Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ II: Paññāsaka Dutiya
2. Migajāla 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
§ II: The 'Second Fifty' Suttas
2. The Chapter on Migajāla
Sutta 72
Dutiya Cha-Phass'Āyatana Suttaṃ
Concerning the Sixfold Sphere of Contact (ii)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh] "Whatsoever[ed1] brother, Brethren, understands not,
as they really are,
the arising and destruction,
the satisfaction and misery,
and the escape
from the sixfold sphere of contact, -
not lived by such an one
is the righteous life.
Far is he
from this Norm and Discipline."
At these words a certain brother addressed the Exalted One, saying: -
"Herein, lord, I am in despair; -
for I, lord, do not understand these things
as they really are."
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the eye thus:[ed2]
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This eye is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the eye will have been rightly seen.
Thus the first sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the ear thus:
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This ear is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the ear will have been rightly seen.
Thus the second sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the nose thus:
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This nose is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the nose will have been rightly seen.
Thus the third sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the tongue thus:
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This tongue is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the tongue will have been rightly seen.
Thus the fourth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the body thus:
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This body is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the body will have been rightly seen.
Thus the fifth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the mind thus:
'This is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self'?"
"Yes, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This mind is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the mind will have been rightly seen.
Thus the sixth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
[ed1] This sutta has no nidana.
[ed2] Woodward has misread the Pali of this sutta, stating: (The same as the above with the addition, after 'rightly seen' of: 'Thus the first sphere ...). But this sutta does not follow the previous sutta, but is constructed as given. Woodward's construction is:
Do you regard the eye thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
"Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This eye is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the eye will have been rightly seen.
Thus the first sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
