http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipit....074.than.html
Some interesting points. First of all LongNails the wanderer states that "Nothing is acceptable to me" to which the Buddha replies
"But even this view of yours, Aggivessana — 'All is not pleasing to me' — is even that not pleasing to you?'"
Indicating that Longnails is attached to his own rejection of all views and so, in contradiction, holds a view. Also we could read into this that Longnails is still subject to dukkha since he rejects all doctrines and is therefore subject to aversion, that is craving for non-existence.
This is relevant to the rest of the Sutta because the Buddha is teaching that all views are dependently arisen and come from craving, from clinging and creating "I am", for example "I like this view, this view is correct and all others are wrong"."With regard to those brahmans & contemplatives who are of the view, of the opinion, 'All is pleasing to me': A wise person among them considers that 'If I were to grasp and insist firmly on this view of mine that "All is pleasing to me," and to state that "Only this is true, all else is worthless," I would clash with two — the brahman or contemplative who is of the view, of the opinion that "All is not pleasing to me" and the brahman or contemplative who is of the view, of the opinion that "A part is pleasing to me; a part is not pleasing to me." I would clash with these two. Where there is a clash, there is dispute. Where there is a dispute, quarreling. Where there is quarreling, annoyance. Where there is annoyance, frustration.' Envisioning for himself clash, dispute, quarreling, annoyance, frustration, he both abandons that view and does not cling to another view. Thus there is the abandoning of these views; thus there is the relinquishing of these views.
Here Buddha teaches that clinging to any view, be it radical acceptance, radical scepticism or holding to one view and excluding others, leads to quarrels and disputes and so leads to Dukkha.
"Now, Aggivessana, this body — endowed with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother & father, nourished with rice & porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, and dispersion — should be envisioned as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. In one who envisions the body as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self, any desire for the body, attraction to the body, following after the body is abandoned.
"There are these three kinds of feeling: a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling, and neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. On the occasion when one feels a pleasant feeling, one does not feel either a painful feeling or a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. One feels only a pleasant feeling on that occasion. On the occasion when one feels a painful feeling, one does not feel either a pleasant feeling or a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. One feels only a painful feeling on that occasion. On the occasion when one feels a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, one does not feel either a pleasant feeling or a painful feeling. One feels only a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling on that occasion.
"A pleasant feeling is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen, subject to ending, subject to vanishing, fading, ceasing. A painful feeling is also inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen, subject to ending, subject to vanishing, fading, ceasing. A neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is also inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen, subject to ending, subject to vanishing, fading, ceasing.
"Seeing this, an instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with pleasant feeling, disenchanted with painful feeling, disenchanted with neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. From dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns, 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.' A monk whose mind is thus released does not take sides with anyone, does not dispute with anyone. He words things by means of what is said in the world but without grasping at it."
Here the Buddha teaches that when one is mindful and sees with correct wisdom then one grows dispassionate towards the body and towards feelings. When one has grown dispassionate towards the body and towards feelings then dependent co-origination has stopped and all dukkha has ceased.
When one no longer clings then there is no "self" and so there is no taking up of doctrines and views. Doctrines and views are seen as impermanent, dukkha if grasped and not-self.
This is why Buddha didnt discuss metaphysical questions and why metaphysics and ultimate questions of self or no-self were not answered by the Buddha.
"A monk whose mind is thus released does not take sides with anyone, does not dispute with anyone. He words things by means of what is said in the world but without grasping at it."
Thoughts?