With Hāliddikāni (SN35.130)

Linked Discourses 35.130

13. Householders

With Hāliddikāni

At one time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis near Kuraraghara on Steep Mountain.¹

Then the householder Hāliddikāni went up to Venerable Mahākaccāna … and asked him,

“Sir, this was said by the Buddha:

‘Diversity of elements gives rise to diversity of contacts, and diversity of contacts gives rise to diversity of feelings.’

How does diversity of elements give rise to diversity of contacts, and diversity of contacts gives rise to diversity of feelings?”

“Householder, it’s when a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes and understands it to be agreeable.

There is eye consciousness; and pleasant feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant.²

Then they see a sight and understand it to be disagreeable.

There is eye consciousness; and painful feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful.

Then they see a sight and understand it to be a basis for equanimity.

There is eye consciousness; and neutral feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as neutral.

Furthermore, a mendicant hears a sound with their ears …

smells an odor with their nose …

tastes a flavor with their tongue …

encounters a touch with their body …

knows an idea with their mind and understands it to be agreeable.

There is mind consciousness; and pleasant feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant.

Then they know an idea and understand it to be disagreeable.

There is mind consciousness; and painful feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful.

Then they know an idea and understand it to be a basis for equanimity.

Neutral feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as neutral.

That’s how diversity of elements gives rise to diversity of contacts, and diversity of contacts gives rise to diversity of feelings.”