Saṁyutta Nikāya:
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Paññāsako Dutiyo
2. Migajāla Vagga
35: Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense The 'Second Fifty' Suttas
2. The Chapter on Migajāla
Sutta 72
Dutiya Chaphassāyatana Suttaṁ
Concerning the Sixfold Sphere of Contact (ii)
"Whatsoevered1 brother, Brethren, understands not,
as they really are,
the arising and destruction,
the satisfaction and misery,
and the escape
from the sixfold sphere of contact, -
not lived by such an one
is the righteous life.
Far is he
from this Norm and Discipline."
At these words a certain brother addressed the Exalted One, saying: -
"Herein, lord, I am in despair; -
for I, lord, do not understand these things
as they really are."
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the eye thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This eye is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the eye will have been rightly seen.
Thus the first sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the ear thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This ear is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the ear will have been rightly seen.
Thus the second sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the nose thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This nose is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the nose will have been rightly seen.
Thus the third sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the tongue thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This tongue is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the tongue will have been rightly seen.
Thus the fourth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the body thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This body is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the body will have been rightly seen.
Thus the fifth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
■
"Now what think you, brother?
Do you regard the mind thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self'?"
"No indeed, lord."
Well said, brother.
And herein, brother,
by right understanding
as it really is:
'This mind is not mine.
This am I not.
This is not my self,'
the mind will have been rightly seen.
Thus the sixth sphere of contact will have been abandoned by you,
so as to become again no more in future time.
ed1 This sutta has no nidana.