Reading guide
Neither corruption nor purity has a cause
"There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There's no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason" — a fourfold structure covering both corruption and purification, each stated first negatively then positively.
No power, no effort, only destiny
"There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth" — a doctrine of total determinism, denying not just moral consequence but personal agency of any kind.
A view closely tracking Makkhali Gosāla's doctrine
The Sāmaññaphala Sutta attributes near-identical fatalist language, including this same list of "beings, living creatures, souls" molded by destiny (niyati), circumstance (saṅgati), and nature (bhāva), to Makkhali Gosāla, leader of the Ājīvaka movement and another of the six teachers King Ajātasattu consults in that discourse — a doctrine traditionally labeled niyativāda.
Distinct from its two neighbors, same diagnostic
Where SN 24.5 denied moral outcomes matter and SN 24.6 denied action carries any weight, this view denies the causal mechanism underlying both: nothing, moral or otherwise, has a cause at all. The diagnostic response is unchanged — the aggregates and the sixth ground shown impermanent, doubt given up, stream-entry declared.
Key terms
The text
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise: ‘There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason. There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth’?” “Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”
§2“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises: ‘There is no cause or reason … they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’ When feeling … perception … choices … consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises: ‘There is no cause or reason … they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’ What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” … “Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” … “That which is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind: is that permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” … “But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?” “No, sir.”
§3“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.