Saṃyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Do you regard the mind like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, mendicant! And regarding the mind, you will truly see clearly with right wisdom that: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ In this way you will give up the sixth field of contact, so that there are no more future lives.”

“Mendicants, anyone who doesn’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape has not completed the spiritual journey and is far from this teaching and training.”

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, “Here, sir, I’m discouraged, really discouraged. For I don’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.”

“What do you think, mendicant? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

At Sāvatthī. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, and said to him, “Sir, in such-and-such monastery there’s a mendicant who is junior and not well-known. He’s sick, suffering, gravely ill. Please go to him out of sympathy.”

When the Buddha heard that the mendicant was junior and ill, understanding that he was not well-known, he went to him. That mendicant saw the Buddha coming off in the distance and stirred in his cot. The Buddha said to that monk, “It’s all right, mendicant, don’t get up. There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.” He sat down on the seat spread out and said to the mendicant, “I hope you’re keeping well, mendicant, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

“I hope you don’t have any remorse or regret?”

“Indeed, sir, I have no little remorse and regret.”

“I hope you have no reason to blame yourself when it comes to ethical conduct?”

“No sir, I have no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct.”

“In that case, mendicant, why do you have remorse and regret?”

“Because I understand that the Buddha has not taught the Dhamma merely for the sake of ethical purity.”

“If that is so, what then do you understand to be the purpose of teaching the Dhamma?”

“I understand that the Buddha has taught the Dhamma for the purpose of the fading away of greed.”

“Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand that I’ve taught the Dhamma for the purpose of the fading away of greed. For that is indeed the purpose. What do you think, mendicant? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended … there is nothing further for this place.’”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, that mendicant approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in that mendicant: “Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.”

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, in such-and-such monastery there’s a mendicant who is junior and not well-known. He’s sick, suffering, gravely ill. Please go to him out of sympathy.”

When the Buddha heard that the mendicant was junior and ill, understanding that he was not well-known, he went to him. That mendicant saw the Buddha coming off in the distance and stirred in his cot. Then the Buddha said to that monk, “It’s all right, mendicant, don’t get up. There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.” He sat down on the seat spread out and said to the mendicant, “I hope you’re keeping well, mendicant, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. … I have no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct.”

“In that case, mendicant, why do you have remorse and regret?”

“Because I understand that the Buddha has not taught the Dhamma merely for the sake of ethical purity.”

“If that is so, what then do you understand to be the goal of teaching the Dhamma?”

“I understand that the Buddha has taught the Dhamma for the goal of complete extinguishment without grasping fuel.”

“Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand that I’ve taught the Dhamma for the goal of complete extinguishment with no fuel for grasping. For that is indeed the goal.

What do you think, mendicant? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … mind consciousness … mind contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye … ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … mind consciousness … mind contact … They grow disillusioned with the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, that mendicant approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the mind of that mendicant was freed from defilements by not grasping.

Then Venerable Rādha went up to the Buddha … and said to him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “Rādha, you should give up desire for what is impermanent. And what is impermanent? The eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are impermanent. And the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also impermanent. You should give up desire for it. The ear … nose … tongue … body … The mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact are impermanent. And the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also impermanent. You should give up desire for it. You should give up desire for what is impermanent.”

“Rādha, you should give up desire for what is suffering. …”

“Rādha, you should give up desire for what is not-self. …”

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and said to him: “Sir, is there one thing such that by giving it up a mendicant gives up ignorance and gives rise to knowledge?”

“There is, mendicant.”

“But what is that one thing?”

“Ignorance is one thing such that by giving it up a mendicant gives up ignorance and gives rise to knowledge.”

“But how does a mendicant know and see so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge?”

“When a mendicant knows and sees the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises. And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises. … Knowing and seeing the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises. And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises. That’s how a mendicant knows and sees so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge.”

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, is there one thing such that by giving it up a mendicant gives up ignorance and gives rise to knowledge?”

“There is, mendicant.”

“But what is that one thing?”

“Ignorance is one thing such that by giving it up a mendicant gives up ignorance and gives rise to knowledge.”

“But how does a mendicant know and see so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge?”

“Take a mendicant who has heard: ‘Nothing is worth insisting on.’ When a mendicant has heard that nothing is worth insisting on, they directly know all things. Directly knowing all things, they completely understand all things. Completely understanding all things, they see all signs as other. They see the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact as other. And they also see the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact as other. … They see the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact as other. And they also see the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact as other. That’s how a mendicant knows and sees so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge.”

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, sometimes wanderers of other religions ask us: ‘Reverends, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’ We answer them like this: ‘The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’ Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. We trust our explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism. For the goal of leading the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering. If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’ You should answer them: ‘Reverends, the eye is suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. Sights … Eye consciousness … Eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. Ear … Nose … Tongue … Body … Mind … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. This is that suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’ When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘the world’. How is the world defined?” “It wears away, mendicant, that’s why it’s called ‘the world’. And what is wearing away? The eye is wearing away. Sights … eye consciousness … eye contact is wearing away. The painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also wearing away. The ear … nose … tongue … body …. The mind … ideas … mind consciousness … mind contact is wearing away. The painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also wearing away. It wears away, mendicant, that’s why it’s called ‘the world’.”

And then Venerable Phagguna went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Sir, suppose someone were to describe the Buddhas of the past who have become fully quenched, cut off proliferation, cut off the course, finished off the cycle, and passed beyond all suffering. Does the eye exist by which they could be described? Does the ear … nose … tongue … body exist …? Does the mind exist by which they could be described?”

“Phagguna, suppose someone were to describe the Buddhas of the past who have become fully quenched, cut off proliferation, cut off the course, finished off the cycle, and passed beyond all suffering. The eye does not exist by which they could be described. The ear … nose … tongue … body does not exist …. The mind does not exist by which they could be described.”

At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘the world’. How is the world defined?” “Ānanda, that which is liable to wear out is called the world in the training of the Noble One. And what is liable to wear out? The eye is liable to wear out. Sights … eye consciousness … eye contact is liable to wear out. The painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also liable to wear out. The ear … nose … tongue … body …. The mind … ideas … mind consciousness … mind contact is liable to wear out. The painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also liable to wear out. That which is liable to wear out is called the world in the training of the Noble One.”

And then Venerable Ānanda … said to the Buddha: “Sir, they say that ‘the world is empty’. What does the saying ‘the world is empty’ refer to?” “Ānanda, they say that ‘the world is empty’ because it’s empty of self or what belongs to self. And what is empty of self or what belongs to self? The eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are empty of self or what belongs to self. … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also empty of self or what belongs to self. They say that ‘the world is empty’ because it’s empty of self or what belongs to self.”

Seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“What do you think, Ānanda? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Are sights …

eye consciousness … eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.” …

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind …

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”