The Buddha teaches on the internal and external sense bases regarding giving up substantialist view, analyzing the eye, sights, consciousness, contact, and feeling for insight and release.

SN 35.166 Giving Up Substantialist View

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu …pe… etadavoca:

“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyatī”ti?

“Cakkhuṁ kho, bhikkhu, dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati. Rūpe dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati. Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati. Cakkhusamphassaṁ dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati …pe…

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, jānato evaṁ passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyatī”ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu …pe…

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha …

etadavoca:

and said to him:

“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyatī”ti?

“Sir, how does one know and see so that substantialist view is given up?”

“Cakkhuṁ kho, bhikkhu, dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati.

“Mendicant, knowing and seeing the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact as suffering, substantialist view is given up. …

Rūpe dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati.

Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati.

Cakkhusamphassaṁ dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati …pe…

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ tampi dukkhato jānato passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyati.

And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact as suffering, substantialist view is given up.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, jānato evaṁ passato sakkāyadiṭṭhi pahīyatī”ti.

This is how to know and see so that substantialist view is given up.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

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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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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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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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026