The Buddha teaches on the six sense bases regarding the simile of hands and feet (2nd), guiding disciples toward discernment of sense experience and release from clinging.

SN 35.237 The Simile of Hands and Feet (2nd)

“Hatthesu, bhikkhave, sati ādānanikkhepanaṁ hoti; pādesu sati abhikkamapaṭikkamo hoti; pabbesu sati samiñjanapasāraṇaṁ hoti; kucchismiṁ sati jighacchā pipāsā hoti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhusmiṁ sati cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe… jivhāya sati …pe… manasmiṁ sati manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe….

Hatthesu, bhikkhave, asati ādānanikkhepanaṁ na hoti; pādesu asati abhikkamapaṭikkamo na hoti; pabbesu asati samiñjanapasāraṇaṁ na hoti; kucchismiṁ asati jighacchā pipāsā na hoti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhusmiṁ asati cakkhusamphassapaccayā nuppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe… jivhāya asati jivhāsamphassapaccayā nuppajjati …pe… manasmiṁ asati manosamphassapaccayā nuppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhan”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Samuddavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve samuddā bāḷisiko,
khīrarukkhena koṭṭhiko;
Kāmabhū udāyī ceva,
ādittena ca aṭṭhamaṁ;
Hatthapādūpamā dveti,
vaggo tena pavuccatīti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Hatthesu, bhikkhave, sati ādānanikkhepanaṁ hoti;

“Mendicants, when there are hands, there’s picking up and putting down.

pādesu sati abhikkamapaṭikkamo hoti;

When there are feet, there’s coming and going.

pabbesu sati samiñjanapasāraṇaṁ hoti;

When there are joints, there’s contracting and extending.

kucchismiṁ sati jighacchā pipāsā hoti.

When there’s a belly, there’s hunger and thirst.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhusmiṁ sati cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe…

In the same way, when there’s an eye, pleasure and pain arise internally conditioned by eye contact.

jivhāya sati …pe…

When there’s an ear … nose … tongue … body …

manasmiṁ sati manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe….

mind, pleasure and pain arise internally conditioned by mind contact.

Hatthesu, bhikkhave, asati ādānanikkhepanaṁ na hoti;

When there are no hands, there’s no picking up and putting down.

pādesu asati abhikkamapaṭikkamo na hoti;

When there are no feet, there’s no coming and going.

pabbesu asati samiñjanapasāraṇaṁ na hoti;

When there are no joints, there’s no contracting and extending.

kucchismiṁ asati jighacchā pipāsā na hoti.

When there’s no belly, there’s no hunger and thirst.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, cakkhusmiṁ asati cakkhusamphassapaccayā nuppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ …pe…

In the same way, when there’s no eye, pleasure and pain don’t arise internally conditioned by eye contact.

jivhāya asati jivhāsamphassapaccayā nuppajjati …pe…

When there’s no ear … nose … tongue … body …

manasmiṁ asati manosamphassapaccayā nuppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhan”ti.

mind, pleasure and pain don’t arise internally conditioned by mind contact.”

Dasamaṁ.

Samuddavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve samuddā bāḷisiko,

khīrarukkhena koṭṭhiko;

Kāmabhū udāyī ceva,

ādittena ca aṭṭhamaṁ;

Hatthapādūpamā dveti,

vaggo tena pavuccatīti.

Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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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