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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Development of Immersion

SN 22.5 · Samādhisutta

Fresh silver-green shoots growing from an ancient olive tree.

So I have heard. At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, develop immersion. A mendicant who has immersion truly understands. What do they truly understand? The origin and ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

And what is the origin of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness? It’s when a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging.

What do they approve, welcome, and keep clinging to? They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to form. This gives rise to relishing. Relishing forms is grasping. Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to feeling … perception … choices … consciousness. This gives rise to relishing. Relishing consciousness is grasping. Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a condition that gives rise to old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

This is the origin of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

And what is the ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness?

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging.

What don’t they approve, welcome, or keep clinging to? They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to form. As a result, relishing of form ceases. When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to feeling … perception … choices … consciousness. As a result, relishing of consciousness ceases. When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

This is the ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.”

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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.