SN35.74 — Paṭhamagilānasutta

Originating in Sāvatthi.

Then a certain disciple approached the Blessed One ... and, having sat down to one side, said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, in such and such a monastery, there is a certain disciple who is new, unknown, sick, suffering, and gravely ill.

It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would go to that disciple out of compassion.

Then the Blessed One, having heard about the new and sick disciple, knowing that he was unknown, went to that disciple.

The disciple saw the Blessed One coming from afar.

Seeing him, he lay down on his bed.

Then the Blessed One said to that disciple:

Enough, disciple, do not lie down on your bed.

There are seats prepared; I will sit there.

The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat.

Having sat down, the Blessed One said to that disciple:

Are you enduring, disciple? Are you managing? Are your painful feelings decreasing and not increasing? Is there a decrease and not an increase in your painful feelings?

Venerable sir, I am not enduring, I am not managing, my painful feelings are increasing and not decreasing, there is an increase and not a decrease in my painful feelings.

Do you have any remorse or regret, disciple?

Indeed, venerable sir, I have considerable remorse and regret.

Does your conscience reproach you regarding your conduct, disciple?

No, venerable sir, my conscience does not reproach me regarding my conduct.

If your conscience does not reproach you regarding your conduct, then what is the cause of your remorse and regret?

Venerable sir, I do not understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One for the purification of conduct.

If you do not understand the Dhamma taught by me for the purification of conduct, then for what purpose do you understand the Dhamma taught by me?

Venerable sir, I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One for the fading away of lust.

Good, good, disciple. It is good that you understand the Dhamma taught by me for the fading away of lust. For the Dhamma taught by me is indeed for the fading away of lust.

What do you think, disciple, is the eye permanent or impermanent?

Impermanent, venerable sir.

...

Is the ear ...

the nose ...

the tongue ...

the body ...

the mind permanent or impermanent?

Impermanent, venerable sir.

Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?

Suffering, venerable sir.

Is it proper to regard what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as: This is mine, this I am, this is my self?

No, venerable sir.

Seeing thus, disciple, the learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with the ear ... disenchanted with the mind.

Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he is liberated; when liberated, there is the knowing: It is liberated.

He understands: Birth is destroyed ... there is no more of this state of being.

The Blessed One said this.

Satisfied, that disciple rejoiced in the Blessed One's words.

And while this explanation was being given, the dust-free, stainless vision of the Dhamma arose in that disciple:

Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.