Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ II: Paññāsaka Dutiya
4. Channa 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
4. The Chapter on Channa and Others
Sutta 85
Suñña Loka Suttaṃ
Void
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][bodh] At Sāvatthī was the occasion (for this discourse)
Then the venerable Ānanda came to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.
As he sat at one side the venerable Ānanda said to the Exalted One: -
"'Void[1] is the world! Void is the world!' is the saying, lord.
Pray how far, lord, does this saying go?"
"Because the world is void of the self, Ānanda,
or of what belongs to the self,[2]
therefore is it said
'Void is the world.'
And what, Ānanda, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self?
'The eye, Ānanda, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
objects are void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
eye-consciousness is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
eye-contact is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through eye-contact, brother,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
■
The ear, Ānanda, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
sounds, are void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,||
ear-consciousness is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
ear-contact is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through ear-contact,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
■
The nose, Ānanda, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
scents, are void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
nose-consciousness, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
nose-contact, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through nose-contact,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
■
The tongue, Ānanda, is transitory by nature,
savours, are void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
tongue-consciousness, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
tongue-contact, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through tongue-contact,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
■
The body, Ānanda, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
tangibles, are void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
body-consciousness, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
body-contact, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through body-contact,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
■
The mind, Ānanda, is transitory by nature,
mind-states, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
mind-consciousness, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
mind-contact, is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self,
that weal or woe or neutral state that arises through mind-contact,
that also is void of the self,
or of what belongs to the self.
Because the world is void of the self, Ānanda,
or of what belongs to the self,
therefore is it said
'Void is the world.'"
[1] Cf. Pts. of Controv., 58, 62: V.M. ii, 653; Buddhism (Mrs. Rhys Davids), 52.
[2] Attaniya. Comy. attano santkena parikkhārena - i.e., void of any property belonging to the self.
