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

SN 22.62 The Scope of Definition

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Tayome, bhikkhave, niruttipathā adhivacanapathā paññattipathā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkīyanti, na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katame tayo? Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ ‘ahosī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

vedanā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā ‘ahosī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassā paññatti; na tassā saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

saññā

ye saṅkhārā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ paññatti; na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘bhavissantī’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ, ‘ahosī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

vedanā ajātā apātubhūtā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā paññatti; na tassā saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

saññā

ye saṅkhārā ajātā apātubhūtā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ paññatti; na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘ahesun’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, ‘atthī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

vedanā jātā pātubhūtā, ‘atthī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassā paññatti; na tassā saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

saññā

ye saṅkhārā jātā pātubhūtā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ paññatti; na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘ahesun’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘bhavissantī’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, ‘atthī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassa paññatti; na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo niruttipathā adhivacanapathā paññattipathā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkīyanti, na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ ukkalā vassabhaññā ahetukavādā akiriyavādā natthikavādā, tepime tayo niruttipathe adhivacanapathe paññattipathe na garahitabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ amaññiṁsu. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nindāghaṭṭanabyārosaupārambhabhayā”ti.

Majjhimapaṇṇāsakassa upayavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Upayo bījaṁ udānaṁ,
Upādānaparivattaṁ;
Sattaṭṭhānañca sambuddho,
Pañcamahāli ādittā;
Vaggo niruttipathena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Tayome, bhikkhave, niruttipathā adhivacanapathā paññattipathā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkīyanti, na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

“Mendicants, there are these three scopes of definition, labeling, and description. They’re uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now, nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ ‘ahosī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa paññatti;

When form has passed, ceased, and perished, its designation, label, and description is ‘was’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

It’s not ‘is’ or ‘will be’.

vedanā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā ‘ahosī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassā paññatti;

When feeling …

na tassā saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

saññā

perception …

ye saṅkhārā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘ahesun’ti tesaṁ paññatti;

choices …

na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘bhavissantī’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ, ‘ahosī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘ahosī’ti tassa paññatti;

consciousness has passed, ceased, and perished, its designation, label, and description is ‘was’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

It’s not ‘is’ or ‘will be’.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa paññatti;

When form is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its designation, label, and description is ‘will be’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

It’s not ‘is’ or ‘was’.

vedanā ajātā apātubhūtā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassā paññatti;

When feeling …

na tassā saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

saññā

perception …

ye saṅkhārā ajātā apātubhūtā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘bhavissantī’ti tesaṁ paññatti;

choices …

na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘ahesun’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘bhavissatī’ti tassa paññatti;

consciousness is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its designation, label, and description is ‘will be’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘atthī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti.

It’s not ‘is’ or ‘was’.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, ‘atthī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassa paññatti;

When form has been born, and has appeared, its designation, label, and description is ‘is’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

It’s not ‘was’ or ‘will be’.

vedanā jātā pātubhūtā, ‘atthī’ti tassā saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassā samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassā paññatti;

When feeling …

na tassā saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassā saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

saññā

perception …

ye saṅkhārā jātā pātubhūtā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tesaṁ paññatti;

choices …

na tesaṁ saṅkhā ‘ahesun’ti, na tesaṁ saṅkhā, ‘bhavissantī’ti.

Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, ‘atthī’ti tassa saṅkhā, ‘atthī’ti tassa samaññā, ‘atthī’ti tassa paññatti;

consciousness has been born, and has appeared, its designation, label, and description is ‘is’.

na tassa saṅkhā ‘ahosī’ti, na tassa saṅkhā ‘bhavissatī’ti.

It’s not ‘was’ or ‘will be’.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo niruttipathā adhivacanapathā paññattipathā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkīyanti, na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

These are the three scopes of definition, labeling, and description. They’re uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now, nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ ukkalā vassabhaññā ahetukavādā akiriyavādā natthikavādā, tepime tayo niruttipathe adhivacanapathe paññattipathe na garahitabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ amaññiṁsu.

Even those those who were loud and bold advocates of the doctrines of no-cause, inaction, and nihilism, didn’t imagine that these three scopes of definition should be criticized or rejected.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Nindāghaṭṭanabyārosaupārambhabhayā”ti.

For fear of being blamed, attacked, provoked, and faulted.”

Majjhimapaṇṇāsakassa upayavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Upayo bījaṁ udānaṁ,

Upādānaparivattaṁ;

Sattaṭṭhānañca sambuddho,

Pañcamahāli ādittā;

Vaggo niruttipathena cāti.

Qualities:

Adventurousness

Adventurousness

A restless, thrill-seeking bent of mind that delights in novelty and roaming rather than in restraint. When untrained, it pulls one outward to stimulation and risk, making it hard to settle, listen, or practice steadily.

Also known as: audacious, bold, wild, unrestrained, untamed, with wanderlust
Pāli: adanta
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Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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Last updated on July 27, 2026