sn.36.11 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Alone

Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus: ‘Three feeling have been spoken of by the Blessed One: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These three feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One. But the Blessed One has said: “Whatever is felt is included in suffering.” Now with reference to what was this stated by the Blessed One?’”

“Good, good, bhikkhu! These three feelings have been spoken of by me: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These three feelings have been spoken of by me. And I have also said: ‘Whatever is felt is included in suffering.’ That has been stated by me with reference to the impermanence of formations. That has been stated by me with reference to formations being subject to destruction … to formations being subject to vanishing … to formations being subject to fading away … to formations being subject to cessation … to formations being subject to change.

“Then, bhikkhu, I have also taught the successive cessation of formations. For one who has attained the first jhana, speech has ceased. For one who has attained the second jhana, thought and examination have ceased. For one who has attained the third jhana, rapture has ceased. For one who has attained the fourth jhana, in-breathing and out-breathing have ceased. For one who has attained the base of the infinity of space, the perception of form has ceased. For one who has attained the base of the infinity of consciousness, the perception pertaining to the base of the infinity of space has ceased. For one who has attained the base of nothingness, the perception pertaining to the base of the infinity of consciousness has ceased. For one who has attained the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, the perception pertaining to the base of nothingness has ceased. For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased. For a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, lust has ceased, hatred has ceased, delusion has ceased.

“Then, bhikkhu, I have also taught the successive subsiding of formations. For one who has attained the first jhana speech has subsided…. For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have subsided. For a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, lust has subsided, hatred has subsided, delusion has subsided.

“There are, bhikkhu, these six kinds of tranquillization. For one who has attained the first jhana, speech has been tranquillized. For one who has attained the second jhana, thought and examination have been tranquillized. For one who has attained the third jhana, rapture has been tranquillized. For one who has attained the fourth jhana, in-breathing and out-breathing have been tranquillized. For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have been tranquillized. For a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, lust has been tranquillized, hatred has been tranquillized, delusion has been tranquillized.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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In Private

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind.
The Buddha has spoken of three feelings.
Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.
These are the three feelings the Buddha has spoken of.
But the Buddha has also said:
‘Suffering includes whatever is felt.’
What was the Buddha referring to when he said this?”

“Good, good, mendicant!
I have spoken of these three feelings.
Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.
These are the three feelings I have spoken of.
But I have also said:
‘Suffering includes whatever is felt.’
When I said this I was referring to the impermanence of conditions, to the fact that conditions are

liable to end,
vanish,
fade away,
cease,
and perish.

But I have also explained the progressive cessation of conditions.
For someone who has attained the first absorption, speech has ceased.
For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have ceased.
For someone who has attained the third absorption, rapture has ceased.
For someone who has attained the fourth absorption, breathing has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite space, the perception of form has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite consciousness, the perception of the dimension of infinite space has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the perception of the dimension of nothingness has ceased.
For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased.
For a mendicant who has ended the defilements, greed, hate, and delusion have ceased.
And I have also explained the progressive stilling of conditions.
For someone who has attained the first absorption, speech has stilled.
For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have stilled. …
For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have stilled.
For a mendicant who has ended the defilements, greed, hate, and delusion have stilled.
There are these six levels of tranquility.
For someone who has attained the first absorption, speech has been tranquilized.
For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have been tranquilized.
For someone who has attained the third absorption, rapture has been tranquilized.
For someone who has attained the fourth absorption, breathing has been tranquilized.
For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have been tranquilized.
For a mendicant who has ended the defilements, greed, hate, and delusion have been tranquilized.”