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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Turbulence (1st)

SN 35.90 · Paṭhamaejāsutta

Natural pebbles beneath a clear alpine stream.

“Mendicants, turbulence is a disease, a boil, a dart. That’s why the Realized One lives unperturbed, with dart drawn out.

Now, a mendicant might wish: ‘May I live unperturbed, with dart drawn out.’

So let them not conceive anything to be the eye, let them not conceive it in the eye, let them not conceive it as the eye, let them not conceive that ‘the eye is mine.’ Let them not conceive sights … eye consciousness … eye contact … Let them not conceive anything to be the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact. Let them not conceive it in that, let them not conceive it as that, and let them not conceive that ‘that is mine.’

Let them not conceive anything to be the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … ideas … mind consciousness … mind contact … Let them not conceive anything to be the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact. Let them not conceive it in that, let them not conceive it as that, and let them not conceive that ‘that is mine.’

Let them not conceive anything to be all, let them not conceive it in all, let them not conceive it as all, let them not conceive that ‘all is mine’.

Not conceiving, they don’t grasp at anything in the world. Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

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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.