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Linked Discourses 35.85 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.85

9. With Channa – 9. Channavagga

SN 35.85 The World is Empty – Suññatalokasutta

 

And then Venerable Ānanda … said to the Buddha:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando …pe… bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, they say that ‘the world is empty’.

“‘suñño loko, suñño loko’ti, bhante, vuccati.

What does the saying ‘the world is empty’ refer to?”

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, suñño lokoti vuccatī”ti?

“Ānanda, they say that ‘the world is empty’ because it’s empty of self or what belongs to self.

“Yasmā ca kho, ānanda, suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā tasmā suñño lokoti vuccati.

And what is empty of self or what belongs to self?

Kiñca, ānanda, suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā?

The eye,

Cakkhu kho, ānanda, suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā.

sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are empty of self or what belongs to self. …

Rūpā suññā attena vā attaniyena vā, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā, cakkhusamphasso suñño attena vā attaniyena vā …pe…

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also empty of self or what belongs to self.

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā.

They say that ‘the world is empty’ because it’s empty of self or what belongs to self.”

Yasmā ca kho, ānanda, suññaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā, tasmā suñño lokoti vuccatī”ti.