Sammādiṭṭhi in Daily Life

Introduction :

 Modern life is full of stress and strain.

 Today we are bombarded by a great deal of information from various external
sources which penetrate so deep inside our systems that we no longer think our
own thoughts, feel our own emotions, or initiate our own actions; instead, we
think as others want us to think, feel as others want us to feel, act in ways that
will win the approval of our peers and superiors. Its hard to believe that humans
are the most intellectual species in the evolutionary chain!!
 The pull of the crowd has become irresistible which has led to a rising incidence
of stress and mental breakdown. Those who do not crack under pressure find
other escape routes, such as drugs, alcohol, etc. while those who cannot cope at
all there remains the last resort: suicide, which has reached alarming proportions
in the recent decades.
 How then do we protect ourselves from the baneful influences to which we are
exposed every moment in the modern world? This is the question, which this
paper will try to answer.
 This paper discusses some strategies of inculcating Buddha’s Teachings in our
daily lives as a householder, businessman, etc. and live harmoniously in a
society.
 A guideline to translate such knowledge into practice, is offered based on the
concept of sammaditthi to live a meaningful and peaceful life. If a person wants to
avoid stress and strain, then he will have to train his mind to view everything he
encounters — persons, objects, events, and experiences — realistically, as
transient phenomena, dependently arisen through conditions.

Definition : (MN-9, Sammāditthi Sutta)

The word Sammā-diṭṭhi is composed of two words, viz : Sammā and Diṭṭhi.
- The word Sammā is the prefix used as an adjective in order to explain the
following word. ‘The literal meaning of Sammā is properly, rightly, best, perfectly.
- The Pāli word ‘Diṭṭhi’ comes from the root ‘Dis’ (to see), which means - view,
belief, dogma, theory, speculative opinion, insight. Therefore, Sammā-diṭṭhi
means ‘Right view’.

The Sammaditthi Sutta of MN-9, summarises Sammaditthi as :

"a noble disciple who understands :
- the Four Noble Truths
- the unwholesome and its roots, wholesome and its roots,
- the three characteristics of existence,
- the dependent origination”.

The Aṭṭthasālinī further adds that sammāditthi has :

- illuminating and understanding or penetration of intrinsic nature, as its
characteristic;
- illumination of the object, as its function;
- non-perplexity, as its manifestation; and
- concentration, as its approximate cause.

In short, a person with sammaditthi is one who is free from ignorance, has removed
the evil roots from mind, and has become liberated.

Cutting Off the Causes of Suffering : (MN. I. p. 353)

But how does one go about eliminating ignorance? Since ignorance is a state of not
knowing things as they really are, what is needed is knowledge of things as they
really are. Not merely conceptual knowledge, but experiential knowledge. This kind
of knowledge is called wisdom (pañña) and it needs to be cultivated. It comes into
being through a set of conditions, which we have to develop :
i) Paratoghosa i.e. hearing Saddhamma from others. This condition is external, as
we get it from outside. It gives us food for thought and guides us in forming our
own views. It is, therefore, necessary to listen, but only to that which is
conducive to right understanding and to avoid all the harmful and unwholesome
utterances of others which prevent straight thinking, and
ii) Yonisomanasikāra : The word Yoniso lit. means ‘by-way-of womb’. It enables
one to see things deeply, instead of only on the surface. It is internal, as we
cultivate it in our minds. The word Manasikāra lit. means ‘doing-in-the-mind’. It is
more difficult to cultivate, as it entails constant awareness, systematic & critical
reflection of things that one meets in his daily life.

The Sammā-diṭthi sutta states that sammāditthi is twofold :

1) Lokiya sammaditthi : is of two types :
i) kammassakatañana i.e. the knowledge of kamma as one's own : "I am the
owner of my kamma, the heir of my kamma, I spring from my kamma, I am
bound to my kamma, I have kamma as my refuge." and
ii) saccanulomikañana i.e. conceptual knowledge of the Four Noble Truths,
accompanied by understanding and acceptance of them.

Lokiya sammaditthi has to be taken on conviction - the conviction that there are
those who know through direct knowledge the truths about kamma and rebirth
2) Lokuttara Sammaditthi : Understanding connected with the noble paths and fruits
is supramundane right view as its object is the lokuttara dhamma - Nibbana, and
because it leads to the overcoming of the world.

The Sammaditthi Sutta also states that there are three kinds of persons
possessing sammaditthi :
1) Puthujjana (the ordinary individual) :
i) Non-practitioner : who believes in karma is one of right view on account of
kammassakatañāna, but not on account of saccanulomikañana, because he
holds to the view of self.
ii) Practitioner : is of right view on account of both – kammassakatañāna &
saccanulomikañana.
2) Sekha (the learner in the higher training) - a stream-enterer, once-returner, or
non-returner — or one who has reached their respective paths. His right view is
said to be fixed in destiny (niyata) because it necessarily leads to final liberation,
and
3) Asekha (the adept who has completed his training) & is called an arahant
because he has completed the threefold training in Sila, Samadhi and Panna).

How to translate these Teachings in to our daily lives :

 Sammādiṭṭhi enables us to see that, we’re all in the same boat i.e. suffering.
People say and do stuff that we don’t like because their life is miserable too!!
Being angry at them is not going to make anything better.
 Using the knowledge of Kammasakata nana, we must understand that everything
happening to us is our own Vipaka of some Kammas done in the past and that
the opposite person is just a Nimitta. This enables us to let go of the person
instead of holding a grudge against him!!
 Sammaditthi teaches us that :
“So karohi sudipamattam tvam, na hi tanam tava vijjateva annam” (Katiyana
Theragatha vs. 412) which means “make yourself as a safe island, as you have
no other shelter”.
It teaches us to be independent for our happiness, and not hold others
responsible for our happiness / sorrow. In professional terms, it can be
interpreted as, doing as many tasks ourselves as possible, instead of delegating
to others, which might lead to complications and dissatisfaction!!
 We must looks at things without bias and prejudice, form our own opinions,
decisions based on our own understanding and experience and face the
difficulties of life armed with the principles taught by Lord Buddha.
 Understanding the close connection between craving and suffering, we must
regulate our desires and learn to live as humbly as possible. Living simply,
without superfluous possessions, leads to contentment and peace of mind,
releasing time and energy to pursue higher mental virtues and values like : right
knowledge, virtue, guarding the sense doors, and meditation.
Conclusion :

 To conclude, we have seen how important it is for us to have Sammaditthi.

 Lord Buddha has said in Mahācattārīsakasuttaṃ of MN - 117 that ‘Tatra,
bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti’, which means Sammaditthi is the
forerunner which gives direction and efficacy to the other 7 factors.
 Because, only if sammādiṭṭhi is fully understood (and achieved) in its three
dimensions will it generate a necessary and appropriate foundation for one’s
proper intention and zeal to accomplish the Four Noble Truths in their twelvefold
ways, as explained in the Dhammacakkappavattanasutta.
 Thus Sammaditthi permeates the entire teaching, pervades every part and
aspect of the Dhamma and functions as the key- note of Buddhism.
 It is said that, Ignorance of the law is no valid excuse in a court of law, and so it is
with regard to the law of dhamma: the law operates regardless of whether one
believes in it or not, and due effects follow from their respective causes.

Thus I end my paper here praying that with this type of Lokiya Sammaditthi, each
one of us paves the way towards the realization of peace and happiness…..

References :
i) DPR
ii) Access to Insight
iii) Suttacentral
iv) Dhammatalks.org