At Sāvatthi.

While seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta addressed the Blessed One:

“Venerable Gotama, what is the cause and condition for the various kinds of views that arise in the world, such as: ‘The world is eternal,’ or ‘The world is not eternal,’ … or ‘After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist’?”

"Vaccha, it is from not seeing form, not seeing the arising of form, not seeing the cessation of form, not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of form that these various kinds of views arise in the world, such as: ‘The world is eternal,’ … or ‘After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist.’

It is from not seeing feeling, not seeing the arising of feeling, not seeing the cessation of feeling, not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of feeling.

It is from not seeing perception, not seeing the arising of perception, not seeing the cessation of perception, not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of perception.

It is from not seeing volitional formations, not seeing the arising of volitional formations, not seeing the cessation of volitional formations, not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of volitional formations.

It is from not seeing consciousness, not seeing the arising of consciousness, not seeing the cessation of consciousness, not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness that these various kinds of views arise in the world, such as: ‘The world is eternal,’ … or ‘After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist.’"


The Buddha is sharing that various views about the world and self are a result of not fully knowing the five aggregates, not seeing their arising, not seeing their cessation, and from not seeing the practice leading to their cessation.

Related Teachings:

Navigating through 30 mental qualities that lead to enlightenment, to the arising of the Buddha (AN 10.76) - The Buddha lays down 30 different mental qualities in ten sets of threes that lead all the way to enlightenment. He explains them both backwards and forwards. One can use this teaching to draw out a skill map of which qualities they’ve cultivated and which ones are next to cultivate.

Gradual Training, Gradual Practice, and Gradual Progress (MN 107) - The gradual training guideline teaching of the Buddha is how a student starting out in the teachings of the Buddha should gradually practice in to see gradual progress - all the way to seeing the arising and cessation of the five aggregates.

A Lump of Foam | A series a similes for reflecting on the five aggregates (SN 22.95) - The Buddha presents a series of similes for the aggregates: physical form is akin to a lump of foam, feelings akin to water bubbles, perception like a mirage, choices are like a tree without a core, and consciousness is similar to a magic show.