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SN 35.94PTS SN 4.702 min read

Untamed, Unguarded

Adantaaguttasutta

The six fields of contact lead to suffering if left unguarded, but if guarded lead to happiness. A lengthy set of verses illustrate this.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.94Linked Discourses 35.94
  • 0.210. Saḷavagga10. The Sixes

0.3AdantaaguttasuttaUntamed, Unguarded

1.1PTS 4.70Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Chayime, bhikkhave, phassāyatanā adantā aguttā arakkhitā asaṁvutā dukkhādhivāhā honti.“Mendicants, these six fields of contact bring suffering when they’re untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.1.3Katame cha?What six?

1.4Cakkhu, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ adantaṁ aguttaṁ arakkhitaṁ asaṁvutaṁ dukkhādhivāhaṁ hoti …pe…The field of eye contact brings suffering when it’s untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

1.5jivhā, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ adantaṁ aguttaṁ arakkhitaṁ asaṁvutaṁ dukkhādhivāhaṁ hoti …pe…The field of ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact …

1.6mano, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ adantaṁ aguttaṁ arakkhitaṁ asaṁvutaṁ dukkhādhivāhaṁ hoti.The field of mind contact brings suffering when it’s untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

1.7Ime kho, bhikkhave, cha phassāyatanā adantā aguttā arakkhitā asaṁvutā dukkhādhivāhā honti”.These six fields of contact bring suffering when they’re untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

2.1Chayime, bhikkhave, phassāyatanā sudantā suguttā surakkhitā susaṁvutā sukhādhivāhā honti.These six fields of contact bring happiness when they’re well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.2.2Katame cha?What six?

2.3Cakkhu, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ sudantaṁ suguttaṁ surakkhitaṁ susaṁvutaṁ sukhādhivāhaṁ hoti …pe…The field of eye contact brings happiness when it’s well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.

2.4jivhā, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ sudantaṁ suguttaṁ surakkhitaṁ susaṁvutaṁ sukhādhivāhaṁ hoti …pe…The field of ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact …

2.5mano, bhikkhave, phassāyatanaṁ sudantaṁ suguttaṁ surakkhitaṁ susaṁvutaṁ sukhādhivāhaṁ hoti.The field of mind contact brings happiness when it’s well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.

2.6Ime kho, bhikkhave, cha phassāyatanā sudantā suguttā surakkhitā susaṁvutā sukhādhivāhā hontī”ti.These six fields of contact bring happiness when they’re well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.”

2.7Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…That is what the Buddha said.2.8etadavoca satthā:Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

3.1“Saḷeva phassāyatanāni bhikkhavo,“Mendicants, it’s just the six fields of contact3.2Asaṁvuto yattha dukkhaṁ nigacchati;that lead the unrestrained to suffering.3.3Tesañca ye saṁvaraṇaṁ avedisuṁ,Those who understand how to restrain them3.4Saddhādutiyā viharantānavassutā.live with faith as partner, not festering.

4.1Disvāna rūpāni manoramāni,When you’ve seen pleasant sights14.2Athopi disvāna amanoramāni;and unpleasant ones, too,4.3Manorame rāgapathaṁ vinodaye,dispel all manner of desire for the pleasant,4.4Na cāppiyaṁ meti manaṁ padosaye.without hating what you don’t like.

5.1PTS 4.71Saddañca sutvā dubhayaṁ piyāppiyaṁ,When you’ve heard sounds both liked and disliked,5.2Piyamhi sadde na samucchito siyā;don’t fall under the thrall of sounds you like,5.3Athoppiye dosagataṁ vinodaye,dispel hate for the unliked,5.4Na cāppiyaṁ meti manaṁ padosaye.and don’t hurt your mind <j>by thinking of what you don’t like.

6.1Gandhañca ghatvā surabhiṁ manoramaṁ,When you’ve smelled a pleasant, fragrant scent,6.2Athopi ghatvā asuciṁ akantiyaṁ;and one that’s foul and unpleasant,6.3Akantiyasmiṁ paṭighaṁ vinodaye,dispel aversion for the unpleasant,6.4Chandānunīto na ca kantiye siyā.while not yielding to desire for the pleasant.

7.1Rasañca bhotvāna asāditañca sāduṁ,When you’ve enjoyed a sweet, delicious taste,27.2Athopi bhotvāna asādumekadā;and sometimes those that are bitter,7.3Sāduṁ rasaṁ nājjhosāya bhuñje,don’t be attached to enjoying sweet tastes,7.4Virodhamāsādusu nopadaṁsaye.and don’t despise the bitter.

8.1Phassena phuṭṭho na sukhena majje,Don’t be intoxicated by a pleasant touch,8.2Dukkhena phuṭṭhopi na sampavedhe;and don’t tremble at a painful touch.8.3Phassadvayaṁ sukhadukkhe upekkhe,Look with equanimity at the duality <j>of pleasant and painful contacts,38.4Anānuruddho aviruddha kenaci.without favoring or opposing anything.

9.1Papañcasaññā itarītarā narā,People generally let their perceptions proliferate;49.2Papañcayantā upayanti saññino;perceiving and proliferating, they are attracted.59.3Manomayaṁ gehasitañca sabbaṁ,Casting aside all mental constructions <j>of the domestic life,69.4Panujja nekkhammasitaṁ irīyati.wander intent on renunciation.

10.1Evaṁ mano chassu yadā subhāvito,When the mind is well developed like this <j>regarding the six,10.2Phuṭṭhassa cittaṁ na vikampate kvaci;it doesn’t waver at contacts at all.10.3Te rāgadose abhibhuyya bhikkhavo,Mendicants, those who have mastered greed and hate10.4Bhavattha jātimaraṇassa pāragā”ti.go beyond birth and death.”

10.5Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This series of verses resembles those attributed to Vardhamāna (Mahāvīra) at Isibhāsiyāiṁ 29. The same series of verses also contains parallels to Snp 5.2:3.1, SN 1.6:3.1, and DN 2:29.4 = MN 56:12.2.

    ↩ sn35.94:4.1
  2. Following PTS reading sāditañca.

    ↩ sn35.94:7.1
  3. The mention of “duality” links this to the preceding two discourses.

    ↩ sn35.94:8.3
  4. For “proliferation” see MN 18.

    ↩ sn35.94:9.1
  5. “Attraction” (upāya, verb form upeti, here spelled upayanti) is the initial stage in the process of becoming attached (eg. SN 12.15:2.5).

    ↩ sn35.94:9.2
  6. This unusual use of manomayaṁ (normally “mind-made”, here “mental construction”) parallels vitakkaṁ at Thag 21.1:6.2.

    ↩ sn35.94:9.3