Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
5. Saḷāyatana Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
5. The Division of the Sixfold Sense(-field)

Sutta 148

Cha-Chakka Suttaṃ

Discourse on the Six Sixes

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

[331]

[1][chlm][than][ntbb][upal][olds] THUS HAVE I HEARD:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī
in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.

While he was there the Lord addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Revered One," these monks answered the Lord in assent.

The Lord spoke thus:

"I will teach you Dhamma, monks,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle,
lovely at the ending.

With the spirit and the letter
I will proclaim to you the Brahma-faring,
utterly complete,
quite purified,
that is to say the Six Sixes.

Listen to it,
attend carefully
and I will speak."

"Yes, revered sir,"
these monks answered the Lord in assent.

The Lord spoke thus:

"Six internal sense-fields are to be understood,
six external sense-fields are to be understood,
six classes of consciousness are to be understood,
six classes of sensory impingement are to be understood,
six classes of feeling are to be understood,
six classes of craving are to be understood.

When it is said,
'Six internal sense-fields are to be understood'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to the sense-field of eye,
the sense-field of ear,
the sense-field of nose,
the senseḤfield of tongue,
the sense-field of body,
the sense-field of mind.

When it is said,
'Six internal sense-fields are to be understood'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the first Six.

When it is said,
'Six external sense-fields are to be understood,'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to the sense-field of material shapes,
the sense-field of sounds,
the sense-field of smells,
the sense-field of tastes,
the sense-field of touches,
the sense-field of mental states.

When it is said,
'Six external sense-fields are to be understood,'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the second Six.

When it is said,
'Six classes of consciousness are to be understood,'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to
the visual consciousness that arises
because of eye and material shapes;

the auditory consciousness that arises
because of ear and sounds;

the [332] olfactory consciousness that arises
because of nose and smells;

the gustatory consciousness that arises
because of tongue and tastes;

the bodily consciousness that arises
because of body and touches;

the mental consciousness that arises
because of mind and mental states.

When it is said,
'Six classes of consciousness are to be understood,'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the third Six.

When it is said,
'Six classes of (sense-)impingement are to be understood,'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to
the visual consciousness that arises
because of eye and material shapes -
the meeting of the three
is sensory impingement;^[1]

the auditory consciousness that arises
because of ear and sounds -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;

the olfactory consciousness that arises
because of nose and smells -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;

the gustatory consciousness that arises
because of tongue and tastes -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;

the bodily consciousness that arises
because of body and touches -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;

the mental consciousness that arises
because of mind and mental states -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement.

When it is said,
'Six classes of sensory impingement are to be understood,'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the fourth Six.

When it is said,
'Six classes of feeling are to be understood,'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to
the visual consciousness that arises
because of eye and material shapes -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

the auditory consciousness that arises
because of ear and sounds -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

the olfactory consciousness that arises
because of nose and smells -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

the gustatory consciousness that arises
because of tongue and tastes -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

the bodily consciousness that arises
because of body and touches -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

the mental consciousness that arises
because of mind and mental states -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling;

When it is said,
'Six classes of feeling are to be understood,'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the fifth Six.

When it is said,
'Six classes of craving are to be understood,'
in reference to what is it said?

It is in reference to
the visual consciousness that arises
because of eye and material shapes -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving;

the [333] auditory consciousness that arises
because of ear and sounds -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving;

the olfactory consciousness that arises
because of nose and smells -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving;

the gustatory consciousness that arises
because of tongue and tastes -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving;

the bodily consciousness that arises
because of body and touches -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving;

the mental consciousness that arises
because of mind and mental states -
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement,
conditioned by sensory impingement is feeling,
conditioned by feeling is craving.

When it is said,
'Six classes of craving are to be understood,'
it is said in reference to this.

This is the sixth Six.

If anyone should say,

'Eye is self,'

that is not fitting.^[2]

For the arising of the eye is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'^[3]

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Eye is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way eye is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Material shape is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of material shape is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Material shape is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way material shape is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Visual consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of visual consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Visual consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way visual consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the eye is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the eye is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the eye is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the eye is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way eye is not-self,
material shapes are not-self,
visual consciousness is not-self,
impact on the eye is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way eye is not-self,
material shapes are not-self,
visual consciousness is not-self,
impact on the eye is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

If anyone should say,

'Ear is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of the ear is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Ear is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way ear is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Sound is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of sound is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Sound is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way material shape is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Auditory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of auditory consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Auditory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way auditory consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the ear is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the ear is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the ear is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the ear is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way ear is not-self,
sounds are not-self,
auditory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the ear is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way ear is not-self,
sounds are not-self,
auditory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the ear is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

If anyone should say,

'Nose is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of the nose is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Nose is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way nose is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Smells are self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of smells are to be seen
and their decaying.

Since their arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Smells are self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way smells are not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Olfactory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of olfactory consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Olfactory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way olfactory consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the nose is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the nose is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the nose is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the nose is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way nose is not-self,
smells are not-self,
olfactory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the nose is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way nose is not-self,
smells are not-self,
olfactory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the nose is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

If anyone should say,

'Tongue is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of the tongue is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Tongue is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way tongue is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Tastes are self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of tastes are to be seen
and their decaying.

Since their arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Tastes are self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way tastes are not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Gustatory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of gustatory consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Gustatory consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way gustatory consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the tongue is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the tongue is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the tongue is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the tongue is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way tongue is not-self,
tastes are not-self,
gustatory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the tongue is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way tongue is not-self,
tastes are not-self,
gustatory consciousness is not-self,
impact on the tongue is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

If anyone should say,

'Body is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of the body is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Body is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way body is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Touches are self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of touches are to be seen
and their decaying.

Since their arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Touches are self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way touches are not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Tactile consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of tactile consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Tactile consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way tactile consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the body is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the body is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the body is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the body is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way body is not-self,
touches are not-self,
tactile consciousness is not-self,
impact on the body is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way body is not-self,
touches are not-self,
tactile consciousness is not-self,
impact on the body is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

If anyone should say,

'Mind is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of the mind is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Mind is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way mind is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Mental states are self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of mental states is to be seen
and their decaying.

Since their arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Mental states are self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way mental states are not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Mental consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of mental consciousness is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Mental consciousness is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way mental consciousness is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Impact on the mind is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of impact on the mind is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Impact on the mind is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way impact on the mind is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of feeling is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Feeling is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way mind is not-self,
mental states are not-self,
[334] mental consciousness is not-self,
impact on the mind is not-self,
feeling is not-self.

■

If anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting.

For the arising of craving is to be seen
and its decaying.

Since its arising and decaying are to be seen
one would thus be brought to the stage of saying:

'Self arises in me
and passes away.'

Therefore if anyone should say,

'Craving is self,'

that is not fitting;
in this way mind is not-self,
mental states are not-self,
mental consciousness is not-self,
impact on the mind is not-self,
feeling is not-self,
craving is not-self.

But this, monks, is the course
leading to the arising of 'own body':

One says with regard to eye:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to material shapes:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to visual consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the eye:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to ear:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to sounds:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to auditory consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the ear:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to nose:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to smells:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to olfactory consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the nose:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to tongue:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to tastes:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to gustatory consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the tongue:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to body:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to tactile objects:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to tactile consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the body:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to mind:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to mental states:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to mental consciousness:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the mind:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to feeling:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

■

One says with regard to craving:

'This is mine',
'This am I',
'This is my self.'

And this, monks, is the course
leading to the stopping of 'own body':

One says with regard to eye:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to material shapes:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to visual consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the eye:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to ear:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to sounds:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to auditory consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the ear:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to nose:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to smells:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to olfactory consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the nose:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to tongue:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to tastes:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to gustatory consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the tongue:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to body:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to tactile objects:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to tactile consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the body:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to mind:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to mental states:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to mental consciousness:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

One says with regard to impact on the mind:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to feeling:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

■

One says with regard to craving:

'This is not mine',
'This am I not',
'This is not my self.'

Monks, visual consciousness arises
because of eye and material shapes,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.^[4]

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant,
he does not comprehend the origin
nor the going down
nor the satisfaction
nor the peril
of that feeling
nor the escape from it
as it really is;
a tendency to ignorance is latent in him.

That he, monks,
not getting rid of
the tendency to attachment to a pleasant feeling,
not driving out
the tendency to repugnance for a painful feeling,
not rooting out
the tendency to ignorance concerning a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant,
not getting rid of ignorance,
not making knowledge arise,
should here and now be an end-maker of anguish -
this situation does not exist.

■

Monks, auditory consciousness arises
because of ear and sounds,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

■

Monks, olfactory consciousness arises
because of nose and smells,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

■

Monks, gustatory consciousness arises
because of tongue and tastes,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

■

Monks, tactile consciousness arises
because of body and touches,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

■

Monks, mental consciousness arises
because of mind and mental states,
[335] the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
delights,
rejoices
and persists in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he grieves,
mourns,
laments,
beats his breast
and falls into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is latent in him.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant,
he comprehends the origin
and the going down
and the satisfaction
and the peril
of that feeling
and the escape
as it really is,
a tendency to ignorance is not latent in him.

That he, monks,
by getting rid of
any tendency to attachment to a pleasant feeling,
by driving out
any tendency to repugnance for a painful feeling,
by rooting out
any tendency to ignorance concerning a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant,
by getting rid of ignorance,
by making knowledge arise,
should here and now
be an end-maker of anguish -
this situation exists.

■

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

■

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

■

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

■

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

■

Monks, mental consciousness arises
because of mind and mental states,
the meeting of the three is sensory impingement;
an experience arises
conditioned by sensory impingement
that is pleasant
or painful
or neither painful nor pleasant.

He, being impinged on
by a pleasant feeling,
does not delight,
rejoice
or persist in cleaving to it;
a tendency to attachment is not latent in him.

Being impinged on
by a painful feeling,
he does not grieve,
mourn,
lament,
beat his breast
or fall into disillusion;
a tendency to repugnance is not latent in him.

Seeing thus, monks,
the instructed disciple of the ariyans
turns away from the eye,
he turns away from material shapes,
he turns away from visual consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the eye;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

■

He turns away from the ear,
he turns away from sounds;
he turns away from auditory consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the ear;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

■

He turns away from the nose,
he turns away from smells;
he turns away from olfactory consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the nose;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

■

He turns away from the tongue,
he turns away from tastes;
he turns away from gustatory consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the tongue;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

■

He turns away from the body,
he turns away from touches;
he turns away from tactile consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the body;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

■

He turns away from the mind,
he turns away from mental states,
he turns away from mental consciousness,
he turns away from impact on the mind;
he turns away from feeling,
he turns away from craving.

In turning away he is dispassionate;
by dispassion he is freed;
in freedom is the knowledge that he is freed,
and he comprehends:

Destroyed is birth,
brought to a close the Brahma-faring,
done is what was to be done,
there is no more of being such or so."

[336] Thus spoke the Lord.

Delighted, these monks rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

And while this exposition was being given
the minds of as many as sixty monks
were freed from the cankers without grasping.^[5]

Discourse on the Six Sixes;
The Sixth

^[1] Cf. M. 1. 111.

^[2] na uppajjati, glossed as na yujjati at MA. v. 100.

^[3] veti, glossed as vigacchati nirujjhati at MA. v. 100.

^[4] For attachment, repugnance and ignorance, cf. M. i. 303 f.

^[5] MA. v. 101 says that besides the sixty monks who became arahants when the Buddha first gave this Discourse, on each occasion of its preaching by Sāriputta or Moggallāna or eighty of the great Elders a like number attained arahantship. Later, each time Maliyadeva, an Elder (see Mhvs. p. 262) preached it at sixty different places in Ceylon, sixty monks attained arahantship. Once, after it had been preached by Tipiṭaka-Cūḷanaga, a thousand monks did so.

Majjhima Nikāya III. Upari Paṇṇāsa 5. Saḷāyatana Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings III. The Final Fifty Discourses 5. The Division of the Sixfold Sense(-field)

Sutta 148

Cha-Chakka Suttaṃ

Discourse on the Six Sixes

Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
5. Saḷāyatana Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
5. The Division of the Sixfold Sense(-field)