Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi)
Skillful qualities / Noble Eightfold Path / Right View
Part of key topic The Noble Eightfold Path
Subsumes: Noble and emancipating view
See also: Four Noble Truths
33 excerpts, 2:39:28 total duration

All excerpts (33) Most relevant (14) Questions about (7) Answers involving (23) Stories (1) Quotes (3) Readings (1) Texts (5)


Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 14 – Apr. 28, 2001

Download audio (0:41)
5. One of the fundamental aspects of Ajahn Chah’s teaching was to establish Right View. Reflection by Ṭhānissarā. [Teaching Dhamma] [Right View ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Views] [Direct experience]


Metta Retreat, Session 4 – Sep. 12, 2008

Download audio (4:01)
5. “If everything about me is impermanent, and even ‘myself’ is illusory, just the rising and falling of kamma, then who or what am I addressing when I wish myself well-being?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aggregates] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Kamma] [Goodwill] // [Conventions] [Craving not to become] [Right View] [Conditionality]


Metta Retreat, Session 5 – Sep. 13, 2008

Download audio (3:03)
2. “Would you explain the duties adult children have towards ageing parents and the duties of parents towards their children as taught by the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Parents ] [Ageing] [Children ] // [Health care] [Culture/Asia]

Sutta: AN 2.33: The greatest gifts to one’s parents. [Virtue] [Generosity] [Right View]


Recollections of Ajahn Chah, Session 7 – Sep. 19, 2010

Download audio (7:40)
2. “When you and other Western seekers went to Thailand [and returned to teach], are the teachings of lay and monastic disciples of Ajahn Chah the same or different? How can we as laypeople relate to the teachings and tradition of the monastic establishment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Lay teachers] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Military] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Virtue] [Right View]

Story: Abhayagiri’s bell is an American bomb casing. [Abhayagiri]

Diligent lay meditators attend Wat Pah Pong’s all-night vigil on the lunar observance days. Recollection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Ardency] [Wat Pah Pong] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lunar observance days]


The Gradual Training, Session 1 – Oct. 20, 2012

Download audio (1:41)
1. Comment by Ajahn Yatiko: In the image of planting a seed (AN 1.314-315), for Dhamma practice it needs to be a seed that comes from the Buddha. [Similes] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Teaching Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] [Buddha]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Christianity]


The Gradual Training, Session 2 – Oct. 20, 2012

Download audio (3:20)
9. “Can you speak more about the impermance of goodness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Impermanence] [Virtue] [Gradual Teaching] // [Conditionality] [Happiness] [Compassion] [Fear] [Suffering] [Clinging]

Sutta: AN 8.39: Five great gifts which give freedom from fear. [Generosity] [Five Precepts]

Quote: “The basis of Right View is knowing that this cup is a broken glass.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Right View]


The Whole of the Path, Session 3 – Jun. 22, 2013

Download audio (8:06)
4. “Can you say more about the practice of awareness of arising and ceasing in relation to discernment and right view?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Becoming] [Cessation] [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Right View] // [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Happiness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Patience]

Reading from an unnamed recent Ajahn Chah book. [Relinquishment] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]

Quote: “I don’t teach you guys much. Just be patient.” — Ajahn Chah


Download audio (1:13)
6. Comment: I find that the experience of uncertainty and loss can give rise to compassion. [Impermanence] [Grief] [Compassion]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Emotion] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ardency]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 38 – Feb. 26, 2014

Download audio (4:21)
3. “Was there a time in Thai history when meditation was a routine part of childhood education?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Children] [Learning] [Meditation] // [Three Refuges] [Chanting] [Right View]

Reflection: Ajahn Liem’s mother and sister were nuns with similar demeanor. [Ajahn Liem] [Family] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong] [Personality]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 40 – Mar. 2, 2014

Download audio (7:52)
5. “What is the difference between abandoning craving and realizing the abandoning of craving?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Impermanence] [Aggregates] [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Commentaries] [Doubt] [Relinquishment] [Concentration] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Becoming] [Non-return] [Right View]

Sutta: SN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. [Four Noble Truths]

Sutta: MN 121 Cūḷa Suññata Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness [Emptiness]

Quote: “The characteristic of cessation is not just ending something and annihilating [it], but it’s being willing and able to stop. The nature of the mind is that it doesn’t like to stop. And it’s [through] that not stopping that we keep creating that sense of me.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Cessation] [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 42 – Mar. 4, 2014

Download audio (1:52)
2. Comment about the purpose and function of the path. Contributed by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Eightfold Path] [Cessation of Suffering] [Concentration] [Discernment]

Responses by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 58 – Mar. 28, 2014

Download audio (2:50)
2. “All Dhammas are not to be clung to.” Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Cessation] [Meditation/Techniques] [Right View] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Suffering]

Sutta: MN 37 Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4 – Nov. 25, 2014

Download audio (4:35)
5. “A Buddhist teacher explains as I understand it, that the first three factors of enlightenment are causes and the last four are the effects. And that a meditation practitioner therefore works on the first three (with right view) and the last four will follow in time. Please comment. Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Factors of Awakening] [Right View]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 33 – Feb. 22, 2015

Download audio (2:04)
5. “Related to the need to emerge from neither-perception-nor-non-perception and cessation of perception to contemplate the five khandhas [in AN 9.36], don’t some of the commentaries imply that that’s what you do with first jhāna; that insight is not possible even in first jhāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Formless attainments] [Aggregates] [Insight meditation] [Commentaries] [Jhāna] // [Views]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah emphasized that every step of the way there has to be awareness. Awareness has to form the basis of the whole practice. [Ajahn Chah] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Right Concentration] [Right View]


Jhāna: A Practical Approach, Session 4 – Oct. 10, 2015

Download audio (3:07)
4. “Before the Buddha practiced the ascetic way, he already learned the seventh and eighth levels of jhāna. Why didn’t that lead to his awakening?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography] [Formless attainments] [Liberation] [Jhāna ] // [Right Concentration] [Right View] [Suffering] [Middle Path] [Characteristics of existence]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6 – Nov. 26, 2015

Download audio (4:07)
4. “Could you talk more about the two levels of understanding the true nature of karma: mundane and transcendent?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma] [Conventions] [Unconditioned] // [Right View ] [Four Noble Truths] [Impermanence] [Conditionality]

Quote: “Outside of cause, beyond effect; outside of suffering, beyond happiness.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah]


Download audio (1:04)
10. “Did the Buddha perform any miracles?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Psychic powers ] [Buddha]

Sutta: Sutta AN 3.60: The greatest miracle is teaching the Dhamma. [Dhamma] [Right View]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 6 – Nov. 24, 2016

Download audio (5:09)
4. “Where is the middle way taught in the suttas? and how might that help some of us who consider extensive sitting practice an ascetic practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Middle Path ] [Sutta] // [Virtue] [Concentration] [Discernment] [Right View] [Cessation of Suffering] [Knowledge and vision] [Eightfold Path] [Etymology]

Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation).

Quote: “It’s not a middle way that is a compromise where you can cut ot the hard bits and split the difference so you feel good about it.”


Two Kinds of Thought and the Removal of Distracting Thoughts, Session 3 – Jun. 4, 2017

Download audio (1:35)
10. “Is there a reason why mindfulness is number seven in the Path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] [Eightfold Path] // [Right View] [Right Effort]


Practice in a Global Context – Aug. 12, 2017

Download audio (1:00)
2. “What are spontaneously reborn beings? [in the context of Right View, e.g. MN 117]” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rebirth] [Realms of existence] [Right View] // [Deva] [Birth] [Ghost]


Can We Function without Attachement?, Session 2 – Oct. 1, 2017

Download audio (5:30)
4. “Is there a way to skillfully form and investigate opinions about the world in terms of Right View?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Kaccāna. [Views] [Right View] // [Four Noble Truths] [Suffering] [Conditionality] [Proliferation]

Follow-up: “What happens when we see that another person’s view causes suffering and pain?” [Communal harmony]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 3 – Mar. 19, 2018

Download audio (1:32)
4. “When the Buddha mentions stream entry, he often mentions both sīla (virtue) and view.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stream entry] [Virtue] [Right View]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 10 – Mar. 28, 2018

Download audio (9:20)
1. “The Krooba Ajahns often deemphasize study. What is the context in which they said this and how should we work with this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Learning] // [Ajahn Chah] [Right View] [Culture/West] [Faith]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 11 – Mar. 29, 2018

Download audio (15:11)
1. “How can those just entering monastic life lay a good foundation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] // [Vinaya] [Right View] [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Stream entry] [Four Noble Truths] [Kamma] [Generosity] [Greed] [Communal harmony] [Happiness] [Gratitude]

Sutta: SN 55.1: Sīla of a stream enterer

Sutta: MN 117: The Great Forty [Right View]


Download audio (5:14)
2. “Would you be willing to speak on the importance of having faith in rebirth?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith] [Rebirth] // [Culture/West] [Right View] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno]

Sutta: MN 117: Definition of right view


The New Ajahn Chah Biography, Session 2 – Apr. 21, 2018

Download audio (6:03)
7. Comment: The essence of Ajahn Chah’s teaching was virtue and Right View. [Teaching Dhamma] [Virtue] [Right View ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Meditation] [Mindfulness] [Concentration]

Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 594-596: “Sammādiṭṭhi” [Right View ]


The New Ajahn Chah Biography, Session 3 – Apr. 21, 2018

Download audio (3:07)
16. “These readings give the sense that the Northeastern Thai Isan culture is the soil that supports the living tradition. Are there cultural attitudes or ingredients that would be helpful for laypeople in addition to the key things of sīla and Right View?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/West] [Virtue] [Right View] // [Generosity] [Meditation] [Precepts] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Happiness]


Stanford Community Dhamma Discussion – Apr. 25, 2020

Download audio (4:27)
7. “In what way are qualities and effects viral? Are right perception, right speech, right thought, and right action also viral?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Media] [Online community] [Perception] [Right View] [Right Speech] [Right Action] // [Abhayagiri] [History/Western Buddhism] [Mindfulness] [Skillful qualities] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Trust] [Human]


Tea Time Q&A with Ajahn Pasanno – May. 16, 2021

Download audio (21:54)
1. “You have so much community-building experience. Can you talk about what you have found challenging or effective in this? How did Ajahn Chah build community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Saṅgha] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Virtue] [Trust] [Communal harmony] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Sequence of training] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abhayagiri] [Eightfold Path] [Learning]

Sutta: MN 48: Kosambiya Sutta [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Right View]

Story: Ajahn Pasanno pays respects to Ajahn Chah: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.”

Quote: “The whole path of the Buddha is a path of learning, of education.”


Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat, Session 19 – Jun. 14, 2021

Download audio (3:15)
9. “If everything in life is great, and I am enjoying my life, why practice? What could get better?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Everyday life] [Happiness] [Heedfulness] // [Discernment] [Right Effort] [Rebirth] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Right View]


Q&A at Sudhana Center – Jul. 12, 2023

Download audio (3:45)
5. “I feel that a lot of people are disconnected with the reality world. They don’t have a place of social, and they withdraw themselves and go on the internet. So I think the fundamental problem is people [audio unclear] in this real world. Do you have any comments on how to connect people in the real world so there can be a replacement of social media?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Social media] [Internet] // [Dhamma online] [Pandemic] [Online community] [Abhayagiri] [Lunar observance days]

Sutta: SN 55.5: Spiritual friendship as a condition for Right View. [Spiritual friendship] [Right View] [Conditionality] [Appropriate attention]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 1 – Nov. 24, 2023

Download audio (3:54)
2. “When that flower is new, if we’re aware of its impermanence and we accept that and we know that it’s coming, is there any reason not to love the flower, appreciate its beauty, and accept it as a blessing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Impermanence ] [Beauty]

Quote: A group of experienced Western Buddists ask Ajahn Chah about Right View. He replies, “Right View is knowing that this cup is broken.” [Ajahn Chah] [Right View]


Download audio (6:55)
7. “At the San Francisco Zen Center, they chant the Heart Sutra daily: ‘No path, no knowledge, no attainment.’ Could you help me understand the paths we’re talking about here and Zen no-path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Zen] [Eightfold Path] [Liberation] // [Unconditioned] [Relinquishment] [Buddha] [Truth] [Worldly Conditions]

Reference: The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra

Reference: Vijjācaraṇa-sampanno in the Morning Chanting. [Recollection/Buddha]

Quote: “Right view is knowing that this is a broken glass.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Right View] [Impermanence]