MN59 — The Discourse on Various Kinds of Feeling

Thus have I heard: On one occasion, the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jetas Grove, Anāthapiṇḍikas Park.

Then the householder Pañcakaṅga approached the Venerable Udāyī; having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Udāyī and sat down to one side. While sitting to one side, the householder Pañcakaṅga said to the Venerable Udāyī:

Venerable Udāyī, how many kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One?

Householder, three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One:

pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling:

these three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One.

When this was said, the householder Pañcakaṅga said to the Venerable Udāyī:

Venerable Udāyī, it is not three kinds of feeling that have been spoken of by the Blessed One; two kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One:

pleasant feeling and painful feeling.

As for the feeling that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the Blessed One has spoken of it as a subtle form of pleasant feeling.

For a second time, the Venerable Udāyī said to the householder Pañcakaṅga:

Householder, it is not two kinds of feeling that have been spoken of by the Blessed One; three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling: these three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One.

For a second time, the householder Pañcakaṅga said to the Venerable Udāyī:

Venerable Udāyī, it is not three kinds of feeling that have been spoken of by the Blessed One; two kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One:

pleasant feeling and painful feeling.

As for the feeling that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the Blessed One has spoken of it as a subtle form of pleasant feeling.

For a third time, the Venerable Udāyī said to the householder Pañcakaṅga:

Householder, it is not two kinds of feeling that have been spoken of by the Blessed One; three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling: these three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One.

For a third time, the householder Pañcakaṅga said to the Venerable Udāyī:

Venerable Udāyī, it is not three kinds of feeling that have been spoken of by the Blessed One; two kinds of feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One:

pleasant feeling and painful feeling.

As for the feeling that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the Blessed One has spoken of it as a subtle form of pleasant feeling.

The Venerable Udāyī could not convince the householder Pañcakaṅga, nor could the householder Pañcakaṅga convince the Venerable Udāyī.

The Venerable Ānanda heard this conversation between the Venerable Udāyī and the householder Pañcakaṅga.

Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.

While sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda reported to the Blessed One the entire conversation between the Venerable Udāyī and the householder Pañcakaṅga.

When this was said, the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ānanda:

Ānanda, the householder Pañcakaṅga did not approve of the Venerable Udāyīs explanation, nor did the Venerable Udāyī approve of the householder Pañcakaṅgas explanation.

Ānanda, two kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in one way, three kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way, five kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way, six kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way, eighteen kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way, thirty-six kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way, and one hundred and eight kinds of feeling have been spoken of by me in another way.

Ānanda, the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way.

Ānanda, when the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way, those who do not approve of each others well-spoken words, who do not agree with each other, who do not rejoice in each others well-spoken words, it can be expected that they will live in conflict, in dispute, in quarrels, attacking each other with verbal daggers.

Ānanda, the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way.

Ānanda, when the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way, those who approve of each others well-spoken words, who agree with each other, who rejoice in each others well-spoken words, it can be expected that they will live in harmony, in mutual appreciation, without dispute, like milk and water mixed together, looking at each other with kindly eyes.

Ānanda, there are these five kinds of sensual pleasures.

What are the five?

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...

tastes cognizable by the tongue...

tangibles cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, connected with sensual desire, and provocative:

these, Ānanda, are the five kinds of sensual pleasures.

Ānanda, whatever happiness and joy arise dependent on these five kinds of sensual pleasures, this is called sensual happiness.

Ānanda, if someone were to say: This is the highest happiness and joy that beings experience, I would not approve of that. Why is that?

Because, Ānanda, there is another happiness that is more excellent and sublime than this happiness. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness that is more excellent and sublime than this happiness? Is there another pleasure more excellent and refined?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say, This is the highest pleasure and joy that beings experience, I would not approve of that.

Why is that?

Because, Ānanda, there is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, enters and dwells in the second jhāna.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the fading away of rapture, enters and dwells in the third jhāna.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and non-attention to perceptions of diversity, enters and dwells in the base of infinite space.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the complete transcending of the base of infinite space, enters and dwells in the base of infinite consciousness.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the complete transcending of the base of infinite consciousness, enters and dwells in the base of nothingness.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say...

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the complete transcending of the base of nothingness, enters and dwells in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

If someone were to say, This is the highest pleasure and joy that beings experience, I would not approve of that.

Why is that?

Because, Ānanda, there is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

And what, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple, with the complete transcending of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling.

This, Ānanda, is another pleasure more excellent and refined than that pleasure.

There is, Ānanda, a possibility that wanderers of other sects might say:

The ascetic Gotama speaks of the cessation of perception and feeling, and he describes it as pleasure.

What is this? How is this?

Those wanderers of other sects should be answered thus:

Friends, the Blessed One does not describe pleasure based on feeling alone;

but wherever pleasure is found, the Tathāgata describes it as pleasure.

Thus spoke the Blessed One.

The Venerable Ānanda was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed Ones words.

The Discourse on Various Feelings is finished.

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