The Buddha teaches Rāhula a repeated formula on impermanence, suffering, and not-self—applying the analysis to sights, consciousness, contact, feeling, perception, intention, craving, elements, and the aggregates across this grouped discourse.

SN 18.12-20 The Nine Discourses on Sights, Etc.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpā niccā aniccā vā”ti?

“Aniccā, bhante” …pe… saddāgandhārasāphoṭṭhabbādhammā ….

“Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ …pe… sotaviññāṇaṁghānaviññāṇaṁjivhāviññāṇaṁkāyaviññāṇaṁmanoviññāṇaṁ ….

Cakkhusamphasso …pe… sotasamphassoghānasamphassojivhāsamphassokāyasamphassomanosamphasso ….

Cakkhusamphassajā vedanā …pe… sotasamphassajā vedanāghānasamphassajā vedanājivhāsamphassajā vedanākāyasamphassajā vedanāmanosamphassajā vedanā ….

Rūpasaññā …pe… saddasaññāgandhasaññārasasaññāphoṭṭhabbasaññādhammasaññā ….

Rūpasañcetanā …pe… saddasañcetanāgandhasañcetanārasasañcetanāphoṭṭhabbasañcetanādhammasañcetanā ….

Rūpataṇhā …pe… saddataṇhāgandhataṇhārasataṇhāphoṭṭhabbataṇhādhammataṇhā ….

Pathavīdhātu …pe… āpodhātutejodhātuvāyodhātuākāsadhātuviññāṇadhātu ….

Rūpaṁ …pe… vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“evaṁ passaṁ rāhula …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,

“What do you think, Rāhula?

rūpā niccā aniccā vā”ti?

Are sights permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccā, bhante” …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

saddā

“… sounds …

gandhā

smells …

rasā

tastes …

phoṭṭhabbā

touches …

dhammā ….

ideas …”

“Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ …pe…

“… eye consciousness …

sotaviññāṇaṁ

ear consciousness …

ghānaviññāṇaṁ

nose consciousness …

jivhāviññāṇaṁ

tongue consciousness …

kāyaviññāṇaṁ

body consciousness …

manoviññāṇaṁ ….

mind consciousness …”

Cakkhusamphasso …pe…

“… eye contact …

sotasamphasso

ear contact …

ghānasamphasso

nose contact …

jivhāsamphasso

tongue contact …

kāyasamphasso

body contact …

manosamphasso ….

mind contact …”

Cakkhusamphassajā vedanā …pe…

“… feeling born of eye contact …

sotasamphassajā vedanā

feeling born of ear contact …

ghānasamphassajā vedanā

feeling born of nose contact …

jivhāsamphassajā vedanā

feeling born of tongue contact …

kāyasamphassajā vedanā

feeling born of body contact …

manosamphassajā vedanā ….

feeling born of mind contact …”

Rūpasaññā …pe…

“… perception of sights …

saddasaññā

perception of sounds …

gandhasaññā

perception of smells …

rasasaññā

perception of tastes …

phoṭṭhabbasaññā

perception of touches …

dhammasaññā ….

perception of ideas …”

Rūpasañcetanā …pe…

“… intention regarding sights …

saddasañcetanā

intention regarding sounds …

gandhasañcetanā

intention regarding smells …

rasasañcetanā

intention regarding tastes …

phoṭṭhabbasañcetanā

intention regarding touches …

dhammasañcetanā ….

intention regarding ideas …”

Rūpataṇhā …pe…

“… craving for sights …

saddataṇhā

craving for sounds …

gandhataṇhā

craving for smells …

rasataṇhā

craving for tastes …

phoṭṭhabbataṇhā

craving for touches …

dhammataṇhā ….

craving for ideas …”

Pathavīdhātu …pe…

“… the earth element …

āpodhātu

the water element …

tejodhātu

the fire element …

vāyodhātu

the air element …

ākāsadhātu

the space element …

viññāṇadhātu ….

the consciousness element …”

Rūpaṁ …pe…

“… form …

vedanā

feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“evaṁ passaṁ rāhula …pe…

“Seeing this …

nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

Dasamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026