sn.22.57 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Seven Cases

At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is skilled in seven cases and a triple investigator is called, in this Dhamma and Discipline, a consummate one, one who has fully lived the holy life, the highest kind of person.

“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu skilled in seven cases? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; he understands the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of form.

“He understands feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; he understands the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of consciousness.

“And what, bhikkhus, is form? The four great elements and the form derived from the four great elements: this is called form. With the arising of nutriment there is the arising of form. With the cessation of nutriment there is the cessation of form. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of form; that is, right view … right concentration.

“The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on form: this is the gratification in form. That form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in form. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for form: this is the escape from form.

“Whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, having thus directly known the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of form, are practising for the purpose of revulsion towards form, for its fading away and cessation, they are practising well. Those who are practising well have gained a foothold in this Dhamma and Discipline.

“And whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, having thus directly known the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of form, through revulsion towards form, through its fading away and cessation, are liberated by nonclinging, they are well liberated. Those who are well liberated are consummate ones. As to those consummate ones, there is no round for describing them.

“And what, bhikkhus, is feeling? There are these six classes of feeling: feeling born of eye-contact … as in preceding sutta … feeling born of mind-contact. This is called feeling. With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling. With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of feeling; that is, right view … right concentration.

“The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on feeling: this is the gratification in feeling. That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in feeling. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for feeling: this is the escape from feeling.

“Whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, having thus directly known the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of feeling, are practising for the purpose of revulsion towards feeling, for its fading away and cessation, they are practising well. Those who are practising well have gained a foothold in this Dhamma and Discipline.

“And whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known feeling … and the escape in the case of feeling … As to those consummate ones, there is no round for describing them.

“And what, bhikkhus, is perception? There are these six classes of perception: perception of forms … perception of mental phenomena. This is called perception. With the arising of contact there is the arising of perception. With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of perception. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of perception; that is, right view … right concentration.

“The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on perception: this is the gratification in perception. That perception is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in perception. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for perception: this is the escape from perception.

“Whatever ascetics and brahmins … As to those consummate ones, there is no round for describing them.

“And what, bhikkhus, are volitional formations? There are these six classes of volition: volition regarding forms … volition regarding mental phenomena. This is called volitional formations. With the arising of contact there is the arising of volitional formations. With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of volitional formations. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of volitional formations; that is, right view … right concentration.

“The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on volitional formations: this is the gratification in volitional formations. That volitional formations are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in volitional formations. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for volitional formations: this is the escape from volitional formations.

“Whatever ascetics and brahmins … As to those consummate ones, there is no round for describing them.

“And what, bhikkhus, is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness … mind-consciousness. This is called consciousness. With the arising of name-and-form there is the arising of consciousness. With the cessation of name-and-form there is the cessation of consciousness. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of consciousness; that is, right view … right concentration.

“The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on consciousness: this is the gratification in consciousness. That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in consciousness. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for consciousness: this is the escape from consciousness.

“Whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, having thus directly known the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of consciousness, are practising for the purpose of revulsion towards consciousness, for its fading away and cessation, they are practising well. Those who are practising well have gained a foothold in this Dhamma and Discipline.

“And whatever ascetics and brahmins, having thus directly known consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, having thus directly known the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of consciousness, through revulsion towards consciousness, through its fading away and cessation, are liberated by nonclinging, they are well liberated. Those who are well liberated are consummate ones. As to those consummate ones, there is no round for describing them.

“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is skilled in seven cases.

“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu a triple investigator? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu investigates by way of the elements, by way of the sense bases, and by way of dependent origination. It is in such a way that a bhikkhu is a triple investigator.

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is skilled in these seven cases and a triple investigator is called, in this Dhamma and Discipline, a consummate one, one who has fully lived the holy life, the highest kind of person.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Seven Cases

At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, in this teaching and training a mendicant who is skilled in seven cases and who examines in three ways is called consummate, accomplished, a supreme person.
And how is a mendicant skilled in seven cases?
It’s when a mendicant understands form, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
They understand form’s gratification, drawback, and escape.
They understand feeling …
perception …
choices …
consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
They understand consciousness’s gratification, drawback, and escape.
And what is form?
The four primary elements, and form derived from the four primary elements.
This is called form.
Form originates from food.
When food ceases, form ceases.
The practice that leads to the cessation of form is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from form: this is its gratification.

That form is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.
Removing and giving up desire and greed for form: this is its escape.

Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known form in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation;
its gratification, drawback, and escape—and are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form: they are practicing well.
Those who practice well have a firm footing in this teaching and training.
Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known form in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation;
its gratification, drawback, and escape—and due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form, are freed by not grasping: they are well freed.
Those who are well freed are consummate ones.
For consummate ones, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.
And what is feeling?
There are these six classes of feeling:
feeling born of eye contact …
feeling born of mind contact.
This is called feeling.
Feeling originates from contact.
When contact ceases, feeling ceases.
The practice that leads to the cessation of feelings is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from feeling: this is its gratification.

That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.

Removing and giving up desire and greed for feeling: this is its escape. …

And what is perception?
There are these six classes of perception:
perceptions of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.
This is called perception.
Perception originates from contact.
When contact ceases, perception ceases.
The practice that leads to the cessation of perceptions is simply this noble eightfold path …

And what are choices?
There are these six classes of intention:
intention regarding sights …
intention regarding thoughts.
These are called choices.
Choices originate from contact.
When contact ceases, choices cease.
The practice that leads to the cessation of choices is simply this noble eightfold path …

And what is consciousness?
There are these six classes of consciousness:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness.
This is called consciousness.
Consciousness originates from name and form.
When name and form cease, consciousness ceases.
The practice that leads to the cessation of consciousness is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from consciousness: this is its gratification.

That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.

Removing and giving up desire and greed for consciousness: this is its escape.

Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known consciousness in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation;
its gratification, drawback, and escape—and are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness: they are practicing well.
Those who practice well have a firm footing in this teaching and training.
Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known consciousness in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation;
its gratification, drawback, and escape—and due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness, are freed by not grasping: they are well freed.
Those who are well freed are consummate ones.
For consummate ones, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.
That’s how a mendicant is skilled in seven cases.
And how does a mendicant examine in three ways?
It’s when a mendicant examines the elements, sense fields, and dependent origination.
That’s how a mendicant examines in three ways.
In this teaching and training, a mendicant who is skilled in seven cases and who examines in three ways is called consummate, accomplished, a supreme person.”