229. [Discourse on What is With Influxes and Without Influxes] (SA229)

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: “I will now teach you what is of a nature to be with influxes and to be without influxes. What is of a nature to be with influxes? That is, it is the eye and forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, feeling arisen in dependence on eye-contact that is experienced within, be it painful, pleasant, or neutral, [which is mundane].

“It is the ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness, mind-contact, feeling arisen in dependence on mind-contact that is experienced within, be it painful, pleasant, or neutral, which is mundane. This is called being of a nature to be with influxes.

“What is of a nature to be without influxes? That is, it is … supramundane mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness, mind-contact, feeling arisen in dependence on mind-contact that is experienced within, be it painful, pleasant, or neutral, which is supramundane. This is called being of a nature to be without influxes.”

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.

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