sn.35.236 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Simile of Hands and Feet (1)

“Bhikkhus, when there are hands, picking up and putting down are discerned. When there are feet, coming and going are discerned. When there are limbs, bending and stretching are discerned. When there is the belly, hunger and thirst are discerned.

“So too, bhikkhus, when there is the eye, pleasure and pain arise internally with eye-contact as condition. When there is the ear, pleasure and pain arise internally with ear-contact as condition…. When there is the mind, pleasure and pain arise internally with mind-contact as condition.

“When, bhikkhus, there are no hands, picking up and putting down are not discerned. When there are no feet, coming and going are not discerned. When there are no limbs, bending and stretching are not discerned. When there is no belly, hunger and thirst are not discerned.

“So too, bhikkhus, when there is no eye, no pleasure and pain arise internally with eye-contact as condition. When there is no ear, no pleasure and pain arise internally with ear-contact as condition…. When there is no mind, no pleasure and pain arise internally with mind-contact as condition.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

The Simile of Hands and Feet (1st)

“Mendicants, when there are hands, picking up and putting down are found.
When there are feet, coming and going are found.
When there are joints, contracting and extending are found.
When there’s a belly, hunger and thirst are found.
In the same way, when there’s an eye, pleasure and pain arise internally conditioned by eye contact.
When there’s an ear … nose … tongue … body …
mind, pleasure and pain arise internally conditioned by mind contact.
When there are no hands, picking up and putting down aren’t found.
When there are no feet, coming and going aren’t found.
When there are no joints, contracting and extending aren’t found.
When there’s no belly, hunger and thirst aren’t found.
In the same way, when there’s no eye, pleasure and pain don’t arise internally conditioned by eye contact.
When there’s no ear … nose … tongue … body …
mind, pleasure and pain don’t arise internally conditioned by mind contact.”