Titthayathana Sutta: The Discourse on Sectarian Doctrines
Titthayathana Sutta (AN) describes three sectarian doctrines ( Titthayathana ) which were declared as wrong views by the wise. “Monks, there are these three doctrines some recluses and Brahmins hold”, the Buddha preached. “However, all these when fully examined, investigated and discussed by the wise as wrong doctrines being of non- action ( akiriya vada ), they ignore such advice and continue to hold onto them.” We need to examine these wrong views that the Buddha referred to closely, in such a way that it awakens Yonisomanasikara (wise attention). Our aim and effort must not be to gain mere understanding but to abandon the self-view ( sakkhaya ditti ) and develop the Right View ( samma ditti ) to embark on the path to nibbana. The Three Sectarian Doctrines What are these three doctrines? (a) There are, monks, some recluses and Brahmins who teach and hold this view, “Whatever a person experiences, whether pleasurable, painful or neutral, all that ...