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SN 35.72PTS SN 4.441 min read

Six Fields of Contact (2nd)

Dutiyachaphassāyatanasutta

One who does not understand the six senses’ origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape is no true mendicant. A mendicant speaks up, saying that he does not truly understand these things, so the Buddha teaches him further.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.72Linked Discourses 35.72
  • 0.27. Migajālavagga7. With Migajāla

0.3DutiyachaphassāyatanasuttaSix Fields of Contact (2nd)

1.1PTS 4.44“Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.“Mendicants, anyone who doesn’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape1.2Avusitaṁ tena brahmacariyaṁ, ārakā so imasmā dhammavinayā”ti.has not completed the spiritual journey and is far from this teaching and training.”

2.1Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,2.2“etthāhaṁ, bhante, anassasaṁ panassasaṁ.“Here, sir, I’m discouraged, really discouraged.2.3Ahañhi, bhante, channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmī”ti.For I don’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.”

3.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, bhikkhu,“What do you think, mendicant?3.2cakkhuṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?Do you regard the eye like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’?”

4.1“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

5.1“Sādhu, bhikkhu, ettha ca te, bhikkhu, cakkhu ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ bhavissati.“Good, mendicant! And regarding the eye, you will truly see clearly with right wisdom that: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’5.2Evaṁ te etaṁ paṭhamaṁ phassāyatanaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati āyatiṁ apunabbhavāya …pe….In this way you will give up the first field of contact, so that there are no more future lives.

6.1“Jivhaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?Do you regard the ear … nose … tongue … body …

7.1“Evaṁ, bhante”.

8.1“Sādhu, bhikkhu, ettha ca te, bhikkhu, jivhā ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ bhavissati. Evaṁ te etaṁ catutthaṁ phassāyatanaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati āyatiṁ apunabbhavāya …pe….

9.1“Manaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?Do you regard the mind like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’?”

10.1“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

11.1“Sādhu, bhikkhu, ettha ca te, bhikkhu, mano ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ bhavissati.“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.’11.2Evaṁ te etaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ phassāyatanaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati āyatiṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.In this way you will give up the sixth field of contact, so that there are no more future lives.”

11.3Dasamaṁ.