MN148 — Chachakkasutta

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There, the Blessed One addressed the disciples: Disciples.

Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said this:

I will teach you the Dhamma which is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing. I will reveal the holy life that is entirely complete and pure. That is: the six sets of six.

Listen to it, pay close attention, and I will speak.

Yes, Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said this:

Six internal sense bases should be understood, six external sense bases should be understood, six classes of consciousness should be understood, six classes of contact should be understood, six classes of feeling should be understood, six classes of craving should be understood.

The six internal sense bases should be understood: thus it was said. And what was it said in reference to?

The eye base, the ear base, the nose base, the tongue base, the body base, the mind base.

The six internal sense bases should be understood: thus it was said, and it is in reference to this that it was said.

This is the first set of six.

The six external sense bases should be understood: thus it was said. And what was it said in reference to?

The form base, the sound base, the odor base, the taste base, the tactile base, the mental phenomena base.

The six external sense bases should be understood: thus it was said, and it is in reference to this that it was said.

This is the second set of six.

Six classes of consciousness should be understood: thus it was said. And what was it said in reference to?

Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises,

dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises,

dependent on the nose and odors, nose-consciousness arises,

dependent on the tongue and tastes, tongue-consciousness arises,

dependent on the body and tactile objects, body-consciousness arises,

dependent on the mind and mental phenomena, mind-consciousness arises.

Six classes of consciousness should be understood: thus it was said, and it is in reference to this that it was said.

This is the third set of six.

Six classes of contact should be understood: thus it was said. And what was it said in reference to?

Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact;

Depending on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact.

Depending on the nose and smells, nose-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact.

Depending on the tongue and tastes, tongue-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact.

Depending on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact.

Depending on the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact.

Six groups of contact should be understood: Thus, what was said, was said depending on this.

This is the fourth set of six.

Six groups of feeling should be understood: Thus, indeed, this was said. What was this said depending on?

Depending on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Depending on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Depending on the nose and smells, nose-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Depending on the tongue and tastes, tongue-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Depending on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Depending on the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises.

Six groups of feeling should be understood: Thus, what was said, was said depending on this.

This is the fifth set of six.

Six groups of craving should be understood: Thus, indeed, this was said. What was this said depending on?

Depending on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Depending on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Depending on the nose and smells, nose-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Depending on the tongue and tastes, tongue-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Depending on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Depending on the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact, with contact as condition, feeling arises, with feeling as condition, craving arises.

Six groups of craving should be understood: Thus, what was said, was said depending on this.

This is the sixth set of six.

If one were to say that the eye is self, that would not be fitting.

The arising and passing away of the eye is evident.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, The eye is the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self.

If someone were to say, Forms are the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away of forms is perceived.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, Forms are the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self, forms are not-self.

If someone were to say, Eye-consciousness is the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away of eye-consciousness is perceived.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, Eye-consciousness is the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self, forms are not-self, eye-consciousness is not-self.

If someone were to say, Eye-contact is the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away of eye-contact is perceived.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, Eye-contact is the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self, forms are not-self, eye-consciousness is not-self, eye-contact is not-self.

If someone were to say, Feeling is the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away of feeling is perceived.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, Feeling is the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self, forms are not-self, eye-consciousness is not-self, eye-contact is not-self, feeling is not-self.

If someone were to say, Craving is the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away of craving is perceived.

However, the arising and passing away of the self is perceived, My self arises and ceases, thus it comes to be.

Therefore, it does not apply to say, Craving is the self.

Thus, the eye is not-self, forms are not-self, eye-consciousness is not-self, eye-contact is not-self, feeling is not-self, craving is not-self.

If someone were to say, The ear is the self ...

If someone were to say, The nose is the self ...

If someone were to say, The tongue is the self ...

If someone were to say, The body is the self ...

If someone were to say, The mind is the self, that does not apply.

The arising and passing away are discerned.