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

SN 35.96 Liable to Decline

“Parihānadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi aparihānadhammañca cha ca abhibhāyatanāni. Taṁ suṇātha.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti.

Katamāni ca, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanāni? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’. Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’. Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Parihānadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi aparihānadhammañca cha ca abhibhāyatanāni.

“Mendicants, I will teach you who is liable to decline, who is not liable to decline, and the six fields of mastery.

Taṁ suṇātha.

Listen …

Kathañca, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti?

And how is someone liable to decline?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. They should understand:

‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are declining.

Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe…

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch …

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

If that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them, they should understand:

‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are declining.

Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti.

That’s how someone is liable to decline.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti?

And how is someone not liable to decline?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, gets rid of them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:

‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are not declining.

Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe…

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch …

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, gets rid of them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:

‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are not declining.

Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti.

That’s how someone is not liable to decline.

Katamāni ca, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanāni?

And what are the six fields of mastery?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

They should understand:

‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’.

‘This sense field has been mastered.

Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe…

For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’ …

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

Furthermore, when a mendicant knows an idea with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten fetters.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

They should understand:

‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’.

‘This sense field has been mastered.

Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’

Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.

These are the six fields of mastery.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Tame

Tame

The quality of a mind that has been trained and disciplined, no longer wild or controlled by passions. Like a tamed thoroughbred, it is pliable, responsive, and fit for work.

Also known as: trained, mastered, subdued
Pāli: danta, dama
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of poor health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026