227. [Second Discourse on Conceiving] (SA227)

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: “Conceiving is a disease, conceiving is an ulcer, conceiving is a thorn. Because of being established in the absence of conceiving, the Tathāgata is free from disease, free from the ulcer, free from the thorn.

“Therefore a monk, who wishes to seek being established in the absence of conceiving, being free from disease, free from the ulcer, free from the thorn, that monk should not conceive of the eye as a self, as belonging to a self, and he should not conceive of the eye as [belonging] to another. He should not conceive of forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, and feeling arisen in dependence on eye-contact and experienced within, be it painful, pleasant, or neutral, as a self, as belonging to the self or as [belonging] to another.

“The ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind is also like that.”

“Monks, one who does not conceive in this way then does not cling to anything. Because of not clinging to anything, he is not attached to anything. Because of not being attached to anything, he personally realizes Nirvāṇa, [knowing]: ‘Birth for me has been eradicated, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, I myself know that there will be no receiving of any further existence.’”

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

As in relation to the eye, etc., each of the remaining topics are to be recited in this way.

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.