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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

35. Saḷāyatanasaṁyutta: On the Six Sense Fields

XI. Sanctuary — SN35.108: I’m Better

1“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, do people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”

2“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

3“When there’s an eye, because of grasping the eye and insisting on the eye, people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’. … When there’s a mind, because of grasping the mind and insisting on the mind, people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.

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

4“Impermanent, sir.”

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

6“Suffering, sir.”


7“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”


8-10“No, sir.” … “Is the mind permanent or impermanent?”


11“Impermanent, sir.”

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

13“Suffering, sir.”


14“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”

15“No, sir.”


16“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 no return to any state of existence.’”

1"Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati kiṁ upādāya kiṁ abhinivissa seyyohamasmīti vā hoti, sadisohamasmīti vā hoti, hīnohamasmīti vā hotī"ti?

2"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā … pe … .

3"Cakkhusmiṁ kho, bhikkhave, sati cakkhuṁ upādāya cakkhuṁ abhinivissa seyyohamasmīti vā hoti, sadisohamasmīti vā hoti, hīnohamasmīti vā hoti … pe … jivhāya sati … pe … manasmiṁ sati manaṁ upādāya manaṁ abhinivissa seyyohamasmīti vā hoti, sadisohamasmīti vā hoti, hīnohamasmīti vā hoti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, cakkhu niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

4"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

5"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

6"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".


7"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya seyyohamasmīti vā assa, sadisohamasmīti vā assa, hīnohamasmīti vā assā"ti?


8"No hetaṁ, bhante" … pe … jivhā … niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?

9"Aniccā, bhante" … pe … .

10"Mano nicco vā anicco vā"ti?


11"Anicco, bhante".

12"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

13"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".


14"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya seyyohamasmīti vā assa, sadisohamasmīti vā assa, hīnohamasmīti vā assā"ti?

15"No hetaṁ, bhante".


16"Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati … pe … manasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī"ti.

Pañcamaṁ.