Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
56. Sacca Saṃyutta
2. Dhamma-Cakka-Pavattana Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
56. Kindred Sayings about the Truths
2. The Foundation of the Kingdom of the Norm
Sutta 14
Āyatana Suttaṃ
Sphere of Sense
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these four Ariyan truths.
What four?
The Ariyan truth about Ill,
the Ariyan truth about the arising of Ill,
the Ariyan truth about about the ceasing of Ill,
the Ariyan truth about the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill.
§
And what, monks, is the Ariyan truth about Ill?
Ill, it should be said,
is the six personal spheres of sense.
What six?
The sense-sphere of the eye,
the sense-sphere of the ear,
the sense-sphere of the nose,
the sense-sphere of the tongue,
the sense-sphere of the body,
the sense-sphere of the mind.
This, monks, is called
'the Ariyan truth about Ill.'
■
And what, monks, is the Ariyan truth about the arising of Ill?
It is that craving
that leads back to rebirth,
along with the lure and the lust
that linger longingly now here,
now there:
namely,
the craving for sensual delight,
the craving to be born again,
the craving for existence to end.
This is the Ariyan truth about the arising of Ill.
■
And what, monks, is the Ariyan truth about the ceasing of Ill?
Verily it is the utter passionless cessation of,
the giving up,
the forsaking,
the release from,
the absence of
longing for this craving.
This is the Ariyan truth about the ceasing of Ill.
■
And what, monks, is the Ariyan truth about the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill?
Verily it is this Ariyan eightfold way,
to wit:
Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.
This is the Ariyan truth about the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill.
■
These, monks, are the four Ariyan truths.
Wherefore an effort must be made to realize:
This is Ill.
This is the arising of Ill.
This is the ceasing of Ill.
This is the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill."
