Saṁyutta Nikāya:
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Mūlapaññāsa
3. Sabba Vagga

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
IV. The Book of the Six Sense Bases
35: Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Bases
The Root Fifty
3. The Chapter on The All

Sutta 29

Andhabhūtam Suttaṁ

Afflicted¹

 

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[20] [11]

Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once staying near Rājagaha, in Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground

Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren."

"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Brethren, the all is afflicted.

What all, Brethren, is afflicted?

The eye, brethren, is afflicted,
objects are afflicted,
eye-consciousness, is afflicted,
eye-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to eye-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

The ear, brethren, is afflicted,
sounds are afflicted,
ear consciousness, is afflicted,
ear-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to ear-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

The nose, brethren, is afflicted,
scents are afflicted,
nose-consciousness, is afflicted,
nose-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to nose-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

The tongue, brethren, is afflicted,
savours are afflicted,
tongue-consciousness, is afflicted,
tongue-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to tongue-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

The body, brethren, is afflicted,
things tangible are afflicted,
body consciousness, is afflicted,
body-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to body-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

The mind, brethren, is afflicted,
mind-states are afflicted,
mind-consciousness, is afflicted,
mind-contact, is afflicted,
that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to mind-contact,-
that also is afflicted.

Afflicted with what?

Afflicted with birth,
decay and death,
sorrow and grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair.

So I declare.

 

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So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the eye,
is repelled by objects,
is repelled by eye-consciousness,
is repelled by eye-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to eye-contact.

So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the ear,
is repelled by sounds,
is repelled by ear-consciousness,
is repelled by ear-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to ear-contact.

So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the nose,
is repelled by scents,
is repelled by nose-consciousness,
is repelled by nose-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to nose-contact.

So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the tongue,
is repelled by savours,
is repelled by tongue-consciousness,
is repelled by tongue-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to tongue-contact.

So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the body,
is repelled by things tactile,
is repelled by body-consciousness,
is repelled by body-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to body-contact.

So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ṭriyan disciple
is repelled by the mind,
is repelled by mind-states,
is repelled by mind-consciousness,
is repelled by mind-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to mind-contact.

Being repelled by these,
he lusts not for them.

Not lusting he is set free.

In this freedom
comes insight
that it is a being free.

Thus he realizes:

'Rebirth is destroyed,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task.

For life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'"

 

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¹ Reading Aḍḍha-Bhūtaṅ with Comy. MSS., for andha - of text.