SN 36.23 - Bhikkhu Sutta: To a Certain Bhikkhu
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.023.than.html
License: CC-BY-NC-4.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Copyright: ©2005 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
License notice: The text of this page ("Bhikkhu Sutta: To a Certain Bhikkhu", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions.
Attribution: ©2005 Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The text of this page ("Bhikkhu Sutta: To a Certain Bhikkhu", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. Transcribed from a file provided by the translator. Last revised for Access to Insight on 30 June 2010. How to cite this document (a suggested style): "Bhikkhu Sutta: To a Certain Bhikkhu" (SN 36.23), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 June 2010, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.023.than.html .
Changes: Presentation only: original HTML markup reflowed into plain text; wording, numbering and source repetitions retained. No repetitions expanded.
Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

Then a certain bhikkhu went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "What, lord, is feeling? What is the origination of feeling? What is the path of practice leading to the origination of feeling? What is the cessation of feeling? What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling? What is the allure of feeling, what is its drawback, what is the escape from it?"

"Monk, there are three feelings: a feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain, a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. These are called feelings.

"Contact is the origination of feeling.

"Craving is the path of practice leading to feeling.

"From the cessation of contact is the cessation of feeling.

"This very noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling. In other words, right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

"Whatever pleasure & happiness arise in dependence on feeling: That is the allure of feeling.

"The fact that feeling is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: That is the drawback of feeling.

"The subduing of desire-passion for feeling, the abandoning of desire-passion for feeling: That is the escape from feeling."

See also: MN 13; MN 137