The Buddha teaches Rāhula to contemplate feelings born of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as impermanent, suffering, and not-self—not fit to be regarded as “mine, I am this, my self”—until disenchantment, fading of desire, and liberation arise.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, cakkhusamphassajā vedanā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“sotasamphassajā vedanā …pe… ghānasamphassajā vedanā … jivhāsamphassajā vedanā … kāyasamphassajā vedanā … manosamphassajā vedanā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusamphassajāya vedanāyapi nibbindati …pe… sota … ghāna … jivhā … kāya … manosamphassajāya vedanāyapi nibbindati …pe… pajānātī”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,
“What do you think, Rāhula?
cakkhusamphassajā vedanā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is feeling born of eye contact permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“sotasamphassajā vedanā …pe…
“… 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 niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is feeling born of mind contact permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusamphassajāya vedanāyapi nibbindati …pe… sota … ghāna … jivhā … kāya … manosamphassajāya vedanāyapi nibbindati …pe…
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with feeling born of eye contact, ear contact, nose contact, tongue contact, body contact, and mind contact. …”
pajānātī”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026