The Buddha's Profound Insights about Life and Freedom

The Buddhist Channel, 9 August 2023

The Kaccānagotta Sutta made easy

Savatthi, India -- In a contemplative gathering in Savatthi, a monk named Kaccayana Gotta approached the respected Blessed One, who was known for being very wise. Kaccayana had a question about something called "right view." He said, "Lord, people often talk about 'right view.' Can you please explain what it really means?"

The Blessed One, radiating an aura of serenity and knowledge, responded thoughtfully to Kaccayana's query. He shared that people often see the world in two different ways – like a coin with two sides, one being about things existing and the other about things not existing. The Buddha called this the interplay between existence and non-existence.

However, the Buddha explained that if we truly understand how the world comes to be, we won't just think that things don't exist. And if we understand how the world stops being, we won't just think that things exist.

He also said that the world can trap us with strong feelings of wanting and holding on to things and having fixed ideas. He went on to expound that attachments, clingings and biases shackle the world.

But those who understand things deeply can rise above these traps. People like this don't get caught up in wanting things too much or in their own ideas. Individuals of this caliber refrain from entangling themselves in attachments, mental fixations and biases.

They see that problems and worries come and go, and they're not confused about it. They don't just believe what others say; they find wisdom within themselves. They transcend the narrow confines of self-identity, being free from doubt regarding the impermanent nature of stress – recognizing its emergence and dissipation.

The Blessed One also explained that some people believe everything exists, while others believe nothing exists. "Everything exists" represents one extreme, while "everything doesn't exist" denotes another. However, the Tathagata – the awakened one – navigates a path that treads between these extremes. He imparts his teachings through a middle way.

The Blessed One then talked about how things are connected in life. He elucidated this middle path by detailing the interdependent origination of phenomena. From the darkness of ignorance emerges the intricate web of fabrications. This intricate weave gives rise to consciousness, which in turn gives birth to name-and-form. The cycle continues, culminating in birth and ultimately, the encompassing realms of aging, death, sorrow and suffering.

He said that when we don't understand things well, we make more problems for ourselves. Like when we don't know something, we start making things up. From that, we start to feel things and make ideas about ourselves. This keeps going, leading to more troubles like aging, dying, sadness and suffering.

But there's a way out, the Blessed One said. If we can stop being confused and learn more about how things really are, we can stop making things up. By extinguishing ignorance, a cascade of cessation is set into motion. As ignorance fades away completely, fabrications, consciousness, name-and-form and the intricate network of sensations follow suit. With each cessation, the cycle of suffering unwinds, leading to the cessation of birth and the end of all sorrow and suffering.

The Blessed One's wise words made the people at the gathering understand things in a new way. They learned about how to be free from problems and how to see the world in a clearer light. As the gathering ended, everyone left with new ideas and a better way to look at life's mysteries.