The Buddha teaches on development of immersion, applying the analysis of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—to insight and release.

SN 22.5 Development of Immersion

Evaṁ me sutaṁ …pe… sāvatthiyaṁ

tatra kho …pe… etadavoca:

“samādhiṁ, bhikkhave, bhāvetha; samāhito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Kiñca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti? Rūpassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, vedanāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saññāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saṅkhārānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, viññāṇassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo, ko vedanāya samudayo, ko saññāya samudayo, ko saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo, ko viññāṇassa samudayo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

Kiñca abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati? Rūpaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa rūpaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. rūpe nandī tadupādānaṁ. Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo; bhavapaccayā jāti; jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

Vedanaṁ abhinandati …pe… saññaṁ abhinandatisaṅkhāre abhinandativiññāṇaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa viññāṇaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. viññāṇe nandī tadupādānaṁ. Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo; bhavapaccayā jāti; jātipaccayā …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo; ayaṁ vedanāya samudayo; ayaṁ saññāya samudayo; ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo; ayaṁ viññāṇassa samudayo.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ko vedanāyako saññāyako saṅkhārānaṁko viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo?

Idha, bhikkhave, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

Kiñca nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati? Rūpaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa rūpaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato rūpe nandī nirujjhati. Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho; upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

Vedanaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa vedanaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato vedanāya nandī nirujjhati. Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho; upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. Saññaṁ nābhinandati …pe… saṅkhāre nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa saṅkhāre anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato saṅkhāresu nandī nirujjhati. Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho; upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. Viññāṇaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa viññāṇaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato viññāṇe nandī nirujjhati. Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ vedanāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saññāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

…pe… sāvatthiyaṁ

At Sāvatthī.

tatra kho …pe… etadavoca:

“samādhiṁ, bhikkhave, bhāvetha;

“Mendicants, develop immersion.

samāhito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

A mendicant who has immersion truly understands.

Kiñca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti?

What do they truly understand?

Rūpassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, vedanāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saññāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saṅkhārānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, viññāṇassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca.

The origin and ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo, ko vedanāya samudayo, ko saññāya samudayo, ko saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo, ko viññāṇassa samudayo?

And what is the origin of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

It’s when a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging.

Kiñca abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati?

What do they approve, welcome, and keep clinging to?

Rūpaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to form.

Tassa rūpaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.

This gives rise to relishing.

rūpe nandī tadupādānaṁ.

Relishing forms is grasping.

Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo;

Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence.

bhavapaccayā jāti;

Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.

jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.

Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Vedanaṁ abhinandati …pe…

They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to feeling …

saññaṁ abhinandati

perception …

saṅkhāre abhinandati

choices …

viññāṇaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

consciousness.

Tassa viññāṇaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.

This gives rise to relishing.

viññāṇe nandī tadupādānaṁ.

Relishing consciousness is grasping.

Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo;

Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence.

bhavapaccayā jāti;

Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.

jātipaccayā …pe…

Rebirth is a condition that gives rise to old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo;

This is the origin of form,

ayaṁ vedanāya samudayo;

feeling,

ayaṁ saññāya samudayo;

perception,

ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo;

choices,

ayaṁ viññāṇassa samudayo.

and consciousness.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ko vedanāya

And what is the ending of form, feeling,

ko saññāya

perception,

ko saṅkhārānaṁ

choices,

ko viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo?

and consciousness?

Idha, bhikkhave, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging.

Kiñca nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati?

What don’t they approve, welcome, or keep clinging to?

Rūpaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to form.

Tassa rūpaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato rūpe nandī nirujjhati.

As a result, relishing of form ceases.

Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;

When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases.

upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…

When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

Vedanaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to feeling …

Tassa vedanaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato vedanāya nandī nirujjhati.

Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;

upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

Saññaṁ nābhinandati …pe…

perception …

saṅkhāre nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

choices …

Tassa saṅkhāre anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato saṅkhāresu nandī nirujjhati.

Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;

upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

Viññāṇaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

consciousness.

Tassa viññāṇaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato viññāṇe nandī nirujjhati.

As a result, relishing of consciousness ceases.

Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho …pe…

When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ vedanāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saññāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo”ti.

This is the ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Delight

Delight

A mental quality of relishing and taking pleasure in what is experienced—especially in sensuality or the prospect of continued becoming. When it fastens onto gratification, it nourishes craving and keeps the mind circling around what it wants to experience again.

Also known as: relishing, enjoyment, taking pleasure
Pāli: nandi, ārāmatā
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Lamentation

Lamentation

The verbal and bodily expression of grief—crying, wailing, and mourning—that arises from loss or separation from what is held dear. It gives voice to sorrow and can deepen the mind's entanglement with pain.

Also known as: crying, wailing, mourning
Pāli: parideva
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Sorrow

Sorrow

Grief or sadness that follows loss or disappointment, dimming the mind’s natural brightness. It clouds clear perception.

Also known as: grief, sadness
Pāli: soka, socati
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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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Last updated on July 27, 2026