Dhamma Letter No. 60
This dhamma letter is following from the last letter about the first enlightenment one (Sotāpanna : Stream-enterer).
Q: What is the right view?
A: People will think that "I am right", and then themselves believe they have the right view. People think in this way as their ideology, religion, nationalism etc. It causes conflict like religious wars, political disputes, family disharmony, and breaks apart relationships.
If someone has the real right view, however, these kinds of conflicts would never happen.
So then, what is the real right view? It is perceiving things as they ultimately exist, seeing something as it really is. When one has the right view, one doesn't wear colored lenses on their spectacles. Remember the phrase “seeing with rose-colored glasses”. Therefore, with the real right view, someone can see things clearly because of the clarity of their view, the way they are looking at things. For example, someone with right view would understand another person's behavior and the many conditions that might be influencing them to behave in this way and that way, and then they would accept any differences of opinion.
No one is the same. Even twins who are delivered from the same womb have different characteristics.
The Sotāpanna (Stream-enterer) has obtained the right view which allows them entry into the stream leading to Nibbana, and this results in their not being reborn in the lower realms of beings anymore. The reason for this is because they have attained the right view, the right way to understand things as they are, which will lead them upwards to the end of the path automatically. (Dhamma letter no. 56, no. 58)
Someone who has the right view means they understand the Four Noble Truths.
Right view is the first factor of The Noble Eightfold Path (the 4th Truth of the Four Noble Truths), which is:
Right view/understanding (Samma ditthi)
Right thought (Samma sankappa)
Right speech (Samma vaca)
Right action (Samma kammanta)
Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
Right effort (Samma vayama)
Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
Right concentration (Samma samadhi)
Right view is the leader of all paths. When one has found the right path, they can go the right way as they wish. The right path that involves the real right view is called “Majjhima Patipada (The Middle Way, 中道)” which does not tilt to one side or the other.
To be continued…
May you develop your concentration and insight through meditation!
May you be peaceful and happy!
May all practice well and reach to Magga (道, the path of enlightenment) and Phala(果, the fruit of enlightenment)!
With Metta,
Ayyā Kosallā
Edited by Euna Bonovich
If you have any questions related to dhamma & meditation, please feel free to ask. You can reach Ayya Kosalla directly at Bhikkhuni.Kosalla@gmail.com .
법에 대한 질문이 있으신 분은 위의 이메일 주소로 질문을 남겨주세요.
위빠사나명상의 마음관찰에 대한 논문을 한글 원본으로 읽고 싶으신 분은 클릭해서 다운로드 받을 수 있습니다. (네이버에 PDF 첨부)
The Korean Dhamma Letter is here 담마레터.
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Buddha Sāsanaṁ Ciraṁ Tiṭṭhatu!
May the Buddha’s teachings last a long time!
Bhavatu Sabba Sotiṁ ca Maṅgalaṁ ca!!
May everyone be led on the path of peace and blessing!!
Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu !