Six Fields of Contact (3rd)Tatiyachaphassāyatanasutta

“Mendicants, anyone who doesn’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape“Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. has not completed the spiritual journey and is far from this teaching and training.”Avusitaṁ tena brahmacariyaṁ, ārakā so imasmā dhammavinayā”ti.

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Here, sir, I’m discouraged, really discouraged.“etthāhaṁ, bhante, anassasaṁ panassasaṁ. For I don’t truly understand the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.”Ahañhi, bhante, channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmī”ti.

“What do you think, mendicant?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, bhikkhu, Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”cakkhu 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”.

“Is the ear …“Sotaṁ … nose …ghānaṁ … tongue …jivhā … body …kāyo … 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, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.“Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, 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.