The Buddha describes the three felt experiences that are experienced on contact through the sense doors - pleasant, painful, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant.

SN 36.1  Samādhi sutta - Collectedness

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā. Katamā tisso?

“There are these three |felt experiences::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, bhikkhus. What three?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanāimā kho, bhikkhave, tisso vedanāti.

Pleasant felt experience, painful felt experience, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant felt experience. These, bhikkhus, are the three felt experiences.

Samāhito sampajāno,
sato buddhassa sāvako;
Vedanā ca pajānāti,
vedanānañca sambhavaṁ.

|Collected::composed, settled [samāhita]|, |fully aware::with attentiveness, with clear and full comprehension, intentional, purposeful [sampajāna]|,
a |mindful::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, feelings in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of itself [sata]| disciple of the Buddha;
|Discerns::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]| felt experiences,
and the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]| of felt experiences.

Yattha cetā nirujjhanti,
maggañca khayagāminaṁ;
Vedanānaṁ khayā bhikkhu,
nicchāto parinibbuto”ti.

Where these |cease::vanish, reach an end [nirujjhati]|,
and the way of practice |leading to their cessation::leading to exhaustion, leading to wearing away [khayagāmī]|;
With the cessation of felt experiences, the bhikkhu,
is |satiated::free from craving, desireless [nicchāta]| and |completely quenched [of mental defilements]::completely cooled mental defilements [parinibbuta]|.”

Similar to ITI 52.

Topics & Qualities:

Felt Experience

Felt Experience

Pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation—the experience felt on contact. Sometimes translated as “feeling.” Distinct from an emotional state or reaction, it refers to the affective tone of experience, the bare sensation of pleasure, pain, or neutrality before mental responses arise.

Also known as: feeling
Pāli: vedanā
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Jhana

Jhana

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated, unlike narrow or disconnected concentration that shuts out the senses and feeds delusion.

Also known as: absorption, concentration, collectedness, mental composure, stability of mind, undistracted awareness
Pāli: jhāna, samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Discernment

Discernment

Clear seeing that distinguishes what is wholesome from unwholesome, true from false.

Also known as: ability to make out distinctions, ability to discriminate, distinguish, clear seeing, penetrating internal vision
Pāli: viveka, vipassanā, nipaka, niccheyya
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Full awareness

Full awareness

Clear comprehension that accompanies mindfulness, knowing what one is doing and why. Full awareness keeps the mind steady, intentional, and free from distraction.

Also known as: clear awareness, clear comprehension, being intentional, deliberate, purposeful
Pāli: sampajañña, sampajāna
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities in and of themselves.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anupassanā
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Quenching

Quenching

An experiential state of being “cooled,” where the burning fever of craving has subsided and the mind dwells in a peace free from the anxiety of needing to become something else.

Also known as: being cooled, desirelessness, free from hope, fulfilled, fully satiated, having attained emancipation
Pāli: nibbuta, nirāsa
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Last updated on December 13, 2025