Saɱyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saɱyutta
§ III: Paññāsaka Tatiya
3. Gahapati Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
35. Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
§ III: The 'Third Fifty' Suttas
3. The Chapter on the Householders
Sutta 129
Ghosita Suttaɱ
Ghosita
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the venerable Ānanda was staying at Kosambī in Ghosita Park.
Then the housefather Ghosita came to see the venerable Ānanda,
and on coming to him
greeted him in friendly wise,
and after the exchange of courtesies and greetings
sat down at one side.
Seated at one side he said this to the venerable Ānanda:-
"'Diversity in elements!
Diversity in elements!'[1] is the saying, my lord Ānanda.
Pray, sir, how far has diversity in elements
been spoken of by the Exalted One?"
■
"When the elements of eye
and objects that are pleasing
and eye-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of eye,
objects that are displeasing
and eye-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of eye,
objects that are of indifferent effect[2]
and eye-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
■
When the elements of ear
and sounds[ed1] that are pleasing
and ear-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of ear,
sounds that are displeasing
and ear-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of ear,
sounds that are of indifferent effect
and ear-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
■
When the elements of nose
and scents that are pleasing
and nose-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of nose,
scents that are displeasing
and nose-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of nose,
scents that are of indifferent effect
and nose-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
■
When the elements of tongue
and savours that are pleasing
and tongue-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of tongue,
savours that are displeasing
and tongue-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of tongue,
savours that are of indifferent effect
and tongue-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
■
When the elements of body
and tangibles that are pleasing
and body-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of body,
tangibles that are displeasing
and body-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of body,
tangibles that are of indifferent effect
and body-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
■
When the elements of mind
and mind-states that are pleasing
and mind-consciousness occur together, housefather,
owing to the pleasurable contact
there arises pleasurable feeling.
When the elements of mind,
mind-states that are displeasing
and mind-consciousness occur together,
owing to the unpleasant contact resulting
there arises painful feeling.
When the elements of mind,
mind-states that are of indifferent effect
and mind-consciousness occur together,
owing to neutral contact resulting,
there arises feeling that is neutral.
Thus far, housefather, diversity in elements
has been spoken of by the Exalted One."
[1] Dhātu-nānattaṅ. See K.S. ii, 101 ff. and nn.; Buddh Psych. Eth., 72 n.
[2] Upekkhā-ṭ-ṭhāniyā.
[ed1] Woodward abridges indicating he would use 'objects' for each of the objects of sense, but this is likely just an oversight (resulting, I would say, from the use of 'objects' for the object of the eye sense where 'shape' is the better and usual translation for 'rūpa'). The Pali and all his previous translations have named the objects of sense in accordance with the sense organ. The usual manner of abridgment is to give the first (and sometimes the second) in a series complete, abridge the middle with the briefest possible indication of what belongs there and give the final item completely. Here, in concluding, Woodward has used 'objects' for his usual 'mind-states'. The Pali has 'dhamma'. I have followed his usual translation.
