The Buddha teaches on with upavāṇa, presenting an analysis of dependent origination and the causal links that give rise to suffering.

SN 12.26 With Upavāṇa

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paraṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

Idha no, bhante, bhagavā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī kathaṁ byākaramānā ca mayaṁ vuttavādino ceva bhagavato assāma, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyāma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti?

“Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kho, upavāṇa, dukkhaṁ vuttaṁ mayā. Kiṁ paṭicca? Phassaṁ paṭicca. Iti vadaṁ vuttavādī ceva me assa, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyya, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyya, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyya.

Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, tadapi phassapaccayā. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti tadapi phassapaccayā.

Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

“Sir, there are some ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself.

Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paraṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

There are some who declare that suffering is made by another.

Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

There are some who declare that suffering is made by both oneself and another.

Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

There are some who declare that suffering arises anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Idha no, bhante, bhagavā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī kathaṁ byākaramānā ca mayaṁ vuttavādino ceva bhagavato assāma, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyāma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti?

What does the Buddha say about this? How does he explain it? How should we answer so as to repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth? How should we explain in line with his teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?”

“Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kho, upavāṇa, dukkhaṁ vuttaṁ mayā.

“Upavāṇa, I have said that suffering is dependently originated.

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on what?

Phassaṁ paṭicca.

Dependent on contact.

Iti vadaṁ vuttavādī ceva me assa, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyya, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyya, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyya.

In speaking like this, you would repeat what I have said, and not misrepresent me with an untruth. You would explain in line with my teaching, and there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism.

Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, tadapi phassapaccayā.

In the case of those ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself, that’s dependent on contact. …

Yepi te …pe…

yepi te …pe…

yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti tadapi phassapaccayā.

In the case of those who declare that suffering arises anomalously, not made by oneself or another, that’s also dependent on contact.

Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

In the case of those ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact. …

Yepi te …pe…

yepi te …pe…

yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.

In the case of those who declare that suffering arises anomalously, not made by oneself or another, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026