Nibbedhikasuttaṃ [AN 6.63, PTS 3.410–3.417]

9.

The Discourse on the Penetrative

63. "I will teach you, monks, a penetrative exposition of the Teaching. Listen to that, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

"And what, monks, is that penetrative exposition of the Teaching? Sensual pleasures, monks, should be known, the origin of sensual pleasures should be known, the distinction of sensual pleasures should be known, the result of sensual pleasures should be known, the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known.

"Feeling, monks, should be known, the origin of feelings should be known, the distinction of feelings should be known, the result of feelings should be known, the cessation of feeling should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known.

"Perception, monks, should be known, the origin of perceptions should be known, the distinction of perceptions should be known, the result of perceptions should be known, the cessation of perception should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known.

"Mental corruptions, monks, should be known, the origin of mental corruptions should be known, the distinction of mental corruptions should be known, the result of mental corruptions should be known, the cessation of mental corruptions should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions should be known.

"Action, monks, should be known, the origin of actions should be known, the distinction of actions should be known, the result of actions should be known, the cessation of action should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of action should be known.

"Suffering, monks, should be known, the origin of suffering should be known, the distinction of suffering should be known, the result of suffering should be known, the cessation of suffering should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known.

"'Sensual pleasures, monks, should be known, the origin of sensual pleasures should be known, the distinction of sensual pleasures should be known, the result of sensual pleasures should be known, the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are, monks, these five kinds of sensual pleasure - forms cognisable by eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing; sounds cognisable by ear... odours cognisable by nose... flavours cognisable by tongue... Tangible objects cognisable by body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing. And yet, monks, these are not sensual pleasures; they are called types of sensual pleasure in the Noble One's discipline -

"And what, monks, is the origin of sensual pleasures? Contact, monks, is the origin of sensual pleasures.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of sensual pleasures? Different, monks, is sensual pleasure regarding forms, different is sensual pleasure regarding sounds, different is sensual pleasure regarding odours, different is sensual pleasure regarding flavours, different is sensual pleasure regarding tangible objects. This is called, monks, the distinction of sensual pleasures.

"And what, monks, is the result of sensual pleasures? Whatever, monks, one desiring produces each respective individual existence, whether meritorious or demeritorious, this is called, monks, the result of sensual pleasures.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of sensual pleasures? The cessation of contact, monks, is the cessation of sensual pleasures. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, as follows - right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands sensual pleasures, thus understands the origin of sensual pleasures, thus understands the distinction of sensual pleasures, thus understands the result of sensual pleasures, thus understands the cessation of sensual pleasures, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, he understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"Feeling, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are these three feelings, monks - pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling.

"And what, monks, is the origin of feelings? Contact, monks, is the origin of feelings.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of feelings? There is, monks, carnal pleasant feeling, there is spiritual pleasant feeling, there is carnal unpleasant feeling, there is spiritual unpleasant feeling, there is carnal neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling, there is spiritual neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling. This is called, monks, the distinction of feelings.

"And what, monks, is the result of feelings? Whatever, monks, one experiencing produces each respective individual existence, whether meritorious or demeritorious, this is called, monks, the result of feelings.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of feeling? The cessation of contact, monks, is the cessation of feeling. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of feeling, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands feeling, thus understands the origin of feelings, thus understands the distinction of feelings, thus understands the result of feelings, thus understands the cessation of feeling, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of feeling. He understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of feeling. Feeling, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"Perception, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known" - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are these six perceptions, monks - perception of visible form, perception of sound, perception of odour, perception of flavour, perception of tangible object, perception of mental phenomena.

"And what, monks, is the source and origination of perceptions? Contact, monks, is the source and origination of perceptions.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of perceptions? One perception, monks, is regarding visible forms, another perception is regarding sounds, another perception is regarding odours, another perception is regarding flavours, another perception is regarding tangible objects, another perception is regarding mental phenomena. This is called, monks, the distinction of perceptions.

"And what, monks, is the result of perceptions? I say, monks, that perception has conventional expression as its result. In whatever way one perceives it, in that way one expresses it, 'I was one having such perception.' This is called, monks, the result of perceptions.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of perception? The cessation of contact, monks, is the cessation of perception. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of perception, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands perception, thus understands the source and origination of perceptions, thus understands the distinction of perceptions, thus understands the result of perceptions, thus understands the cessation of perception, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of perception, he understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of perception. Perception, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"Mental corruptions, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions should be known" - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are these three mental corruptions, monks - mental corruption of sensuality, mental corruption of existence, mental corruption of ignorance.

"And what, monks, is the source and origination of mental corruptions? Ignorance, monks, is the source and origination of mental corruptions.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of mental corruptions? There are, monks, mental corruptions leading to hell, there are mental corruptions leading to the animal realm, there are mental corruptions leading to the sphere of ghosts, there are mental corruptions leading to the human world, there are mental corruptions leading to the world of gods. This is called, monks, the distinction of mental corruptions.

"And what, monks, is the result of mental corruptions? Whatever, monks, one gone to ignorance produces this or that individual existence, whether meritorious or demeritorious, this is called, monks, the result of mental corruptions.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of mental corruptions? The cessation of ignorance, monks, is the cessation of mental corruptions. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands mental corruptions, thus understands the source and origin of mental corruptions, thus understands the distinction of mental corruptions, thus understands the result of mental corruptions, thus understands the cessation of mental corruptions, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions, he understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of mental corruptions. Mental corruptions, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions should be known. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"Action, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of action should be known - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Volition, monks, I call action. Having willed, one performs action - by body, by speech, by mind.

"And what, monks, is the source and origin of actions? Contact, monks, is the source and origin of actions.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of actions? There is, monks, action to be experienced in hell, there is action to be experienced in the animal realm, there is action to be experienced in the sphere of ghosts, there is action to be experienced in the human world, there is action to be experienced in the world of gods. This is called, monks, the distinction of actions.

"And what, monks, is the result of actions? I say, monks, the result of actions is threefold - in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence. This is called, monks, the result of actions.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of action? The cessation of contact, monks, is the cessation of action. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of action, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands action, thus understands the origin of actions, thus understands the distinction of actions, thus understands the result of actions, thus understands the cessation of action, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of action, he understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of action. Action, monks, should be known, etc. the practice leading to the cessation of action should be known - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"Suffering, monks, should be known, the origin of suffering should be known, the distinction of suffering should be known, the result of suffering should be known, the cessation of suffering should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known. Thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish are suffering, not getting what one wishes for is also suffering, in brief the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.

"And what, monks, is the origin of suffering? Craving, monks, is the origin of suffering.

"And what, monks, is the distinction of suffering? There is, monks, suffering that is exceeding, there is slight, there is slow to fade, there is quick to fade. This is called, monks, the distinction of suffering.

"And what, monks, is the result of suffering? Here, monks, a certain one, overcome by suffering, with mind consumed, grieves, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, falls into confusion, or else overcome by suffering, with mind consumed, undertakes a search outside - 'Who knows a one-word or two-word spell for the cessation of this suffering?' I say, monks, suffering has confusion as its result or search as its result. This is called, monks, the result of suffering.

"And what, monks, is the cessation of suffering? The cessation of craving, monks, is the cessation of suffering. It is just this noble eightfold path that is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration.

"Since, monks, a noble disciple thus understands suffering, thus understands the origin of suffering, thus understands the distinction of suffering, thus understands the result of suffering, thus understands the cessation of suffering, thus understands the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, he understands this penetrative holy life as the cessation of suffering. Suffering, monks, should be known, the origin of suffering should be known, the distinction of suffering should be known, the result of suffering should be known, the cessation of suffering should be known, the practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.

"This, monks, is the penetrative exposition of the Teaching." The ninth.