The Buddha teaches on the six sense bases regarding upasena and the viper, guiding disciples toward discernment of sense experience and release from clinging.

SN 35.69 Upasena and the Viper

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti. Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi: “etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca: “na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmaṁ. Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha: ‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.

“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa: ‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti ahaṁ manoti mama mano’ti vā. Tassa, āvuso sāriputta, siyā kāyassa aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmo.

Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti …pe… ahaṁ manoti mama manoti vā’. Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmo”ti.

Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.

Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti …pe… ahaṁ manoti mama mano’ti vā”ti.

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu. Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre.

At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Snake’s Hood Grotto.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti.

Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body.

Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi:

He addressed the mendicants,

“etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.

“Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;

before it’s scattered right here

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.

like a handful of hay.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Sāriputta said to him,

“na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmaṁ.

“But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties.

Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha:

Yet you say:

‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.

‘Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;

before it’s scattered right here

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.

like a handful of hay.’”

“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa:

“Reverend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks:

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe…

‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’

ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti

Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ manoti mama mano’ti vā.

Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’

Tassa, āvuso sāriputta, siyā kāyassa aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmo.

Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti:

But I don’t think like that.

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe…

ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti …pe…

ahaṁ manoti mama manoti vā’.

Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vipariṇāmo”ti.

So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?”

Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.

“That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit.

Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti:

That’s why it doesn’t occur to you:

“‘ahaṁ cakkhūti mama cakkhūti …pe…

‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear …

ahaṁ jivhāti mama jivhāti …pe…

nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ manoti mama mano’ti vā”ti.

Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’”

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu.

Then those mendicants lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside.

Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri;

And his body was scattered right there

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.

like a handful of hay.

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026