5.
The First Discourse on Ānanda
263.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"What indeed, venerable sir, is feeling, what is the origin of feeling, what is the cessation of feeling, what is the practice leading to the cessation of feeling?
What is the gratification in feeling, what is the danger, what is the escape?"
There are these three feelings, Ānanda -
pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling -
these are called, Ānanda, feelings.
From the origin of contact is the origin of feeling;
from the cessation of contact 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.
Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on feeling, this is the gratification in feeling.
That feeling is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, this is the danger in feeling.
Whatever is the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust regarding feeling, this is the escape from feeling.
But, Ānanda, the progressive cessation of activities has been declared by me.
For one who has attained the first meditative absorption, speech has ceased, etc.
For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased.
For a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions, lust has ceased, hate has ceased, delusion has ceased.
But, Ānanda, the progressive appeasement of activities has been declared by me.
For one who has attained the first meditative absorption, speech has been appeased, etc.
For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have been appeased.
For a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions, lust has been appeased, hate has been appeased, delusion has been appeased.
But, Ānanda, the progressive calming of activities has been declared by me.
For one who has attained the first meditative absorption, speech has been calmed, etc.
For one who has attained the plane of infinite space, perception of material form has been calmed.
For one who has attained the plane of infinite consciousness, perception of the plane of infinite space has been calmed.
For one who has attained the plane of nothingness, perception of the plane of infinite consciousness has been calmed.
For one who has attained the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, perception of the plane of nothingness has been calmed.
For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have been calmed.
For a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions, lust has been calmed, hate has been calmed, delusion has been calmed."
The fifth.