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sn.35.135 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Opportunity

“Bhikkhus, it is a gain for you, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life. I have seen, bhikkhus, the hell named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable. Whatever sound one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose … Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with the mind is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable.

“It is a gain for you, bhikkhus, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life. I have seen, bhikkhus, the heaven named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable. Whatever sound one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose … Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with the mind is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.

“It is a gain for you, bhikkhus, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Opportunity

“You’re fortunate, mendicants, so very fortunate,
to have the opportunity to lead the spiritual life.
I’ve seen the hell called ‘the six fields of contact’.
There, whatever sight you see with your eye is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.
Whatever sound you hear …
Whatever odor you smell …
Whatever flavor you taste …
Whatever touch you feel …
Whatever thought you know with your mind is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.
You’re fortunate, mendicants, so very fortunate,
to have the opportunity to lead the spiritual life.
I’ve seen the heaven called ‘the six fields of contact’.
There, whatever sight you see with your eye is likable, not unlikable; desirable, not undesirable; pleasant, not unpleasant.
Whatever sound … odor … flavor … touch …
Whatever thought you know with your mind is likable, not unlikable; desirable, not undesirable; pleasant, not unpleasant.
You’re fortunate, mendicants, so very fortunate,
to have the opportunity to lead the spiritual life.”