Once upon a time when Buddha was traveling along the main road between Rajagaha and Nalanda with 500 monks, there was a wanderer Suppiya travelling with his pupil Brahmadata. Suppiya was finding fault in all ways with the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha whereas his pupil Brahmadata was full of praises of the triple gem. This dispute went on as the two companies traveled along the same route.
The accusations made by Suppiya and the defense put up by his pupil Brahmadata triggered a discussion among the sangha. Buddha came along and asked the monks what they were discussing. Buddha said: "Monks, if anyone disagrees with the Me, Dhamma or Sangha ; you should not be angry, upset or resentful. Should you feel anger, this will be a hindrance to you. Disturbed by anger and displeasure, you will not be able to think logically whether what they say is right or wrong. If others disparage Me, Dhamma or Sangha, then you should explain what is incorrect as being incorrect. Explain for such a reason this is false, this is untrue, there is no such thing in us, this is not found among us"
Buddha further explained that: " If others praise Me, Dhamma or Sangha, you should not be pleased, happy or elated. should you fell elated/happy with the praise, this will be a hindrance to you. If others praise Me, Dhamma or Sangha, then you should acknowledge the truth as this is true. Explain to them that for such a reason this is a fact, this is true, there is such a thing in us, this is found among us."
The Short Section on Virtue (Cūḷasīla)
Buddha observe the precepts and he abandoned unwholesome actions.
He abandoned killing of another living thing as he has compassion and loving kindness for all living beings. He abandoned stealing and taking of what is not given; he is honesty and accepts only what is given willingly. He abandoned sexual misconduct and unchastity, he stayed away from women. He abandoned false malicious and harsh speech and only say what is true, timely, gentle, factual and reliable. He refrained from damaging seeds and crops by eating once a day and not at night. He refrained from entertainment activities like singing and dancing. He refrained from aesthetically fashionable clothes, garlands, perfumes and ornaments by wearing a robe. He refrained from luxury items like high beds and sleeps wherever they move to. He declined the acceptance of gold and silver and plots of lands/fields. He refrained from accepting raw grain or raw flesh like women, slaves and animals. He abstained from running messages and errands. He abstained from buying and selling through crooked ways of bribery, deception, and fraud. He abstained from mutilating, executing, imprisoning, robbery, plunder, and violence.
For these reasons, many will praise Buddha for his virtues and morality.
The Intermediate Section on Virtue (Majjhimasīla)
Buddha further explained on moral actions which should be practiced and in turn people will praise you for being moral.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who get food donated by devotees but still they are addicted to the destruction of plants and crops. But Buddha refrained from such destruction to prevent food wastage and destruction of plants.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who get food donated by devotees but still they are addicted to store up goods like vegetables, meat, drinks, clothes, perfumes for example. But Buddha refrained from such enjoyment as it is a wastage of resources.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to entertainment activities like dancing , singing, music concerts, matches, wrestling, parades for example. But Buddha refrained from such entertainment as it does not train the mind and it wastes money which will be spend on such events.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to games and idle recreation activities like chess, dicing, hopscotch, guessing games,ball games for example. But Buddha refrained from such idle pursuits as they are addictions that do not enrich and train the mind.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to comfort living and sleep on high comfortable beds, use animal covers, sit on nice couches/ chairs for example. But Buddha refrained from such luxury items and live simply away from such cravings.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to self-adornment and aesthetically fashionable items like using accessories, spraying perfumes, wearing cosmetics and jewelry, fashionable robes for example. But Buddha refrained from such self-adornment as beauty is impermanent and it is a wastage of money.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to idle chat, gossip, speculative talk, strict talk, talk about loss and gain, discussion on politics and criminals for example. But Buddha refrained from such conversations as per the precept of speaking only of the truth, beneficial and gentle speech.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to arguments by saying others' theory and way of practice are incorrect and proclaim their own teaching/theory and practice as the right one. But Buddha refrained from such disputation and arguments as they are not fruitful and hinder one's proper understanding and practice.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to being the courier or messenger of politicians, kings or higher administrations; running around doing errands and messages for them. But Buddha refrained from such errand-running.
There were some ascetics and Brahmins who live depending on lay supporters but still they are addicted to deception, scheming, belittling others for personal gains. But Buddha refrained from such deception as they are unwholesome.
Because of Buddha's principles and his abstinence from unwholesome actions, many respect and praise him.
The Long Section on Virtue (Mahāsīla)
In this section Buddha explained what is wrong livelihood and what trades we should avoid to earn money.
1. Wrong livelihood of making money through fortune telling, palmistry, divination art, interpretation of dreams, astrology prediction and giving charms. These wrong livelihoods should be avoided and refrained from.
2. Wrong livelihood of making money through the sale of weapons that harm others and the trading of human slaves; these are immoral acts and should be avoided and refrained from.
3. Wrong livelihood of making money by exorcism, casting spells, conducting special rituals/ceremonies, making sacrifices, choosing auspicious dates and using magic tricks are fruitless and wrong acts hence they should be avoided and refrained from.
4. Wrong livelihood of selling false medicines/ herbs, healing through magic and conducting ceremonies for health and fertility will only harm people and are fruitless hence they should be avoided and refrained from.
62 Kinds of Wrong Views
18 speculations of the past
Buddha further explained the major beliefs of ascetics in India during that era. He said: "Monks, there are other things which are very profound, very hard to understand, very difficult to perceive, so holy and sacred, beyond mere thought, so subtle, that they are only to be understood and experienced by the wise. These profound things were perceived clearly, seen clearly, understood and wrong views were discarded by the Tathagata. Because of this truth that people praise and revered Tathagatha. What are those things?"
"Monks, there were some ascetics and Brahmins who speculate about the past, having fixed views of the past and made speculative theories about the past in 18 different wrong views. "
A)Eternalism (Sassatavāda): Wrong Views 1–4
There were ascetics and Brahmins who believe in eternalism: an eternal universe and eternal self (soul). Based on theories of the past the believe that the world doesn't create new souls and therefore, the souls are merely living in an eternal cycle of death and rebirth, differing only in name, location, and time. These kind of eternalism beliefs have four origins:
Wrong view 1: There are ascetics and Brahmins who have reached a high level of meditation and due to this achievement, they were able to remember up to hundred thousands of their past lives. They remembered which clan they belong to, their life and death of each life. Because of this past lives they believe the world is the same (eternal) and their self is eternal; they merely die and exist again.
Wrong View 2: There are ascetics and Brahmins who have reached certain spiritual achievements which allowed them to recall memories of one to ten iterations of the Earth's formation, evolution, and destruction. Hence they believe the world is eternal.
Wrong View 3: There are ascetics and Brahmins who have could recall the Earth's evolutionary process from ten to forty times. Based on these experience, they assumed and concluded that the universe and the soul must be eternal.
Wrong view 4: There are ascetics and Brahmins who use logic and are reasoners. Using their theory of logic they come to the conclusion that the soul and universe are eternal.
Buddha said that there are 18 types of eternalism beliefs, all based on one of these four wrong views. All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung to their faith and did not give credence to other faiths.
There are ascetics and Brahmins who are partly eternalists and partly non-eternalists. The believe that some things are eternal and some things are non-eternal. There are four wrong views associated with such beliefs.
The Buddha told a story to the monks about a time when the Earth was not yet formed. The sentient beings in this time normally lived in the realm of Abhassara. The beings were mind-made, feeding on joy/delight, self luminous and moving through the air in radiant light. They stayed there for a very long time.
Wrong view 5: Then came a time when the Earth was in the process of forming yet still uninhabitable. One of these beings in the Abhassara realm died due to the exhaustion of his karma and was reborn in the empty Brahma realm where he lived alone in the palace there. From living alone for so long a time, this being grew discontented and worried. He longed and wished for a companion. At this time the other beings who also expired their karma from the Abhassara world get reborn in this Brahma Realm. This made the first being who was reborn there thought that he is the creator (The Great Brahma) and strongly believed that the other beings that came later were actually created by him.
The beings that came later worshiped and revered the Brahma because they thought: "He was here even before I existed! Obviously he is the Creator of All." In the Brahma realm, the first being had longer-lived, was more beautiful and more powerful than the latter coming beings. So when the latter being died in the Brahma realm, and was reborn as a human. This human abandoned went from household life into homeless life and became an ascetic; then by his devotion and practice, he achieved the power to remember his one past life. Then he recalled it the past life in the Brahma World where they were "created" by the Brahma who is eternal, ageless, and changeless. He came to the conclusion that creatures, including himself, are impermanent, had short life, and were unstable.
Wrong View 6: There are certain devas who were corrupted by pleasure and were addicted to desire-based joy and fun, merriment and lost their mindfulness. They then fell from the deva stage and get reborn in this world. As they were reborn as ascetics and achieved the ability to remember their one past life, they came to a conclusion : "If only we were not so greedy and not addicted to joy and sense pleasures in our previous life, if only we had been able to remain mindful, we would not have suffered death and would not have to suffer this mortal life. Hence we are impermanent, short lived and fated to death. But those who were not addicted to sense pleasures and joy, they do not lose their mindfulness and will remain in their permanent state, stable and eternal". Here, they concluded that how some are eternal if they give up sense pleasures and remain mindful whereas others who were addicted to sense pleasures lose their mindfulness and became impermanent.
Wrong View 7: These were devas who are corrupted in their minds and always envied the other gods. This envy made their minds corrupted and caused their death. They then fell from the deva stage and get reborn in this world. As they were reborn as ascetics and achieved the ability to remember their one past life, they came to a conclusion : "If only we were not driven by envy, we would have stayed permanent, strong and intelligent. Then we would never have died from the realm of gods to be reborn in the mortal world. But those who were not addicted to envy, they do not lose their mindfulness and will remain in their permanent state, stable and eternal. " Here, they concluded that how some are eternal if they give up envy/jealousy and remain mindful whereas others who were addicted to envy/jealousy will lose their mindfulness and became impermanent.
Wrong View 8: There were some ascetics and Brahmins who based on logic and reflection to deduce: "Their eyes, nose, tongue, and physical bodies are always changing hence they are impermanent. But, there is the mind or consciousness which they call self which is eternal." That was how people with such wrong view concluded that self is eternal whereas other sense organs were not eternal.
These Brahmins or Ascetics by having these 4 wrong views they are the partly etenalists and partly non-eternalists believers. All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung to their faith and didn't believe in other faiths.
C: Doctrines of the Finity and Infinity of the World (Antānantavāda): Views 9–12
There are some ascetics and brahmins who believe that the universe can be infinite or finite. There are four wrong views whereby these beliefs were expressed:
Wrong View 9: Certain ascetic or Brahmin after attaining certain state of concentration perceive the world as finite and bounded by a circle.
Wrong View 10: Certain ascetic or Brahmin after attaining certain state of concentration perceive the world as infinite and unbounded.
Wrong View 11: Certain ascetic or Brahmin after attaining certain state of concentration perceive the world as vertically limited but horizontally infinite.
Wrong View 12: Certain ascetic or Brahmin who is a logician and reasoner, they perceive the world as neither limited nor infinite. All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung to their faith and didn't believe in other faiths.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are described as eel-wrigglers who resort to evasive statements and do not give definite answers. There are four wrong views associated with the eel-wrigglers and they are:
Wrong View 13: Here there is an ascetic or brahmin who do not know the truth whether a thing is good or bad. He then evade the question out of fear or hatred of lie/making false claims. So he will say : " I don't say this. I don't say that. I don't say otherwise. "
Wrong View 14: Here there is an ascetic or brahmin who do not know the truth whether a thing is good or bad. He then evade the question out of fear or hatred of attachment.
Wrong View 15: Here there is an ascetic or brahmin who do not know the truth whether a thing is good or bad. He then evade the question out of fear or hatred of debate.
Wrong View 16: Here there is an ascetic or brahmin who is dull and not intelligent. He then evade the question out of fear or hatred of admitting ignorance.
These ascetics and brahmins will try to evade answering questions out of fear and to avoid lie, attachments, possible debate and to avoid being labelled as unwise.
E) Doctrines of Chance Origination (Adhiccasamuppannavāda): Wrong Views 17–18
There are some ascetics and brahmins who believe in chance origination, they think that the Universe and the Souls happened coincidentally. They think there was no reason behind the creation of Universe and the Self so everything is by chance. There are two wrong views associated with such believes and they are:
Wrong View 17: There were devas called unconscious, which had only body and no mental component. When perception arise in them, they died in the deva realm and were reborn as ascetics who achieved the ability to recall just one past life. Then they concluded upon their past life that, "Before this, there was no self and no world and Loka. Before this i do not exist and from non-being i have been brought to being. Hence self and world arise spontaneously by chance only. "
Wrong View 18: There are brahmins or ascetic who are logician and reasoner who deduced based on their logic/reasoning that Soul (self) and the World happened without a cause and both arise by chance.
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
44 Beliefs about the future (APARANTAKAPPIKA)
There are some ascetics and brahmins who based their beliefs on the speculations of the future.
A) Perception's persistent existence after death (Wrong Views 19-34)
There are some ascetics and brahmins who proclaim the self to survive percipient after death in 16 wrong ways. They declared that the self after death is healthy and conscious, they describe the self as :
1.Material 2. Immaterial 3. Both Material and Immaterial 4. Neither material nor Immaterial 5. Finite 6. Infinite 7. Both Finite and infinite 8. Neither finite nor infinite 9. Has a certain form of perception 10. Has various form of perception 11. Has limited perception 12. Has infinite perception 13. Always in joyful/blissful state 14. Always in suffering state 15. Both in joy and suffering state 16. Neither in joy nor suffering state
B) Perception vanished after death (Asaññīvāda): Wrong Views 35-42
There are some ascetics and brahmins that believe the self is devoid of perception after death in 8 different ways:
1. Material 2. Immaterial 3. Both material and immaterial 4. Neither material nor immaterial 5. Finite 6. Infinite 7. Both finite and infinite 8. Neither finite nor infinite
C) Neither perception nor non-perception post death (N'evasaññī-nāsaññīvāda): Wrong Views 43–50
There are some ascetics and brahmins that believe the self is neither devoid of perception nor non-perception after death in 8 different ways: 1. Material 2. Immaterial 3. Both material and immaterial 4. Neither material nor immaterial 5. Finite 6. Infinite 7. Both finite and infinite 8. Neither finite nor infinite
So these ascetics and brahmins who used speculations about the future held strongly to the above beliefs, defended their beliefs and rejected others' theories.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are annihilationists who claim the annihilation, destruction and non-existence of the beings (self) post death. There are 7 wrong views associated with such annihilation beliefs:
Wrong View 51: There are ascetic and Brahmins that believe the self was created from the union of father and mother's essence. They believe the self is material which is composed of four elements and upon death these elements ceased to exist. By this manner, they proclaim the self become non-existent.
Wrong View 52: There is another self which is divine in nature, material, belonging to the sense sphere, feeding on food. It is this self at the breaking up of the body (death) becomes non-existent.
Wrong view 53: There is another self which is divine in nature, material, mind-made and have sense organs. It is this self at the breaking up of the body (death) becomes non-existent.
Wrong View 54: There is another self which had transcended the concept of sphere of infinite space, where the perception of contact between mind and object had vanished, complete surmounting of perceptions of material form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by non-attention to perceptions of diversity. It is this self that cease to exist after death.
Wrong view 55: There is another self that has surpassed the Sphere of infinite space, seeing that consciousness is infinite, it has realized the sphere of infinite consciousness. t is this self that cease to exist after death.
Wrong View 56: There is another self that has surpassed the Sphere of infinite consciousness, seeing that there is nothing, it has realized the sphere of nothingness. t is this self that cease to exist after death.
Wrong View 57: There is another self that has surpassed the Sphere of nothingness, seeing that this is peaceful and sublime, it has realized the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. It is this self that cease to exist after death.
It is on these 7 grounds that some ascetics and brahmins believe that the self is annihilated, destroyed and non-existent post death. All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
E) Beliefs on attainable Nibbana (Diṭṭhadhammanibbānavāda): Wrong Views 58–62
There are some ascetics and brahmins that proclaim Nibbana based on the joy they attained from the five senses and during Jhana. There are 5 wrong views associated with these beliefs:
Wrong View 58: There is a certain ascetic or brahmin who believed the self being furnished and endowed with the five-fold sense-pleasures, indulging in them will attain Nibbana here and now.
Wrong View 59: There is another that say that the joy from the five senses were impermanent, painful and mortal. But the joy from the attainment of the first Jhana , the detachment from sensual desires and unwholesome states can be enjoyed and attained thoroughly. So, with the first Jhana, the Nibbana could also be attained.
Wrong View 60: There is another that say that the joy from the attainment of the second Jhana, the inner tranquility and oneness of mind, the concentration attained. With this second Jhana state, they proclaimed Nibbana here and now.
Wrong View 61: There is another that say that the joy from the attainment of the third Jhana, the self wanes off delight, dwells in equanimity, being mindful. With this third Jhana state, they proclaimed Nibbana here and now.
Wrong View 62: There is another that say that the joy from the attainment of the fourth Jhana, the self abandons joy and pain, purified by equanimity and mindfulness. With this fourth jhana state, the proclaimed nibbana here and now.
These are the five wrong views which some ascetics and brahmins proclaim a doctrine on Nibbana. They held strongly to such beliefs and did not believe other theories.
So the above are 44 wrong views in which some ascetics and brahmins who are speculators of the future put forward their claims.
Conclusion
This sutta elaborates on the sixty two wrong views whereby some ascetics and brahmins who are speculators of the past, the future or both put forward their theories. But Buddha who knows the ultimate truth, who knows the truth concluded that these are wrong views which came about because of cravings, agitations triggered by feelings and ignorance (not knowing the truth).
As per dependent origination: contact with sense organs give rise to feelings, feelings give rise to cravings, cravings result in clinging, clinging conditions becoming, becoming results in rebirth, birth then causes ageing, suffering and death. By seeing how the twelve links' cause and effect work in dependent origination, one will understand how cravings, feelings and ignorance (first link) cause the 62 wrong views.
Buddha taught us the noble eightfold pathway that is the path to the cessation of suffering. This path is made up of Sila (Morality), Samadhi (Concentration) and Panna (Wisdom). Once we break the links, the wheel of rebirth will stop.
Then Buddha gave an analogy of a fisherman who used a fine-meshed net to catch the fish in the pond. The fish represent the ascetics who cling to their beliefs. They will rise and sink in the pond, but in the end will unavoidably be caught in the net. Whereas the Buddha, who stand outside the net has found the truth and has transcended the cycle of suffering. Just as when the stalk of a bunch of mangoes has been cut, all the mangoes go with the stalk. Similarly Buddha's link with becoming has been cut so there will be no more rebirth and that is the path to the cessation of suffering.
At the end of the sutta, Venerable Ananda praised Buddha for such an excellent teaching and asked him what should this sutta be named. Buddha replied : " You may remember it as The Net of advantage, The Net of Dhamma, The Supreme Net , The Net of Views or as the Incomparable Victory in Battle". The monks present rejoiced and the ten-thousand world-system shook as this exposition was being proclaimed.
By WHH
References: 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The long discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)