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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Practice

SN 22.44 · Paṭipadāsutta

Two streams joining a wider river in a green valley.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, I will teach you the practice that leads to the origin of substantial reality and the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality. Listen …

And what is the practice that leads to the origin of substantial reality? It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.

They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

They regard feeling as self …

They regard perception as self …

They regard choices as self …

They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

This is called the practice that leads to the origin of substantial reality. And that’s why it’s called a way of regarding things that leads to the origin of suffering.

And what is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality? It’s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.

They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

They don’t regard feeling as self …

They don’t regard perception as self …

They don’t regard choices as self …

They don’t regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

This is called the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality. And that’s why it’s called a way of regarding things that leads to the cessation of suffering.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.