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SN 35.70PTS SN 4.412 min read

Upavāṇa on What is Apparent in the Present Life

Upavāṇasandiṭṭhikasutta

The teaching that can be realized in this very life is the desire for the senses, and letting go of that desire.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.70Linked Discourses 35.70
  • 0.27. Migajālavagga7. With Migajāla

0.3UpavāṇasandiṭṭhikasuttaUpavāṇa on What is Apparent in the Present Life

1.1Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe…Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha …11.2ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:and said to him:

1.3“‘sandiṭṭhiko dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo’ti, bhante, vuccati.“Sir, they speak of ‘a teaching apparent in the present life’.21.4Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti?In what way is the teaching apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves?”

2.1“Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.“Upavāṇa, take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience both the sight and the desire for the sight.2.2Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.There is desire for sights in them, and they understand that.2.3Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.Since this is so,2.4Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.2.5Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

3.1PTS 4.42Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …3.2Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.3.3Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.3.4Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….

4.1Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.Next, take a mendicant who knows an idea with their mind. They experience both the idea and the desire for the idea.4.2Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.There is desire for ideas in them, and they understand that.4.3Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.Since this is so,4.4Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.4.5Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti …pe… paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

5.1Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī.Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience the sight but no desire for the sight.5.2Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.There is no desire for sights in them, and they understand that.5.3Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī.Since this is so,5.4Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.5.5Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

6.1Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti …pe….Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …

7.1PTS 4.43Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī.7.2Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.7.3Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī.Next, take a mendicant who knows an idea with their mind. They experience the idea but no desire for the idea.7.4Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.There is no desire for ideas in them, and they understand that.7.5Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.Since this is so, this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”

7.6Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. For Upavāṇa, see SN 7.13:1.3.

    ↩ sn35.70:1.1
  2. “Apparent in this very life” (sandiṭṭhika) is one of the fundamental characteristics of the Dhamma, which are recited in the Pali itipi so formula to this day.

    ↩ sn35.70:1.3