The Buddha describes how to see the three felt experiences that are experienced on contact through the sense doors - pleasant, painful, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant.

ITI 53  Dutiya vedan sutta - Felt Experiences (Second)

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā. Katamā tisso? Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Sukhā, bhikkhave, vedanā dukkhato daṭṭhabbā; dukkhā vedanā sallato daṭṭhabbā; adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato daṭṭhabbā. Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhā vedanā dukkhato diṭṭhā hoti, dukkhā vedanā sallato diṭṭhā hoti, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato diṭṭhā hoti; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu ariyo, sammaddaso, acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’”ti.

“There are these three |felt experiences::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, bhikkhus. What three? Pleasant felt experience, painful felt experience, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant felt experience. Bhikkhus, a pleasant felt experience should be seen as |suffering::discomfort, pain, disease, unpleasantness, stress, discontentment, dissatisfaction [dukkha]|; a painful felt experience should be seen as a |thorn::any sharp pointed object, mental dart, piercing pain [salla]|; a felt experience that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant should be seen as |impermanent::unstable, transient, unreliable [anicca]|. When a bhikkhu sees a pleasant felt experience as |[ultimately] dissatisfying::a source of suffering [dukkha]|, a painful felt experience as a thorn, and a felt experience that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant as impermanent, he is called noble, one with perfect understanding, who has completely cut out |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|, |unravelled::untied [vivattayi]| the |fetters::chains, bonds, links, things which bind [saṃyojana]|, and |through full understanding of conceit::through complete comprehension of pride, egotism, superiority, comparing oneself [mānābhisamaya]|, has made an end of suffering.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“Yo sukhaṁ dukkhato adda,
Dukkhamaddakkhi sallato;
Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,
Adakkhi naṁ aniccato.

“One who sees pleasure as ultimately dissatisfying,
who sees pain as a thorn;
And who sees the peaceful, neither-painful-nor-pleasant felt experience,
as impermanent—

Sa ve sammaddaso bhikkhu,
yato tattha vimuccati;
Abhiññāvosito santo,
sa ve yogātigo munī”ti.

That bhikkhu, through perfect understanding,
is liberated at that very point;
Fully accomplished in |direct knowledge::experiential realization [abhiññā]|, |tranquil::peaceful, calm [santa]|,
is a |sage::seer, hermit, monk [munī]| |who has gone beyond the yoke::who has transcended bondage [yogātiga]|.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“There are these three |felt experiences::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, bhikkhus. What three? Pleasant felt experience, painful felt experience, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant felt experience. Bhikkhus, a pleasant felt experience should be seen as |suffering::discomfort, pain, disease, unpleasantness, stress, discontentment, dissatisfaction [dukkha]|; a painful felt experience should be seen as a |thorn::any sharp pointed object, mental dart, piercing pain [salla]|; a felt experience that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant should be seen as |impermanent::unstable, transient, unreliable [anicca]|. When a bhikkhu sees a pleasant felt experience as |[ultimately] dissatisfying::a source of suffering [dukkha]|, a painful felt experience as a thorn, and a felt experience that is neither-painful-nor-pleasant as impermanent, he is called noble, one with perfect understanding, who has completely cut out |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|, |unravelled::untied [vivattayi]| the |fetters::chains, bonds, links, things which bind [saṃyojana]|, and |through full understanding of conceit::through complete comprehension of pride, egotism, superiority, comparing oneself [mānābhisamaya]|, has made an end of suffering.”

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“One who sees pleasure as ultimately dissatisfying,
who sees pain as a thorn;
And who sees the peaceful, neither-painful-nor-pleasant felt experience,
as impermanent—

That bhikkhu, through perfect understanding,
is liberated at that very point;
Fully accomplished in |direct knowledge::experiential realization [abhiññā]|, |tranquil::peaceful, calm [santa]|,
is a |sage::seer, hermit, monk [munī]| |who has gone beyond the yoke::who has transcended bondage [yogātiga]|.”

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā. Katamā tisso? Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Sukhā, bhikkhave, vedanā dukkhato daṭṭhabbā; dukkhā vedanā sallato daṭṭhabbā; adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato daṭṭhabbā. Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhā vedanā dukkhato diṭṭhā hoti, dukkhā vedanā sallato diṭṭhā hoti, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato diṭṭhā hoti; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu ariyo, sammaddaso, acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Yo sukhaṁ dukkhato adda,
Dukkhamaddakkhi sallato;
Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,
Adakkhi naṁ aniccato.

Sa ve sammaddaso bhikkhu,
yato tattha vimuccati;
Abhiññāvosito santo,
sa ve yogātigo munī”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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