The Buddha instructs that one should examine experience in such a way that consciousness does not become scattered among external sense objects, fixated internally, or entangled through grasping.

ITI 94 Upaparikkha sutta - Examining

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

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should |examine::investigate, inquire into [upaparikkhati]| in such a way that, however it is examined by him, his |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| is |unscattered::not confused, not distracted, lit. not thrown apart [avikkhitta]| and |undispersed::lit. not flowed apart [avisaṭa]| externally, |not fixated in::not stuck in [asaṇṭhita]| oneself, and by |not grasping at::not holding onto [anupādāya]| anything, |unperturbed::without agitation, without worry, untroubled, undisturbed, unshaken [aparitassa]|, then there is no possibility of the arising of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|—of birth, aging, and death—in the future.”

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

“For a bhikkhu who has abandoned the |seven bonds::seven ties; this is likely a reference to the seven underlying tendencies as presented in [AN 7.11](/an7.11) discourse. [sattasaṅga]|,
who has severed |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|;
who has exhausted birth in |cyclic existence::wandering on, moving on continuously, passing from one state of existence to another, stream of existence [saṃsāra]|,
For him, there is no more renewed |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|.”

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

Last updated on July 8, 2025

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