Six Cases of Incapability by One Accomplished in View (Fourth Discourse)

Monks, there are these six cases of incapability.

What six?

One accomplished in view is:

(1) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made by oneself;

(2) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made by another;

(3) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are both made by oneself and made by another;

(4) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are not made by oneself but have arisen by accident or chance;

(5) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are not made by another but have arisen by accident or chance;

(6) incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made neither by oneself nor by another but have arisen by accident or chance.

These are the six cases of incapability.

For what reason?

Because the person accomplished in view has clearly seen causation and causally arisen objects. These are the six cases of incapability.

(Reference: AN 6.95)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares six (6) cases of incapability of one accomplished in view (Fourth Discourse).

(1) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made by oneself: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand The Universal Truth of Non-self and understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by one’s self but instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are created by oneself because there is no self and pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

(2) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made by another: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by another person but instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are created by another person because pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

(3) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are both made by oneself and made by another: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by one’s self and made by another person but instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are created by oneself and another person because pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

(4) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are not made by oneself but have arisen by accident or chance: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by one’s self nor have arisen by accident or chance, instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by one’s self but have arisen by accident or chance because pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

(5) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are not made by another but have arisen by accident or chance: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by another person nor have arisen by accident or chance, instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by another but have arisen by accident or chance because pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

(6) Incapable of resorting to [the view that] pleasure and pain are made neither by oneself nor by another but have arisen by accident or chance: A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand that pleasure and pain are not created (i.e. made) by one’s self or another person nor have arisen by accident or chance, instead, pleasant feelings and painful feelings are caused by craving/desire/attachment.

A Practitioner who is accomplished in view would be incapable of having the view that pleasure and pain are created (i.e. made) by one’s self or another but have arisen by accident or chance because pleasant feelings and painful feelings are created by craving/desire/attachment.

Overall, A Practitioner accomplished in view would understand The Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination. They would have “clearly seen causation and causally arisen objects” and be incapable of having the view that pleasant feelings or painful feelings have arisen from anything other than craving/desire/attachment (The Four Noble Truths) and contact through The Six Sense Bases (Dependent Origination).

The Practitioner would have needed to deeply investigate these Teachings to observe the truth and independently verified that truth to acquire wisdom, therefore, they would be incapable of having the view that anything other than craving/desire/attachment and contact through The Six Sense Bases is what causes pleasant feelings or painful feelings (i.e. discontentedness).

A Practitioner who does not understand this essential truth and has not acquired this wisdom would be incapable of attaining Enlightenment. It is important for every Practitioner who plans to progress to Enlightenment to start with a deep understanding and practice of The Four Noble Truths and then at the appropriate time learn, reflect, and practice Dependent Origination with the guidance of a Teacher.

Dependent Origination is typically a Teaching that one approaches after they have already started to deeply understand and practice the core and central Teachings of the following:

A.) The Three Universal Truths

B.) The Four Noble Truths

C.) The Eight Fold Path

D.) The Five Precepts

E.) The Brahma-viharas

F.) The Ten Fetters

G.) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment

H.) Extensive Meditation Training