sn.36.22 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Theme of the Hundred and Eight

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you a Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight. Listen to that….

“And what, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight? I have spoken of two kinds of feelings by one method of exposition; I have spoken of three kinds of feelings by another method of exposition; I have spoken of five kinds of feelings … six kinds of feelings … eighteen kinds of feelings … thirty-six kinds of feelings by another method of exposition; and I have spoken of one hundred and eight kinds of feelings by still another method of exposition.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the two kinds of feelings? Bodily and mental. These are called the two kinds of feelings.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of feelings? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These are called the three kinds of feelings.

And what, bhikkhus, are the five kinds of feelings? The pleasure faculty, the pain faculty, the joy faculty, the displeasure faculty, the equanimity faculty. These are called the five kinds of feelings.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the six kinds of feelings? Feeling born of eye-contact … feeling born of mind-contact. These are called the six kinds of feeling.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the eighteen kinds of feelings? Six examinations accompanied by joy, six examinations accompanied by displeasure, six examinations accompanied by equanimity. These are called the eighteen kinds of feelings.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the thirty-six kinds of feelings? Six types of joy based on the household life, six types of joy based on renunciation; six types of displeasure based on the household life, six types of displeasure based on renunciation; six types of equanimity based on the household life, six types of equanimity based on renunciation. These are called the thirty-six kinds of feelings. “And what, bhikkhus, are the hundred and eight kinds of feelings? The above thirty-six feelings in the past, the above thirty-six feelings in the future, the above thirty-six feelings at present. These are called the hundred and eight kinds of feelings.

“This, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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The Explanation of the Hundred and Eight

“Mendicants, I will teach you an exposition of the teaching on the hundred and eight.
Listen …
And what is the exposition of the teaching on the hundred and eight?
Mendicants, in one explanation I’ve spoken of two feelings. In another explanation I’ve spoken of three feelings, or five, six, eighteen, thirty-six, or a hundred and eight feelings.






And what are the two feelings?
Physical and mental.
These are called the two feelings.
And what are the three feelings?
Pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings. …

And what are the five feelings?
The faculties of pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity. …

And what are the six feelings?
Feeling born of eye contact … ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact …
mind contact. …

And what are the eighteen feelings?
There are six preoccupations with happiness, six preoccupations with sadness, and six preoccupations with equanimity. …

And what are the thirty-six feelings?
Six kinds of lay happiness and six kinds of renunciate happiness. Six kinds of lay sadness and six kinds of renunciate sadness. Six kinds of lay equanimity and six kinds of renunciate equanimity. …

And what are the hundred and eight feelings?
Thirty six feelings in the past, future, and present.
These are called the hundred and eight feelings.
This is the exposition of the teaching on the hundred and eight.”