SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 36 Connected Discourses on Feelings – Vedanāsaṁyutta > SN 36.7 The Infirmary (1st)

Linked Discourses 36.7 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 36.7

1. With Verses – 1. Sagāthāvagga

SN 36.7 The Infirmary (1st) – Paṭhamagelaññasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out,

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

and addressed the bhikkhū:

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, a bhikkhu should await their time mindful and aware.

“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.

This is my instruction to you.

Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

And how is a bhikkhu mindful?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti?

It’s when a bhikkhu meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …

citte cittānupassī viharati …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

That’s how a bhikkhu is mindful.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti.

And how is a bhikkhu aware?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti?

It’s when a bhikkhu acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti, ālokite vilokite sampajānakārī hoti, samiñjite pasārite sampajānakārī hoti, saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe sampajānakārī hoti, asite pīte khāyite sāyite sampajānakārī hoti, uccārapassāvakamme sampajānakārī hoti, gate ṭhite nisinne sutte jāgarite bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārī hoti.

That’s how a bhikkhu acts with situational awareness.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajānakārī hoti.

A bhikkhu should await their time mindful and aware.

Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.

This is my instruction to you.

Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

While a bhikkhu is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if pleasant feelings arise, they understand:

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati sukhā vedanā, so evaṁ pajānāti:

‘A pleasant feeling has arisen in me.

‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ sukhā vedanā.

That’s dependent, not independent.

Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.

Dependent on what?

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on my own body.

Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.

But this body is anicca, conditioned, dependently originated.

Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.

So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is anicca, conditioned, and dependently originated?’

Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.

They meditate observing anicca, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and pleasant feeling.

So kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.

As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for greed for the body and pleasant feeling.

Tassa kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato, vayānupassino viharato, virāgānupassino viharato, nirodhānupassino viharato, paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya rāgānusayo, so pahīyati.

While a bhikkhu is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if painful feelings arise, they understand:

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati dukkhā vedanā.

So evaṁ pajānāti:

‘A painful feeling has arisen in me.

‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ dukkhā vedanā.

That’s dependent, not independent.

Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.

Dependent on what?

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on my own body.

Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.

But this body is anicca, conditioned, dependently originated.

Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.

So how could a painful feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is anicca, conditioned, and dependently originated?’

Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.

They meditate observing anicca, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and painful feeling.

So kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.

As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for repulsion towards the body and painful feeling.

Tassa kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato …pe… paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya paṭighānusayo, so pahīyati.

While a bhikkhu is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if neutral feelings arise, they understand:

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā, so evaṁ pajānāti:

‘A neutral feeling has arisen in me.

‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

That’s dependent, not independent.

Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.

Dependent on what?

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on my own body.

Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.

But this body is anicca, conditioned, dependently originated.

Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.

So how could a neutral feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is anicca, conditioned, and dependently originated?’

Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.

They meditate observing anicca, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and neutral feeling.

So kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.

As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for ignorance towards the body and neutral feeling.

Tassa kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato …pe… paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya avijjānusayo, so pahīyati.

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s anicca, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.

So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti;

If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s anicca, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.

dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati …pe…

If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s anicca, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.

adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached.

So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati;

If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached.

dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati;

If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached.

adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati.

Feeling the end of the body approaching, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’

So kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti, jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’

‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.

Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya,

As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to lack of fuel.

tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya;

In the same way, feeling the end of the body approaching, a bhikkhu understands: ‘I feel the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching, a bhikkhu understands: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’”

‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.