4. The Twelve Sense-Spheres (ARV4)

Herein, monastics, what are the twelve sense-spheres?

They are as follows:

The internal eye sense-sphere,

the external visible-form sense-sphere,

the internal ear sense-sphere,

the external sound sense-sphere,

the internal nose sense-sphere,

the external smell sense-sphere,

the internal tongue sense-sphere,

the external taste sense-sphere,

the internal body sense-sphere,

the external tangible sense-sphere,

the internal mind sense-sphere,

the external thought sense-sphere.

These, monastics, are said to be the twelve sense-spheres.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.