The Six Bases for Contact (3)
The first two paragraphs as in §71.
“What do you think, bhikkhu, is the eye permanent or impermanent?”—“Impermanent, venerable sir.”—“Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?”—“Suffering, venerable sir.”—“Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”—“No, venerable sir.”
“Is the ear … the mind permanent or impermanent?”—“Impermanent, venerable sir.”—“Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?”—“Suffering, venerable sir.”—“Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”—“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus, bhikkhu, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye … revulsion towards the mind. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”
- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Editor: Blake Walsh
Six Fields of Contact (3rd)
“Mendicants, anyone who doesn’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape
has not completed the spiritual journey and is far from this teaching and training.”
When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,
“Here, sir, I’m lost, truly lost.
For I don’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape.”
“What do you think, mendicant?
Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, sir.”
“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”
“Suffering, sir.”
“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“No, sir.”
“Is the ear …
nose …
tongue …
body …
mind permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, sir.”
“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”
“Suffering, sir.”
“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“No, sir.”
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.
They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”
