Saṁyutta-Nikāya,
Nidāna-vaggo
18. Rāhula Saṁyuttam
Sutta 14
Samphasso Suttaṁ
Contact
Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now the venerable Rahula came into the presence of the Exalted One, saluted him and eat down beside him.
So seated the Exalted One said this to the venerable Rahula:
"What think you as to this, Rahula?
"Is eye-contacted1 abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
Is ear-contact abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
Is nose-contact abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
Is taste-contact abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
Is body-contact abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
Is mind-contact abiding or fleeting?"
"Fleeting, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
is it happy or unhappy?"
"Unhappy, lord."
"But that which is fleeting,
unhappy,
changeable -
is it fit to consider that as:
"This is mine!
This am I!
This is my spirit?"
"Not so, lord."
■
So seeing, Rahula,
the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by sight,
is repelled by hearing,
is repelled by smelling,
is repelled by tast,
is repelled by touch,
is repelled by mind.
Being repelled,
he loses desire for it;
from losing desire
he is set free;
concerning that which is free,
knowledge comes to him:
'I am free!
Perished is birth,
lived is the divine life,
done what was to be done,
there is nothing more in this state!' -
thus he knows."
ed1 Mrs. Rhys Davids abridges the whole with 'sense-contact' which is not an abridgement but an interpretation. The Pali is cakkhu-samphasso ...: eye-contact, etc. which I use here.