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- Samyutta Nikaya XXXVI.15
- Santaka Sutta
- To Ananda (1)
- Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
Once the Venerable Ananda went to see the Blessed One. Having
saluted him respectfully, he sat down at one side. Thus seated, he said:
"What are the feelings, O Lord? What is the origin of feelings, what is their
cessation and the way leading to their cessation? What is the gratification in feelings?
What is the danger in feelings? And what is the escape from them?"
"There are, Ananda, three kinds of feelings: pleasant, painful
and neutral. Through the origin of sense-impression there is origin of feelings; through
the cessation of sense-impression there is cessation of feelings. It is the noble
eightfold path that is the way leading to the cessation of feelings, namely: right
understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,
right mindfulness and right concentration.
"It is the happiness and gladness arising dependent on feelings that is the
gratification in feelings. Feelings are impermanent, (liable to bring) pain, and are
subject to change; this is the danger in feelings. The removal and the giving up of the
desire and lust for feelings is the escape from feelings.
"I have further taught, Ananda, the gradual cessation of conditioned phenomena (sankhara).
In him who has attained the first meditative absorption, speech has been stilled. Having
attained the second absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking has ceased.
Having attained the third absorption, joy has ceased. Having attained the fourth
absorption, inhalation and exhalation have ceased. Having attained the sphere of the
infinity of space, perception of form (matter) has ceased. Having attained the sphere of
the infinity of consciousness, the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space has
ceased. Having attained the sphere of no-thingness, the perception of the sphere of
infinity of consciousness has ceased. Having attained the sphere of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the perception of the sphere of no-thingness has
ceased. Having attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling
have ceased. In a taint-free monk greed, hatred, and delusion are quietened."