The Buddha teaches how contemplating the six sense bases leads to the fading away of the fetters and the ending of suffering.

SN 35.151 A Resident Pupil

“Anantevāsikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati anācariyakaṁ. Santevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sācariyako dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati. Anantevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati.

Kathañca, bhikkhu, santevāsiko sācariyako dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati …pe…. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santevāsiko sācariyako dukkhaṁ, na phāsu viharati.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anantevāsiko anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati …pe…. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati. Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anantevāsiko anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati.

Anantevāsikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Anācariyakaṁ santevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sācariyako dukkhaṁ, na phāsu viharati. Anantevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharatī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Anantevāsikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati anācariyakaṁ.

“Mendicants, this spiritual life is lived without a resident pupil and without a teaching master.

Santevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sācariyako dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati.

A mendicant who lives with a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.

Anantevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati.

A mendicant who lives without a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.

Kathañca, bhikkhu, santevāsiko sācariyako dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati?

And how does a mendicant who lives with a resident pupil and a teaching master live in suffering and discomfort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities reside within. Since they have bad unskillful qualities residing within,

Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati.

they’re said to have a resident pupil.

Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities master them. Since they’re mastered by bad unskillful qualities,

Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

they’re said to have a teaching master.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears … smells … tastes … touches …

Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati.

Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tyāssa anto vasanti, antassa vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities reside within. Since they have bad unskillful qualities residing within,

Tasmā santevāsikoti vuccati.

they’re said to have a resident pupil.

Te naṁ samudācaranti, samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities master them. Since they’re mastered by bad unskillful qualities,

Tasmā sācariyakoti vuccati.

they’re said to have a teaching master.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santevāsiko sācariyako dukkhaṁ, na phāsu viharati.

That’s how a mendicant who lives with a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anantevāsiko anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati?

And how does a mendicant who lives without a resident pupil and a teaching master live in happiness and comfort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities don’t reside within. Since they don’t have bad unskillful qualities residing within,

Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati.

they’re said to not have a resident pupil.

Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities don’t master them. Since they’re not mastered by bad unskillful qualities,

Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

they’re said to not have a teaching master.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears … smells … tastes … touches …

Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati.

Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti. Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tyāssa na anto vasanti, nāssa anto vasanti pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities don’t reside within. Since they don’t have bad unskillful qualities residing within,

Tasmā anantevāsikoti vuccati.

they’re said to not have a resident pupil.

Te naṁ na samudācaranti, na samudācaranti naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammāti.

Those qualities don’t master them. Since they’re not mastered by bad unskillful qualities,

Tasmā anācariyakoti vuccati.

they’re said to not have a teaching master.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anantevāsiko anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharati.

That’s how a mendicant who lives without a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.

Anantevāsikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

This spiritual life is lived without a resident pupil and without a teaching master.

Anācariyakaṁ santevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sācariyako dukkhaṁ, na phāsu viharati.

A mendicant who lives with a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.

Anantevāsiko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anācariyako sukhaṁ phāsu viharatī”ti.

A mendicant who lives without a resident pupil and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

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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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
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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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Tame

Tame

The quality of a mind that has been trained and disciplined, no longer wild or controlled by passions. Like a tamed thoroughbred, it is pliable, responsive, and fit for work.

Also known as: trained, mastered, subdued
Pāli: danta, dama
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of poor health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026