Pali Canon Search

Linked Discourses · SN 45.161

  • Linked Discourses 45.161Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.161
  • 13. Searches13. Esanāvagga

SearchesEsanāsutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches.Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. What is the noble eightfold path?Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches.Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. What is the noble eightfold path?Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which culminate in the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches.Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. What is the noble eightfold path?Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, whose objective, destination, and culmination is freedom from death.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti amatogadhaṁ amataparāyanaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches.Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. What is the noble eightfold path?Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṁ nibbānapoṇaṁ nibbānapabbhāraṁ.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to completely understand …”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ pariññāya …pe… ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

(Tell in full with “completely understand” instead of “directly know”.)(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi pariññāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to finish …”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ parikkhayāya …pe… ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

(Tell in full with “finish” instead of “directly know”.)(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi parikkhayāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

“Mendicants, there are these three searches.Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. What three?Katamā tisso? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path.Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā— These are the three searches.imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to give up …”Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ pahānāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo.

(Tell in full with “give up” instead of “directly know”.)(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi pahānāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

Similar passages elsewhere

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

  1. SN 45.180 Higher Fetters 0.79near 2.8What is the noble eightfold path? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which culminate in the remov…
  2. SN 45.160 A River 0.72near 2.8And how does a mendicant develop the noble eightfold path? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, whi…
  3. SN 45.170 Craving 0.68near 2.8Linked Discourses 45.170 13. Searches Craving “Mendicants, there are these three cravings. What three? Craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence. These are the three cra…
  4. SN 45.29 Feeling 0.68near 0.1Linked Discourses 45.29 3. The Wrong Way Feeling At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling. These are the three feelings. The noble eightfold path should…
  5. SN 45.162 Discriminations 0.66near 2.8Linked Discourses 45.162 13. Searches Discriminations “Mendicants, there are three kinds of discrimination. What three? One discriminates, thinking that ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’. These are the three kin…
  6. SN 45.33 Missed Out 0.61near 0.1Linked Discourses 45.33 4. Practice Missed Out At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, whoever has missed out on the noble eightfold path has missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering. Whoever has undertaken the…
  7. SN 45.40 The Spiritual Path (2nd) 0.59near 0.1Linked Discourses 45.40 4. Practice The Spiritual Path (2nd) At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you the spiritual path and the goal of the spiritual path. Listen … And what is the spiritual path? It is simply this no…
  8. SN 45.159 A Guest House 0.55near 4.8These are the things that should be realized by direct knowledge. And what are the things that should be developed by direct knowledge? Serenity and discernment. These are the things that should be developed by direct kn…