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Linked Discourses · SN 18.11

  • Linked Discourses 18.11Saṁyutta Nikāya 18.11
  • Chapter Two2. Dutiyavagga

The Eye, Etc.Cakkhusutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. Then Venerable Rāhula went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:Atha kho āyasmā rāhulo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“What do you think, Rāhula?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”cakkhuṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“… the ear …“Sotaṁ …pe… the nose …ghānaṁ … the tongue …jivhā … the body …kāyo … Is the mind permanent or impermanent?”mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Anicco, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind.“Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati …pe… sotasmimpi nibbindati … ghānasmimpi nibbindati … jivhāyapi nibbindati … kāyasmimpi nibbindati … manasmimpi nibbindati; Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

(The ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)(Etena peyyālena dasa suttantā kātabbā.)

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. SN 18.1 The Eye, Etc. 0.90near 0.1Linked Discourses 18.1 Chapter One The Eye, Etc. So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Rāhula went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down…
  2. SN 35.86 A Teaching In Brief 0.68near 0.1Linked Discourses 35.86 9. With Channa A Teaching In Brief Seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, di…
  3. SN 18.3 Consciousness 0.67near 0.1Linked Discourses 18.3 Chapter One Consciousness At Sāvatthī. “What do you think, Rāhula? Is eye consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” … “… ear consciousness … nose consciousness … tongue conscious…
  4. MN 147 The Shorter Advice to Rāhula 0.64near 0.1‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “What do you think, Rāhula? Are sights permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if they’re impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir…
  5. SN 35.89 With Bāhiya 0.63near 0.1Linked Discourses 35.89 9. With Channa With Bāhiya Then Venerable Bāhiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll…