AN6.63 — Nibbedhikasutta
I will teach you the discourse that penetrates, the discourse on the Dhamma. Listen to it, pay close attention, I will speak.
Yes, venerable sir, the disciples replied to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
And what is the discourse that penetrates, the discourse on the Dhamma? Desires should be understood, the origin of desires should be understood, the diversity of desires should be understood, the result of desires should be understood, the cessation of desires should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of desires should be understood.
Feelings should be understood, the origin of feelings should be understood, the diversity of feelings should be understood, the result of feelings should be understood, the cessation of feelings should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of feelings should be understood.
Perceptions should be understood, the origin of perceptions should be understood, the diversity of perceptions should be understood, the result of perceptions should be understood, the cessation of perceptions should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of perceptions should be understood.
Mental fermentations should be understood, the origin of mental fermentations should be understood, the diversity of mental fermentations should be understood, the result of mental fermentations should be understood, the cessation of mental fermentations should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of mental fermentations should be understood.
Karma should be understood, the origin of karma should be understood, the diversity of karma should be understood, the result of karma should be understood, the cessation of karma should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of karma should be understood.
Suffering should be understood, the origin of suffering should be understood, the diversity of suffering should be understood, the result of suffering should be understood, the cessation of suffering should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of suffering should be understood.
Desires should be understood, the origin of desires should be understood, the diversity of desires should be understood, the result of desires should be understood, the cessation of desires should be understood, the path leading to the cessation of desires should be understood, thus it is said.
And why is this said?
There are these five strands of sensual pleasure, disciples:
Forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, connected with sensual desire, and provocative;
Sounds cognizable by the ear...
Odors cognizable by the nose...
Flavors cognizable by the tongue...
Tangibles cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, connected with sensual desire, and provocative.
But these are not sensual pleasures; they are called strands of sensual pleasure in the discipline of the noble ones:
The passion and desire for them is the sensual pleasure,
Not the beautiful things in the world;
The passion and desire for them is the sensual pleasure,
The beautiful things remain just as they are in the world;
But the wise remove the desire for them.
And what is the origin of desires?
Contact is the origin of desires.
And what is the diversity of desires?
There is one kind of desire for forms, another kind of desire for sounds, another kind of desire for odors, another kind of desire for flavors, another kind of desire for tangibles.
This is called the diversity of desires, disciples.
And what is the result of desires?
When one desires, one generates a corresponding state of existence, either meritorious or demeritorious. This is called the result of desires, disciples.
And what is the cessation of desires?
The cessation of contact is the cessation of desires.
This very noble eightfold path is the path leading to the cessation of desires, namely: Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
When a noble disciple understands desires in this way, understands the origin of desires in this way, understands the diversity of desires in this way, understands the result of desires in this way, understands the cessation of desires in this way, understands the path leading to the cessation of desires in this way, he understands this penetrating holy life as the cessation of desires.
Desires should be understood... the path leading to the cessation of desires should be understood, thus it is said.
And why is this said?
Feelings should be understood... the path leading to the cessation of feelings should be understood, thus it is said.
And why is this said?
There are these three kinds of feelings, disciples:
Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
And what is the origin of feelings?
Contact is the origin of feelings.
And what is the diversity of feelings?
There is a pleasant feeling connected with the material, there is a pleasant feeling not connected with the material, there is a painful feeling connected with the material, there is a painful feeling not connected with the material, there is a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling connected with the material, there is a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not connected with the material.
This is called the diversity of feelings, disciples.
And what is the result of feelings?
When one feels, one generates a corresponding state of existence, either meritorious or demeritorious.
...the result of unwholesome actions or the result of wholesome actions, this is called the result of feelings. And what is the cessation of feelings? With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feelings.
This very Noble Eightfold Path is the practice leading to the cessation of feelings, namely, right view ... right concentration. When a noble disciple understands feelings in this way, understands the origin of feelings in this way, understands the diversity of feelings in this way, understands the result of feelings in this way, understands the cessation of feelings in this way, understands the practice leading to the cessation of feelings in this way, he understands this penetrative holy life leading to the cessation of feelings.
Feelings are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of feelings is to be understood. Thus, what was said is based on this. Perceptions are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of perceptions is to be understood. Thus, what was said is based on this. And what is the basis for this statement?
There are these six perceptions, disciples: perception of form, perception of sound, perception of smell, perception of taste, perception of touch, perception of mental phenomena. And what is the origin of perceptions? Contact is the origin of perceptions. And what is the diversity of perceptions? Different is the perception of forms, different is the perception of sounds, different is the perception of smells, different is the perception of tastes, different is the perception of touches, different is the perception of mental phenomena.
This is called the diversity of perceptions. And what is the result of perceptions? I say that perception has verbal expression as its result. As one perceives, so one expresses; thus one perceives. This is called the result of perceptions. And what is the cessation of perceptions? With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of perceptions. This very Noble Eightfold Path is the practice leading to the cessation of perceptions, namely, right view ... right concentration.
When a noble disciple understands perceptions in this way, understands the origin of perceptions in this way, understands the diversity of perceptions in this way, understands the result of perceptions in this way, understands the cessation of perceptions in this way, understands the practice leading to the cessation of perceptions in this way, he understands this penetrative holy life leading to the cessation of perceptions. Perceptions are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of perceptions is to be understood.
Thus, what was said is based on this. Taints are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of taints is to be understood. Thus, what was said is based on this. And what is the basis for this statement? There are these three taints, disciples: the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, the taint of ignorance. And what is the origin of taints? Ignorance is the origin of taints. And what is the diversity of taints?
There are taints that lead to hell, there are taints that lead to the animal realm, there are taints that lead to the realm of ghosts, there are taints that lead to the human world, there are taints that lead to the divine world. This is called the diversity of taints. And what is the result of taints?
When one is overcome by ignorance, one generates a corresponding existence, whether it be a result of wholesome or unwholesome actions. This is called the result of taints. And what is the cessation of taints? With the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of taints. This very Noble Eightfold Path is the practice leading to the cessation of taints, namely, right view ... right concentration.
When a noble disciple understands taints in this way, understands the origin of taints in this way, understands the diversity of taints in this way, understands the result of taints in this way, understands the cessation of taints in this way, understands the practice leading to the cessation of taints in this way, he understands this penetrative holy life leading to the cessation of taints. Taints are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of taints is to be understood. Thus, what was said is based on this. Actions are to be understood ... the practice leading to the cessation of actions is to be understood.
Thus, what was said is based on this. And what is the basis for this statement? Intention I say, is action. Having intended, one acts by body, speech, or mind.
And what is the origin of actions? Contact is the origin of actions.
And what is the diversity of actions? There are actions that lead to hell, there are actions that lead to the animal realm, there are actions that lead to the realm of ghosts, there are actions that lead to the human world, there are actions that lead to the divine world. This is called the diversity of actions. And what is the result of actions? I say that the result of actions is threefold...
I declare the result of actions: either in this very life, in the next life, or in some other future time.
This is called the result of actions.
And what is the cessation of actions?
With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of actions.
This very Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of actions, namely: right view ... right concentration.
When a noble disciple understands actions in this way, understands the origin of actions in this way, understands the diversity of actions in this way, understands the result of actions in this way, understands the cessation of actions in this way, understands the way leading to the cessation of actions in this way, he understands this penetrative holy life leading to the cessation of actions.
Actions should be understood ... the way leading to the cessation of actions should be understood.
Thus, what was said was said with reference to this.
Suffering should be understood, the origin of suffering should be understood, the diversity of suffering should be understood, the result of suffering should be understood, the cessation of suffering should be understood, the way leading to the cessation of suffering should be understood.
Thus, what was said was said with reference to this.
Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering, association with the disliked is suffering, separation from the liked is suffering, not getting what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.
And what is the origin of suffering?
Craving is the origin of suffering.
And what is the diversity of suffering?
There is suffering that is extreme, there is suffering that is slight, there is suffering that fades slowly, there is suffering that fades quickly.
This is called the diversity of suffering.
And what is the result of suffering?
Here someone overwhelmed by suffering, with a mind consumed by suffering, weeps, laments, beats his breast, and becomes confused, or else, overwhelmed by suffering, with a mind consumed by suffering, searches externally: Who knows a way or two to the cessation of this suffering?
I declare that suffering leads to confusion or to searching.
This is called the result of suffering.
And what is the cessation of suffering?
With the cessation of craving there is the cessation of suffering.
This very Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of suffering, namely: right view ... right concentration.
When a noble disciple understands suffering in this way, understands the origin of suffering in this way, understands the diversity of suffering in this way, understands the result of suffering in this way, understands the cessation of suffering in this way, understands the way leading to the cessation of suffering in this way, he understands this penetrative holy life leading to the cessation of suffering.
Suffering should be understood, the origin of suffering should be understood, the diversity of suffering should be understood, the result of suffering should be understood, the cessation of suffering should be understood, the way leading to the cessation of suffering should be understood.
Thus, what was said was said with reference to this.
This is the penetrative exposition, the exposition of the Dhamma.