Right View

The Buddha defined Right View firstly in a conventional sense: that is, a confidence in the Buddha’s enlightenment, in the Dhamma, and in the Sangha; conviction in the efficacy of generosity; belief in heaven and hell. These are fundamentals of Right View. But the Right View which leads to liberation is the Right View which is based on the Four Noble Truths.

This Right View is also defined as the opposites to the four perversions or distortions of views. These distortions in seeing mean that we do not see the world as it truly is. Because of the perversion of the mind, we see what is impermanent as permanent. Through the distortion of the mind, we see what is dukkha as sukha – what is unsatisfactory as satisfying. Through the distortions and perversions of the mind, we see what is non-self as self. And we see what is not beautiful as beautiful.

I once remember asking Ajahn Chah as to how he developed his immense loving-kindness. And his response was, “You’re like a child who sees an adult running, and that child hasn’t learned to walk yet but wants to run.”

That was the first part of his response; the second part was, “When you see that all conditioned things are impermanent, then you automatically have loving-kindness. You cannot not have loving-kindness.” That was loving-kindness arising out of wisdom because that wisdom of seeing things as they really are means that aversion cannot arise any more. It is cut off at its roots.

So that ability to see things with Right View–this is impermanent, this is unsatisfactory, this is not-self–is very important. Watch conditions arising in the mind. Is this permanent or impermanent, for example, the aching in the knee now? Is this permanent or impermanent – and you notice it changes; it pulsates. If it’s pulsating, then its impermanent.

You won’t find any sensation that does not change. If it’s impermanent, it’s unsatisfying. And anything that changes and cannot satisfy or be satisfied is not worthy of calling “Me” or “Mine”. Therefore, that letting go process can occur.

To see the non-beautiful in those things that we take to be beautiful: now what that means is seeing that the body is not beautiful. We decorate the body, and the reason that we do so is to cover up its non-beautiful aspects. If we believe, “This body is me, is mine, is beautiful”, then when it gets old, when it gets sick and starts to fall apart, we suffer.

This body is made up of many parts, none of which are particularly beautiful in themselves. So if a surgeon takes a body apart and puts the various organs around on a bench, there’s no beauty there. The beauty of a human being comes through Dhamma, through virtue, through peace of mind, and through wisdom.

These are what makes a human being beautiful.

This reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo is from the book The Spiritual Faculties, (pdf) pp. 5-6.