The Buddha teaches on the six sense bases regarding not yours (1st), guiding disciples toward discernment of sense experience and release from clinging.

SN 35.138 Not Yours (1st)

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ? Cakkhu, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

jivhā na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe… mano na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. So vo pahīno hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṁ imasmiṁ jetavane tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ taṁ jano hareyya ḍaheyya yathāpaccayaṁ kareyya, api nu tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘amhe jano harati ḍahati yathāpaccayaṁ karotī’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Na hi no etaṁ, bhante, attā attaniyaṁ vā”ti.

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhu na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

jivhā na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe… mano na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha. So vo pahīno hitāya sukhāya bhavissatī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ taṁ pajahatha.

“Mendicants, give up what’s not yours.

Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ?

And what isn’t yours?

Cakkhu, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

The eye isn’t yours: give it up.

Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

jivhā na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …

vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

mano na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

mind isn’t yours: give it up.

So vo pahīno hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṁ imasmiṁ jetavane tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ taṁ jano hareyya ḍaheyya yathāpaccayaṁ kareyya, api nu tumhākaṁ evamassa:

Suppose a person was to carry off the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta’s Grove, or burn them, or do what they want with them. Would you think:

‘amhe jano harati ḍahati yathāpaccayaṁ karotī’”ti?

‘This person is carrying us off, burning us, or doing what they want with us’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.

“Taṁ kissa hetu”?

Why is that?

“Na hi no etaṁ, bhante, attā attaniyaṁ vā”ti.

Because to us that’s neither self nor belonging to self.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhu na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

“In the same way, the eye isn’t yours: give it up.

Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

jivhā na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …

vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati …pe…

mano na tumhākaṁ; taṁ pajahatha.

mind isn’t yours: give it up.

So vo pahīno hitāya sukhāya bhavissatī”ti.

Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026