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SN 35.164PTS SN 4.1461 min read

With Koṭṭhita on Not-Self

Koṭṭhikaanattasutta

Mahākoṭṭhita asks for a teaching to take on retreat. The Buddha says to give up desire for what is not-self, i.e. the process of sense experience.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.164Linked Discourses 35.164
  • 0.216. Nandikkhayavagga16. The End of Relishing

0.3KoṭṭhikaanattasuttaWith Koṭṭhita on Not-Self

1.1PTS 4.147Ekamantaṁ …pe…1.2vihareyyanti.

1.3“Yo kho, koṭṭhika, anattā tatra te chando pahātabbo.“Koṭṭhita, you should give up desire for what is not-self.11.4Ko ca, koṭṭhika, anattā?And what is not-self?

1.5Cakkhu kho, koṭṭhika, anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.The eye,1.6Rūpā anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.sights,1.7Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.eye consciousness,1.8Cakkhusamphasso anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.and eye contact are not-self: you should give up desire for them.1.9Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also not-self: You should give up desire for it.

1.10jivhā anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…The ear … nose … tongue … body …1.11mano anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.The mind,1.12Dhammā anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.ideas,1.13Manoviññāṇaṁ …mind consciousness,1.14manosamphasso …and mind contact …1.15yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi anattā; tatra te chando pahātabbo.The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also not-self: you should give up desire for it.

1.16Yo kho, koṭṭhika, anattā, tatra te chando pahātabbo”ti.Koṭṭhita, you should give up desire for what is not-self.”

1.17Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This discourse parallels SN 22.143.

    ↩ sn35.164:1.3