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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Should Be Seen

SN 36.5 · Daṭṭhabbasutta

A small island of river foam drifting on quiet water.

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

Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.

Pleasant feeling should be seen as suffering. Painful feeling should be seen as a dart. Neutral feeling should be seen as impermanent.

When a mendicant has seen these three feelings in this way, they’re called a mendicant who sees rightly, has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.

A mendicant who sees pleasure as pain, and suffering as a dart, and that peaceful, neutral feeling as impermanent

sees rightly; they completely understand 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.