The Buddha declares the three types of eyesight - 1) the physical eye, 2) the divine eye, and 3) the wisdom eye. The wisdom eye is unsurpassed of the three.

ITI 61  Cakkhu sutta - Eyesight

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

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

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, cakkhūni. Katamāni tīṇi? Maṁsacakkhu, dibbacakkhu, paññācakkhu imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi cakkhūnī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three types of |eyesight::faculty of seeing, vision [cakkhu]|. What three? The |physical eye::fleshly eye [maṃsacakkhu]|, the |divine eye::the faculty of clairvoyance, the ability to see beyond the ordinary human range [dibbacakkhu]|, and the |wisdom eye::insight [paññācakkhu]|. These, bhikkhus, are the three types of eyesight.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

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

“Maṁsacakkhu dibbacakkhu,
paññācakkhu anuttaraṁ;
Etāni tīṇi cakkhūni,
akkhāsi purisuttamo.

“The physical eye, the divine eye,
and the wisdom eye—|unsurpassed::highest, incomparable [anuttara]|;
These three types of faculty of seeing,
are declared by the best of men.

Maṁsacakkhussa uppādo,
maggo dibbassa cakkhuno;
Yato ñāṇaṁ udapādi,
paññācakkhu anuttaraṁ;
Yassa cakkhussa paṭilābhā,
sabbadukkhā pamuccatī”ti.

The arising of the physical eye [comes first],
[then] the path to the divine eye;
When insight arises,
the unsurpassed wisdom eye is realized;
Whoever gains that eye,
is freed from all |suffering::mild suffering, intense suffering, discomfort, pain, disease, unpleasantness, stress, discontentment, dissatisfaction [dukkhassa]|.”

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:

“Bhikkhus, there are these three types of |eyesight::faculty of seeing, vision [cakkhu]|. What three? The |physical eye::fleshly eye [maṃsacakkhu]|, the |divine eye::the faculty of clairvoyance, the ability to see beyond the ordinary human range [dibbacakkhu]|, and the |wisdom eye::insight [paññācakkhu]|. These, bhikkhus, are the three types of eyesight.”

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

“The physical eye, the divine eye,
and the wisdom eye—|unsurpassed::highest, incomparable [anuttara]|;
These three types of faculty of seeing,
are declared by the best of men.

The arising of the physical eye [comes first],
[then] the path to the divine eye;
When insight arises,
the unsurpassed wisdom eye is realized;
Whoever gains that eye,
is freed from all |suffering::mild suffering, intense suffering, discomfort, pain, disease, unpleasantness, stress, discontentment, dissatisfaction [dukkhassa]|.”

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

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, cakkhūni. Katamāni tīṇi? Maṁsacakkhu, dibbacakkhu, paññācakkhu imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi cakkhūnī”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Maṁsacakkhu dibbacakkhu,
paññācakkhu anuttaraṁ;
Etāni tīṇi cakkhūni,
akkhāsi purisuttamo.

Maṁsacakkhussa uppādo,
maggo dibbassa cakkhuno;
Yato ñāṇaṁ udapādi,
paññācakkhu anuttaraṁ;
Yassa cakkhussa paṭilābhā,
sabbadukkhā pamuccatī”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Qualities:

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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