sn.35.13 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Before My Enlightenment (1)

At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: ‘What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the eye? What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind?’

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

“‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on the ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind: this is the gratification in the mind. That the mind is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in the mind. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for the mind: this is the escape from the mind.’

“So long, bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these six internal sense bases, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans. But when I directly knew all this as it really is, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with … its devas and humans.

“The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind; this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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Before My Awakening (Interior)

At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought:
‘What’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to the eye …
ear …
nose …
tongue …
body …
and mind?’
Then it occurred to me:
‘The pleasure and happiness that arise from the eye: this is its gratification.
That the eye is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.
Removing and giving up desire and greed for the eye: this is its escape.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from the ear …
nose …
tongue …


body …
mind: this is its gratification.
That the mind is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.
Removing and giving up desire and greed for the mind: this is its escape.’
As long as I didn’t truly understand these six interior sense fields’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
But when I did truly understand these six interior sense fields’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
Knowledge and vision arose in me:
‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”