The Buddha teaches on the internal and external sense bases regarding a practice conducive to extinguishment, analyzing the eye, sights, consciousness, contact, and feeling for insight and release.

SN 35.150 A Practice Conducive to Extinguishment

“Nibbānasappāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, paṭipadaṁ desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

katamā ca sā, bhikkhave, nibbānasappāyā paṭipadā?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, cakkhu niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Rūpā niccā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante”. “Cakkhuviññāṇaṁcakkhusamphasso …pe…

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati …pe…

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati …pe…

nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti.

Ayaṁ kho sā, bhikkhave, nibbānasappāyā paṭipadā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Nibbānasappāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, paṭipadaṁ desessāmi.

“Mendicants, I will teach you a practice that’s conducive to extinguishment.

Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

Listen …

katamā ca sā, bhikkhave, nibbānasappāyā paṭipadā?

And what is that practice that’s conducive to extinguishment?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

cakkhu niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Rūpā niccā aniccā vā”ti?

“Are sights …

“Aniccā, bhante”.

“Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ

eye consciousness …

cakkhusamphasso …pe…

eye contact …

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati …pe…

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact. And they grow disillusioned with the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact.

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tasmimpi nibbindati.

They grow disillusioned with the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact.

Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati …pe…

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. …

nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti.

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

Ayaṁ kho sā, bhikkhave, nibbānasappāyā paṭipadā”ti.

This is that practice that’s conducive to extinguishment.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

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
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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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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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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