retrofuturist wrote:Another thing I forgot to mention (possibly because I hadn't finished my morning coffee
) was that in the Brahmajala Sutta, 62 wrong views are enumerated and none of them are explicitly about "literal rebirth"-denial or "literal rebirth"-acceptance... they focus instead on variations of the wrong views of annihilationism (atman exists and is destroyed) or eternalism (atman exists and continues). Wrong view therefore pertaining primarily to any variety of atman-belief that does not recognise the truth of anatta.
Metta,
Retro.
Hi, Retro.
I read the Brahmajala Sutta today after reading your post. I would agree that that particular sutta focuses on wrong views which arise whenever the mind is set upon eternalistic or annhilationist views (and, in a wider sense, self-view), but, based on my readings of other suttas, I don't think that this is the sum total of wrong view. Rather, I think that the Brahmajala Sutta focuses on a specific category of wrong view: wrong view when associated with self-view, and, in the case of eternalism and semi-eternalism, denial of anicca.
Even in the Brahmajala Sutta (which lacks a specific identification of disbelief in rebirth with wrong view), however, the Buddha seems to assume the existence of and belief in rebirth. He doesn't deny that the yogins who hold wrong view have entered in to highly refined states of concentration which allow them to recall past lives. Rather, the wrong view arises from a wrong interpretation of a truth, which can be verified through bhavana and interpreted correctly through understanding of the Buddha's teaching and insight in to the way things are.
Saleyyaka Sutta, MN 41 wrote:And how are there three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct? Here someone is covetous: he is a coveter of another's chattels and property thus: 'Oh, that what is another's were mine!' Or he has a mind of ill-will, with the intention of a mind affected by hate thus: 'May these beings be slain and slaughtered, may they be cut off, perish, or be annihilated!' Or he has wrong view, distorted vision, thus: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed, no fruit and ripening of good and bad kammas, no this world, no other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously (born) beings, no good and virtuous monks and brahmans that have themselves realized by direct knowledge and declare this world and the other world.' That is how there are three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct...
And how are there three kinds of mental conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, righteous conduct...He has right view, undistorted vision, thus: 'There is what is given and what is offered and what is sacrificed, and there is fruit and ripening of good and bad kammas, and there is this world and the other world and mother and father and spontaneously (born) beings, and good and virtuous monks and brahmans that have themselves realized by direct knowledge and declared this world and the other world.' That is how there are three kinds of mental conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, righteous conduct.
Rejection of the concept of rebirth gives rise to a number of wrong views. For instance, it leads to the implication that there is no ripening of kamma. If, at death, there is no rebirth then how can the kamma that was created in the last moments of a person's life ripen? Furthermore, as Geoff has mentioned, what is the point in carrying on with a path which is essentially concerned with enlightened emancipation from dukkha, whenever one can merely die and be freed from suffering? How can a person "abandon" birth, aging and death (a common refrain throughout the suttas) without the notion of a continued process of birth, aging and death associated with kamma?
Practicing for the satisfaction of the here and now is fine and certainly an indispensible part of the path, but let's not forget that the Buddha taught us to dwell in the here and now as part of a path (which includes development of Right View) culminating in Unbinding.
Mula Sutta, AN 3.69 wrote:In the same way, in a person like this, evil, unskillful qualities born of greed... born of aversion... born of delusion have been abandoned, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. He dwells in ease right in the here-&-now — feeling unthreatened, placid, unfeverish — and is unbound right in the here-&-now.
Regards,
Eric
I do not want my house to be walled in on sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.- Gandhi
With persistence aroused for the highest goal's attainment, with mind unsmeared, not lazy in action, firm in effort, with steadfastness & strength arisen, wander alone like a rhinoceros.
Not neglecting seclusion, absorption, constantly living the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma, comprehending the danger in states of becoming, wander alone like a rhinoceros.- Snp. 1.3