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
2. Five (Discourses on) External Element
Sutta 7
Saññā [Pariyesanā-Nānatta] Suttaṃ
Perception
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 in perceptions,
because of diversity in perceptions arises diversity in aims,
because of diversity in aims arises diversity in desires,
because of diversity in desires arises diversity in yearnings,
because of diversity in yearnings arises diversity in quests.
What, brethren, is the diversity in elements?[ed1]
Visible object-element,
sound-element,
odour-element,
taste-element,
tangible-element,
idea-element.
This is called the diversity in elements.
How is it that because of diversity in elements there arises diversity in perceptions,
because of diversity in perceptions arises diversity in aims,
because of diversity in aims arises diversity in desires,
because of diversity in desires arises diversity in yearnings,
because of diversity in yearnings arises diversity in quests?
Because of visible object-element, brethren, arises visible object-perception,
because of visible object-perception arises visible object-aims,
because of visible object-aims arises visible object-desires,
because of visible object-desires arises visible object-yearnings,
because of visible object-yearnings arises visible object quests.
Because of sound-element, brethren, arises sound-perception,
because of sound-perception arises sound-aims,
because of sound-aims arises sound-desires,
because of sound-desires arises sound-yearnings,
because of sound-yearnings arises sound-quests.
Because of odour-element, brethren, arises odour-perception,
because of odour-perception arises odour-aims,
because of odour-aims arises odour-desires,
because of odour-desires arises odour-yearnings,
because of odour-yearnings arises odour-quests.
Because of taste-element, brethren, arises taste-perception,
because of taste-perception arises taste-aims,
because of taste-aims arises taste-desires,
because of taste-desires arises taste-yearnings,
because of taste-yearnings arises taste-quests.
Because of tangibles-element, brethren, arises tangibles-perception,
because of tangibles-perception arises tangibles-aims,
because of tangibles-aims arises tangibles-desires,
because of tangibles-desires arises tangibles-yearnings,
beause of tangibles-yearnings arises tangibles-quests.
Because of ideas-element, brethren, arises ideas-perception,
because of ideas-perception arises ideas-aims,
because of ideas-aims arises ideas-desires,
because of ideas-desires arises ideas-yearnings,
because of ideas-yearnings arises ideas-quests.
Thus it is that because of the diversity in elements, brethren, arises diversity in perceptions,
because of diversity in perceptions arises diversity in aims,
because of diversity in aims arises diversity in desires,
because of diversity in desires arises diversity in yearnings,
because of diversity in yearnings arises diversity in quests."
[ed1] From here down summarized by the translators thus: "The diversity in elements, to wit, in the six afore-named [Ed.: SN 2.14.6], ye know, and now ye know the causal connection in the consequences thereof, true in each of the six."
