214. [Second Discourse on Two Things] (SA214)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

At that time the Blessed One said to the monks: “There are two conditions for the arising of consciousness. What are the two? That is, the eye and forms, the ear and sounds, the nose and odours, the tongue and flavours, the body and tangibles, the mind and mental objects … to be recited fully in this way up to … because this is not within his domain. Why is that?

“In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. That [eye] is impermanent, conditioned, thought out, dependently arisen, and forms, just as eye-consciousness, are impermanent, conditioned, thought out, dependently arisen.

“The coming together of these three things is contact. Having been contacted, there is feeling. Having felt, there is intention. Having intended, there is perception. All these things are impermanent, conditioned, thought out, dependently arisen. That which is contact, [feeling], perception, and intention [in relation to] the ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind is also like that.”

When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, hearing what the Buddha had said the monks were delighted and received it respectfully.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in "On the Six Sense-spheres (1) ―A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 188 to 229 (Fascicle 8)", Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2016, vol. 18 pp. 1–61.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.