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3. The Connected Discourses on Views 1. The Chapter on Stream-Entry 1. The Discourse on Wind At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove. The Blessed One said this: "When what exists, monks, taking what as a basis, clinging to what, does such a view arise: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, they are like a firmly fixed pillar'?" "For us, Venerable Sir, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, the Blessed One as their guide, the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One himself would reveal the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it." "In that case, monks, listen, pay careful attention; I will speak." "Yes, Venerable Sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "When form exists, monks, taking form as a basis, clinging to form, such a view arises: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, they are like a firmly fixed pillar.' When feeling exists... When perception exists... When volitional formations exist... When consciousness exists, taking consciousness as a basis, clinging to consciousness, such a view arises: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, they are like a firmly fixed pillar.' What do you think, monks, is form permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "And what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, Venerable Sir." "And what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, would such a view arise without clinging to it: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, they are like a firmly fixed pillar'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Is feeling permanent or impermanent?" "...Is perception... ...Are volitional formations... ...Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?" Is it? It is impermanent, sir. But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness? It is suffering, sir. But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, could such a view arise without clinging: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, everything is fixed like a pillar'? No, sir. And this which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, is that permanent or impermanent? It is impermanent, sir. But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness? It is suffering, sir. But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, could such a view arise without clinging: 'Winds do not blow, rivers do not flow, pregnant women do not give birth, the moon and sun do not rise or set, everything is fixed like a pillar'? No, sir. When, monks, for a noble disciple, doubt is abandoned in these matters, doubt is abandoned in suffering, doubt is abandoned in the origin of suffering, doubt is abandoned in the cessation of suffering, doubt is abandoned in the path leading to the cessation of suffering – this, monks, is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, certain of enlightenment, bound for enlightenment. First. 2. The Discourse on 'This is Mine' 207. At Savatthi. Upon what existing, monks, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view arise: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'? Our teachings have the Blessed One as their root, sir... When form exists, monks, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, such a view arises: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'. When feeling exists... When perception exists... When formations exist... When consciousness exists, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness... having clung to knowledge, such a view arises: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ “What do you think, monks, is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” ... “Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness, is it permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” ... “But without clinging to that, could such a view arise: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “And that which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, is that too permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “And that which is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “And that which is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, but without clinging to that, could such a view arise: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “When, monks, a noble disciple’s doubt is abandoned regarding these matters, his doubt regarding suffering is abandoned... his doubt regarding the path leading to the cessation of suffering is abandoned – this, monks, is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, certain, bound for full enlightenment.” The Second. 3. The Discourse on 'That Self' 208. At Sāvatthī. “When what exists, monks, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view arise: ‘That is the self, that is the world, that I shall be after death, permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change’?” “Our teachings, sir, are rooted in the Blessed One...” ... “When form exists, monks, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, such a view arises: ‘That is the self, that is the world, that I shall be after death, permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change.’ When feeling exists... when perception exists... when formations exist... when consciousness exists, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, such a view arises: ‘That is the self, that is the world, that I shall be after death, permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change.’ is subject to change.” “What do you think, monks, is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” …(and so on)… “Could such a view arise, ‘that self…(and so on)… is not subject to change,’ without clinging to it?” “No, venerable sir.” “Feeling… perception… volitional formations… consciousness, is it permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” …(and so on)… “Could such a view arise, ‘that self…(and so on)… is not subject to change,’ without clinging to it?” “No, venerable sir.” “And this that is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, examined by the mind, is that too permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” …(and so on)… “Could such a view arise, ‘that self, that world, that I shall be after death, eternal, stable, everlasting, not subject to change,’ without clinging to it?” “No, venerable sir.” “When, monks, an noble disciple’s doubt in these matters is abandoned, his doubt in suffering is abandoned… …(and so on)… his doubt in the path leading to the cessation of suffering is also abandoned— this, monks, is called an noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, certain of enlightenment, bound for enlightenment.” The third. 4. The “If I Were Not” Sutta 209. At Sāvatthī. “With what existing, monks, clinging to what, adhering to what, does such a view arise: ‘I would not be, nor would it be mine; I would not have been, nor would it be mine in the future’?” “Our teachings, venerable sir, are rooted in the Blessed One…” …(and so on)… “With form existing, monks, clinging to form, adhering to form, such a view arises: ‘I would not be, nor would it be mine; I would not have been, nor would it be mine in the future.’ With feeling existing… with perception existing… with volitional formations existing… with consciousness existing, clinging to consciousness, adhering to consciousness, such a view arises: ‘I would not be, nor would it be mine; I would not have been, nor would it be mine in the future’.” “What do you think, monks, is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” …Would such a view arise, without clinging to that: ‘I would not be, it would not be mine; I would not become, it would not be mine in the future’? ‘No, Venerable Sir.’ ‘Is feeling… perception… volitional formations… consciousness permanent or impermanent?’ ‘Impermanent, Venerable Sir.’ …Would such a view arise, without clinging to that: ‘I would not be, it would not be mine; I would not become, it would not be mine in the future’? ‘No, Venerable Sir.’ ‘And is that which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind permanent or impermanent?’ ‘Impermanent, Venerable Sir.’ …Would such a view arise, without clinging to that: ‘I would not be, it would not be mine; I would not become, it would not be mine in the future’? ‘No, Venerable Sir.’ ‘When, bhikkhus, the noble disciple’s doubt is abandoned in these matters, and their doubt in suffering is abandoned… and their doubt in the path leading to the cessation of suffering is abandoned— this, bhikkhus, is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into states of woe, certain of awakening, bound for enlightenment.’ The Fourth. 5. Discourse on ‘There is no gift’ 210. At Sāvatthī. ‘When what exists, bhikkhus, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view arise: ‘There is no gift, there is no offering, there is no sacrifice; there is no fruit or result of good and bad deeds; there is no this world, there is no other world; there is no mother, there is no father; there are no spontaneously arisen beings; there are no ascetics and brahmins in the world who are rightly gone, rightly practicing, who, having themselves realized and directly known this world and the other world, proclaim it. This person is made of the four great elements; when they die, the earth element returns to the earth body, it goes to the earth body; the water element returns to the water body, it goes to the water body;