The Buddha teaches on the internal and external sense bases regarding what’s the goal of the spiritual life?, analyzing the eye, sights, consciousness, contact, and feeling for insight and release.

SN 35.152 What’s the Goal of the Spiritual Life?

“Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘Cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Rūpā dukkhā; tesaṁ pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Cakkhusamphasso dukkho; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …pe…

jivhā dukkhāmano dukkho; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatiyampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Idaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; yassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:

“Mendicants, if wanderers who follow another religion were to ask you:

‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

‘Reverends, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:

You should answer them:

‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

‘The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’

Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:

If wanderers of other religions were to ask you:

‘katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:

You should answer them:

‘Cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ;

‘The eye is suffering.

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

Rūpā dukkhā;

Sights …

tesaṁ pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhaṁ;

Eye consciousness …

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Cakkhusamphasso dukkho;

Eye contact …

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhaṁ;

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also suffering.

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …pe…

The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

jivhā dukkhā

The ear … nose … tongue … body …

mano dukkho;

mind …

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhaṁ;

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also suffering.

tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

Idaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ;

This is that suffering.

yassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

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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Last updated on July 27, 2026