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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Samiddhi’s Question About the World

SN 35.68 · Samiddhilokapañhāsutta

Two clear woodland streams merge around a smooth mossy stone.

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘the world’. How do we define the world or what is known as the world?”

“Samiddhi, where there is the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness, there is the world or what is known as the world. Where there is the ear … nose … tongue … body … Where there is the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness, there is the world or what is known as the world.

Where there is no eye, no sights, no eye consciousness, and no things knowable by eye consciousness, there is no world or what is known as the world. Where there is no ear … nose … tongue … body … Where there is no mind, no ideas, no mind consciousness, and no things knowable by mind consciousness, there is no world or what is known as the world.”

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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.