Light/Dark

Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

35. Saḷāyatanasaṁyutta: On the Six Sense Fields

VIII. Sick — SN35.81: Several Mendicants

1Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and asked him: “Sir, sometimes wanderers who follow other paths ask us: ‘Reverends, what’s the purpose of living the spiritual life with the ascetic Gotama?’ We answer them like this: ‘The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’

Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. We trust our explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuke or criticism.”


2“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuke or criticism. For the purpose of living the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering.

If wanderers who follow other paths were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’ You should answer them: ‘Reverends, the eye is suffering. The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. Sights … Eye consciousness … Eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is also suffering. The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

Ear … Nose … Tongue … Body … Mind … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also suffering. The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.


This is that suffering. The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’

When questioned by wanderers who follow other paths, that’s how you should answer them.”

1Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "idha no, bhante, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā amhe evaṁ pucchanti: ‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākaroma: ‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññātthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Kacci mayaṁ, bhante, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva bhagavato homa, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī"ti?


2"Taggha tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva me hotha, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhatha, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarotha, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati. Dukkhassa hi, bhikkhave, pariññātthaṁ mayi brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamaṁ pana taṁ, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Rūpā … pe … yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ. Tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati … pe … mano dukkho … pe … yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ. Tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.


Idaṁ kho taṁ, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.