a disciple of the noble ones discerns what is unskillful in this way, discerns the root of what is unskillful in this way, discerns what is skillful in this way, and discerns the root of what is skillful in this way, when — having entirely abandoned passion-obsession, having abolished aversion-obsession, having uprooted the view-&-conceit obsession 'I am', having abandoned ignorance & given rise to clear knowing — he has put an end to suffering & stress right in the here-&-now, it is to this extent that a disciple of the noble ones is a person of right view, one whose view is made straight, who is endowed with verified confidence in the Dharma, and who has arrived at this true Dhamma."[6]

Deeply, the Right View is the view of dependent origination or dependent arising (Sanskrit: प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद; Pali: पटिच्चसमुप्पाद paṭiccasamuppāda), states that all dharmas (phenomena). It means understanding things all belong functioning of dependent and interdependence, nothing exists independently. Buddha said: “One who sees the Dhamma, sees Dependent Origination.” (Majjhima Nikya). Thus Dharma is also dependent arising: all dharmas ("things") arise in dependence upon other dharmas; which illustrated by explains following:

“When there is this, that comes to be;

With the arising of this, that arises.

When there is not this, that does not come to be;

With the cessation of this, that ceases.” (Majjhima Nikaya)

Understanding dependent arising is the key to liberation, and is also aware of the reality in true nature to the enlightened; that is to see the things correlation exists, or the essences of dharma is selflessness or anatta. In this angle, the Right View is out of ignorance, craving and clinging - cause of rebirth suffering (dukkha) to all beings.

The Right view of dependent origination is also the view of Middle Way; it means avoiding the extreme of indulgence in pleasures of the senses and the extreme of self-mortification. The Middle Way is the extent between this and that, between extremes of eternalism and nihilism…in a state of harmony moderation and neutral to have peace really.

In Buddhism, having Right view that, we cannot be driven by delusions which made us propelling into the endless pains, thus also realizing the value of perfect peace in our heart.