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

SN 35.63 With Migajāla (1st)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Atha kho āyasmā migajālo yena bhagavā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā migajālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“‘ekavihārī, ekavihārī’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, ekavihārī hoti, kittāvatā ca pana sadutiyavihārī hotī”ti?

“Santi kho, migajāla, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. Nandiyā sati sārāgo hoti; sārāge sati saṁyogo hoti. Nandisaṁyojanasaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu sadutiyavihārīti vuccati.

…pe…

Santi kho, migajāla, jivhāviññeyyā rasā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. Nandiyā sati sārāgo hoti; sārāge sati saṁyogo hoti. Nandisaṁyojanasaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu sadutiyavihārīti vuccati.

Evaṁvihārī ca, migajāla, bhikkhu kiñcāpi araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevati appasaddāni appanigghosāni vijanavātāni manussarāhasseyyakāni paṭisallānasāruppāni; atha kho sadutiyavihārīti vuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Taṇhā hissa dutiyā, sāssa appahīnā. Tasmā ‘sadutiyavihārī’ti vuccati.

Santi ca kho, migajāla, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati. Nandiyā asati sārāgo na hoti; sārāge asati saṁyogo na hoti. Nandisaṁyojanavisaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu ekavihārīti vuccati …pe…

santi ca kho, migajāla, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…

santi ca kho, migajāla, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati. Nandiyā asati sārāgo na hoti; sārāge asati saṁyogo na hoti.

Nandisaṁyojanavippayutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu ekavihārīti vuccati. Evaṁvihārī ca, migajāla, bhikkhu kiñcāpi gāmante viharati ākiṇṇo bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Atha kho ekavihārīti vuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Taṇhā hissa dutiyā, sāssa pahīnā. Tasmā ‘ekavihārī’ti vuccatī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā migajālo yena bhagavā …pe…

Then Venerable Migajāla went up to the Buddha …

ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā migajālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

and said to him:

“‘ekavihārī, ekavihārī’ti, bhante, vuccati.

“Sir, they speak of one who lives alone.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, ekavihārī hoti, kittāvatā ca pana sadutiyavihārī hotī”ti?

How is one who lives alone defined? And how is living with a partner defined?”

“Santi kho, migajāla, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.

“Migajāla, there are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.

Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,

Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.

this gives rise to relishing.

Nandiyā sati sārāgo hoti;

When there’s relishing there’s lust.

sārāge sati saṁyogo hoti.

When there’s lust there is yoking.

Nandisaṁyojanasaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu sadutiyavihārīti vuccati.

A mendicant who is fettered by relishing is said to live with a partner.

…pe…

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …

Santi kho, migajāla, jivhāviññeyyā rasā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.

There are ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.

Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,

Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.

this gives rise to relishing.

Nandiyā sati sārāgo hoti;

When there’s relishing there’s lust.

sārāge sati saṁyogo hoti.

When there’s lust there is yoking.

Nandisaṁyojanasaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu sadutiyavihārīti vuccati.

A mendicant who is fettered by relishing is said to live with a partner.

Evaṁvihārī ca, migajāla, bhikkhu kiñcāpi araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevati appasaddāni appanigghosāni vijanavātāni manussarāhasseyyakāni paṭisallānasāruppāni;

A mendicant who lives like this is said to live with a partner, even if they frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest that are quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat.

atha kho sadutiyavihārīti vuccati.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Taṇhā hissa dutiyā, sāssa appahīnā.

For craving is their partner, and they haven’t given it up.

Tasmā ‘sadutiyavihārī’ti vuccati.

That’s why they’re said to live with a partner.

Santi ca kho, migajāla, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.

There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.

Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,

Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.

relishing ceases.

Nandiyā asati sārāgo na hoti;

When there’s no relishing there’s no lust.

sārāge asati saṁyogo na hoti.

When there’s no lust there’s no yoking.

Nandisaṁyojanavisaṁyutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu ekavihārīti vuccati …pe…

A mendicant who is not fettered by relishing is said to live alone.

santi ca kho, migajāla, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …

santi ca kho, migajāla, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.

There are ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.

Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,

Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.

relishing ceases.

Nandiyā asati sārāgo na hoti;

When there’s no relishing there’s no lust.

sārāge asati saṁyogo na hoti.

When there’s no lust there’s no yoking.

Nandisaṁyojanavippayutto kho, migajāla, bhikkhu ekavihārīti vuccati.

A mendicant who is not fettered by relishing is said to live alone.

Evaṁvihārī ca, migajāla, bhikkhu kiñcāpi gāmante viharati ākiṇṇo bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi.

A mendicant who lives like this is said to live alone, even if they live within a village crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples.

Atha kho ekavihārīti vuccati.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Taṇhā hissa dutiyā, sāssa pahīnā.

For craving is their partner, and they have given it up.

Tasmā ‘ekavihārī’ti vuccatī”ti.

That’s why they’re said to live alone.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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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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Delight

Delight

A mental quality of relishing and taking pleasure in what is experienced—especially in sensuality or the prospect of continued becoming. When it fastens onto gratification, it nourishes craving and keeps the mind circling around what it wants to experience again.

Also known as: relishing, enjoyment, taking pleasure
Pāli: nandi, ārāmatā
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Passion

Passion

Intense desire or lust that dyes the mind. It fixates on the features of objects, coloring perception with infatuation and making it difficult to see things as they truly are.

Also known as: burning fever, intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust
Pāli: rāga
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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: craving for sensuality, passion for sensual pleasures, lust, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Last updated on July 27, 2026