sn.35.68 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Samiddhi (4)

“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the world, the world.’ In what way, venerable sir, might there be the world or the description of the world?”

“Where there is the eye, Samiddhi, where there are forms, eye-consciousness, things to be cognized by eye-consciousness, there the world exists or the description of the world.

“Where there is the ear … the mind, where there are mental phenomena, mind-consciousness, things to be cognized by mind-consciousness, there the world exists or the description of the world.

“Where there is no eye, Samiddhi, no forms, no eye-consciousness, no things to be cognized by eye-consciousness, there the world does not exist nor any description of the world.

“Where there is no ear … no mind, no mental phenomena, no mind-consciousness, no things to be cognized by mind-consciousness, there the world does not exist nor any description of the world.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Samiddhi’s Question About the World

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘the world’.
How do we define the world or what is known as the world?”
“Samiddhi, where there is the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and phenomena to be known by eye consciousness, there is the world or what is known as the world.
Where there is the ear … nose … tongue … body …
Where there is the mind, thoughts, mind consciousness, and phenomena to be known by mind consciousness, there is the world or what is known as the world.
Where there is no eye, no sights, no eye consciousness, and no phenomena to be known by eye consciousness, there is no world or what is known as the world.
Where there is no ear … nose … tongue … body …
Where there is no mind, no thoughts, no mind consciousness, and no phenomena to be known by mind consciousness, there is no world or what is known as the world.”