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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Ten Discourses on Searches, Etc.

SN 49.35-44 · Esanādisuttadasaka

Green and golden leaves above a flowing woodland stream.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

The four right efforts should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these three searches. What four? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. … so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed.

These four right efforts should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these three searches.”

(Tell in full as in SN 45.161–170.)

Searches, discriminations, defilements, states of existence, three kinds of suffering, barrenness, stains, and troubles, feelings, craving, and thirst.

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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. This source combines a range of related numbered discourses.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.