sn.35.70 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Upavaṇa

Then the Venerable Upavaṇa approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the directly visible Dhamma, the directly visible Dhamma.’ In what way, venerable sir, is the Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise?”

“Here, Upavaṇa, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu experiences the form as well as lust for the form. He understands that lust for forms exists internally thus: ‘There is in me lust for forms internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.

“Further, Upavaṇa, having heard a sound with the ear … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu experiences the mental phenomenon as well as lust for the mental phenomenon. He understands that lust for mental phenomena exists internally thus: ‘There is in me lust for mental phenomena internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.

“But here, Upavaṇa, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu experiences the form without experiencing lust for the form. He understands that lust for forms does not exist internally thus: ‘There is in me no lust for forms internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.

“Further, Upavaṇa, having heard a sound with the ear … … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu experiences the mental phenomenon without experiencing lust for the mental phenomenon. He understands that lust for mental phenomena does not exist internally thus: ‘There is in me no lust for mental phenomena internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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Upavāṇa on What is Visible in This Very Life

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha …
and said to him:
“Sir, they speak of ‘a teaching visible in this very life’.
In what way is the teaching visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves?”
“Upavāṇa, take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience both the sight and the desire for the sight.
There is desire for sights in them, and they understand that.
Since this is so,

this is how the teaching is visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …



Next, take a mendicant who knows a thought with their mind. They experience both the thought and the desire for the thought.
There is desire for thoughts in them, and they understand that.
Since this is so,

this is how the teaching is visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience the sight but no desire for the sight.
There is no desire for sights in them, and they understand that.
Since this is so,

this is how the teaching is visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …


Next, take a mendicant who knows a thought with their mind. They experience the thought but no desire for the thought.
There is no desire for thoughts in them, and they understand that.
Since this is so, this is how the teaching is visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”