Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.152
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 35.152
15. Navapurāṇavagga
15. The Old and the New
Kimatthiyabrahmacariyasutta
What’s the Purpose of the Spiritual Life?
“Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:
“Mendicants, if wanderers who follow another religion were to ask you:
‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?
‘Reverends, what’s the purpose of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:
You should answer them:
‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.
‘The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’
Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:
If wanderers of other religions were to ask you:
‘katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?
‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:
You should answer them:
‘Cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ;
‘The eye is suffering.
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.
Rūpā dukkhā;
Sights …
tesaṁ pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhaṁ;
Eye consciousness …
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
Cakkhusamphasso dukkho;
Eye contact …
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ;
The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is also suffering.
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …pe…
The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.
jivhā dukkhā …
The ear … nose … tongue … body …
mano dukkho;
mind …
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …
yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ;
The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also suffering.
tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.
Idaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ;
This is that suffering.
yassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.
The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.
When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”
Sattamaṁ.