sn.36.8 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Sick Ward (2)

As in preceding sutta down to the second injunction:

“A bhikkhu should await his time mindful and clearly comprehending. This is our instruction to you.

“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a pleasant feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a pleasant feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this contact. But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the pleasant feeling has arisen in dependence on a contact that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in contact and in pleasant feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to contact and in regard to pleasant feeling is abandoned by him.

“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a painful feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a painful feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this contact. But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the painful feeling has arisen in dependence on a contact that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in contact and in painful feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to aversion in regard to contact and in regard to painful feeling is abandoned by him.

“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this contact. But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling has arisen in dependence on a contact that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in contact and in neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to contact and in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is abandoned by him.

“If he feels a pleasant feeling … all as in preceding sutta … He understands: ‘With the breakup of the body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here.’”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

The Infirmary (2nd)

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out,
and addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, a mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.
This is my instruction to you.
And how is a mendicant mindful?
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …
They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
That’s how a mendicant is mindful.
And how is a mendicant aware?
It’s when a mendicant acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.
That’s how a mendicant is aware.
A mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.
This is my instruction to you.
While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if pleasant feelings arise, they understand:

‘A pleasant feeling has arisen in me.
That’s dependent, not independent.
Dependent on what?
Dependent on this very contact.
But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated.
So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on contact that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’
They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in contact and pleasant feeling.
As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for greed for contact and pleasant feeling.
While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if painful feelings arise …

if neutral feelings arise, they understand:

‘A neutral feeling has arisen in me.
That’s dependent, not independent.
Dependent on what?
Dependent on this very contact.
(Expand in detail as in the previous discourse.)
They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’
Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn.
As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to lack of fuel.
In the same way, feeling the end of the body approaching, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’
They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’”