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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Giving Up

SN 36.3 · Pahānasutta

A slender reed bows over a calm lake in soft twilight.

“Mendicants, there are these three feelings. What three?

Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.

The underlying tendency to greed should be given up when it comes to pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion should be given up when it comes to painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up when it comes to neutral feeling.

When a mendicant has given up these underlying tendencies, they’re called a mendicant without underlying tendencies, who sees rightly, has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.

When you feel pleasure without understanding feeling, the underlying tendency to greed is there, if you don’t see the escape.

When you feel pain without understanding feeling, the underlying tendency to aversion is there, if you don’t see the escape.

As for that peaceful, neutral feeling: he of vast wisdom has taught that if you relish it, you’re still not released from suffering.

But when a mendicant is keen, not neglecting situational awareness, that astute person understands all feelings.

Completely understanding feelings, they’re without defilements in this very life. That knowledge master is firm in principle; when their body breaks up, they can’t be reckoned.”

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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.