Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
14. Dhātu-Saṃyuttaṃ
I. Nānatta Vagga Paṭhama
1. Ajjhatta-Pañcakaṃ
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
14. The Kindred Sayings on Element
1. Five (Discourses on) Internal Element
Sutta 4
Paṭhama Vedanā [Vedanā-Nānatta] Suttaṃ
Feeling (1)
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Abbreviated passages have been expanded or inserted using the translator's terminology.
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1][bodh][olds] THUS have I heard.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthi at the Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren!"
"Master!" responded those brethren.
The Exalted One said:
"Because of the diversity in elements, brethren, arises diversity of contact; because of the diversity of contact arises diversity of feeling.[1]
What, brethren, is the diversity in elements?
The elements of eye,
of visible object,
of eye-awareness;
the elements of ear,
of sound,
of ear-awareness;
the elements of nose,
of odour,
of nose-awareness;
the elements of tongue,
of taste,
of tongue-awareness;
the elements of body,
of tangibles,
of body-awareness;
the elements of mind,
of ideas,
of mind-awareness:
this, brethren, is called the diversity in elements.
And what is the consequent diversity of contact?
An eye-contact arises because of the eye-element.
An ear-contact arises because of the ear-element.
A nose-contact arises because of the nose-element.
A tongue-contact arises because of the tongue-element.
A body-contact arises because of the body-element.
A mind-contact arises because of the mind-element.
It is thus, brethren, that because of diversity of elements diversity of contact arises.
How is it that because of diversity in element there arises diversity of contact?
that because of diversity of contact there arises diversity of feeling?
Because of eye-element, brethren, arises eye-contact;
because of eye-contact arises feeling produced by eye-contact.
Because of ear-element, arises ear-contact;
because of ear-contact arises feeling produced by ear-contact.
Because of nose-element, arises nose-contact;
because of nose-contact arises feeling produced by nose-contact.
Because of tongue-element, arises tongue-contact;
because of tongue-contact arises feeling produced by tongue-contact.
Because of body-element, arises body-contact;
because of body-contact arises feeling produced by body-contact.
Because of mind-element, arises mind-contact;
because of mind-contact arises feeling produced by mind-contact.
Thus it is that because of diversity in element
there arises diversity of contact,
because of diversity of contact
there arises diversity of feeling."
[1] Catechism on the first two modes of diversity (§§ 1,2) follows. [Ed.: inserted]
