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Brahma Net Sutra - The Fruits of the Contemplative Life Sutra
The Brahmajala Sutta (Phạm Võng, called Phạm Động in the Chinese canon) is the first discourse in the Dīgha Nikāya (Dīgha Nikāya 1, T21), meaning “the Noble Net,” which gathers together sixty-two worldly views, leaving out not a single standpoint. In the context of the original Sangha, Venerable Devadatta caused division, receiving political support from King Ajātasattu, while the Buddha maintained the principle of practicing without involvement in political power. After killing his father and creating difficulties for the Sangha, King Ajātasattu suffered from mental illness and was only healed when he repented before the Buddha, who acted as a “spiritual doctor.” The Samaññaphala Sutta (the second discourse) presents the fruits of practice: ordaining, observing the precepts, meditating, and realizing the fruits of peace and wisdom.
The list of sixty-two views in the Brahmajala Sutta is grouped as follows:
- Four regarding eternalism
- Four regarding both eternalism and annihilationism
- Four regarding finitude or infinitude
- Four regarding evasiveness
- Four regarding the mysterious
- Two regarding non-causality
- Sixteen regarding existence or non-existence after death
The core teaching is to let go of sakkāya-diṭṭhi (personality view), to transcend all notions of eternalism or annihilationism, finitude or infinitude, so that the stream of karma continues like the flame of a candle: though each flame is extinguished, the light and warmth are always continued. Understanding impermanence and non-self helps us not fall into either extreme, liberates us from suffering, and prevents us from causing suffering to others.