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SN 35.145PTS SN 4.1311 min read

Exterior and Cause Are Not-Self

Bāhirānattahetusutta

Since the causes of the six exterior sense fields are not-self, how can the senses be self?

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.145Linked Discourses 35.145
  • 0.214. Devadahavagga14. At Devadaha

0.3BāhirānattahetusuttaExterior and Cause Are Not-Self

1.1PTS 4.132“Rūpā, bhikkhave, anattā.“Mendicants, sights are not-self.1.2Yopi hetu, yopi paccayo rūpānaṁ uppādāya, sopi anattā.The cause and reason that gives rise to sights is also not-self.1.3Anattasambhūtā, bhikkhave, rūpā kuto attā bhavissanti.Since sights are produced by what is not-self, how could they be self?

1.4Saddā …Sounds …

1.5gandhā …Smells …

1.6rasā …Tastes …

1.7phoṭṭhabbā …Touches …

1.8dhammā anattā.Ideas are not-self.1.9Yopi hetu, yopi paccayo dhammānaṁ uppādāya, sopi anattā.The cause and reason that gives rise to ideas is also not-self.1.10Anattasambhūtā, bhikkhave, dhammā kuto attā bhavissanti.Since ideas are produced by what is not-self, how could they be self?

1.11Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpesupi nibbindati, saddesupi … gandhesupi … rasesupi … phoṭṭhabbesupi … dhammesupi nibbindati.Seeing this …1.12Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

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

1.14Dvādasamaṁ.

1.15Devadahavaggo catuttho.

2.0Tassuddānaṁ

2.1Devadaho khaṇo rūpā,2.2dve natumhākameva ca;2.3Hetunāpi tayo vuttā,2.4duve ajjhattabāhirāti.