The Buddha describes the three feelings—pleasant, painful, and neutral—and teaches how understanding their conditioned nature leads to disenchantment and the ending of suffering.

SN 36.12 In the Atmosphere (1st)

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ākāse vividhā vātā vāyanti. Puratthimāpi vātā vāyanti, pacchimāpi vātā vāyanti, uttarāpi vātā vāyanti, dakkhiṇāpi vātā vāyanti, sarajāpi vātā vāyanti, arajāpi vātā vāyanti, sītāpi vātā vāyanti, uṇhāpi vātā vāyanti, parittāpi vātā vāyanti, adhimattāpi vātā vāyanti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ vividhā vedanā uppajjanti, sukhāpi vedanā uppajjati, dukkhāpi vedanā uppajjati, adukkhamasukhāpi vedanā uppajjatīti.

Yathāpi vātā ākāse,
vāyanti vividhā puthū;
Puratthimā pacchimā cāpi,
uttarā atha dakkhiṇā.

Sarajā arajā capi,
sītā uṇhā ca ekadā;
Adhimattā parittā ca,
puthū vāyanti mālutā.

Tathevimasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ,
samuppajjanti vedanā;
Sukhadukkhasamuppatti,
adukkhamasukhā ca yā.

Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī,
sampajaññaṁ na riñcati;
Tato so vedanā sabbā,
parijānāti paṇḍito.

So vedanā pariññāya,
diṭṭhe dhamme anāsavo;
Kāyassa bhedā dhammaṭṭho,
saṅkhyaṁ nopeti vedagū”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ākāse vividhā vātā vāyanti.

“Mendicants, various winds blow in the atmosphere.

Puratthimāpi vātā vāyanti, pacchimāpi vātā vāyanti, uttarāpi vātā vāyanti, dakkhiṇāpi vātā vāyanti, sarajāpi vātā vāyanti, arajāpi vātā vāyanti, sītāpi vātā vāyanti, uṇhāpi vātā vāyanti, parittāpi vātā vāyanti, adhimattāpi vātā vāyanti.

Winds blow from the east, the west, the north, and the south. There are winds that are dusty and dustless, cool and warm, weak and strong.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ vividhā vedanā uppajjanti, sukhāpi vedanā uppajjati, dukkhāpi vedanā uppajjati, adukkhamasukhāpi vedanā uppajjatīti.

In the same way, various feelings arise in this body: pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings.

Yathāpi vātā ākāse,

There are many and various

vāyanti vividhā puthū;

winds that blow in the atmosphere.

Puratthimā pacchimā cāpi,

From the east they come, also the west,

uttarā atha dakkhiṇā.

the north, and then the south.

Sarajā arajā capi,

They are dusty and dustless,

sītā uṇhā ca ekadā;

cool and sometimes warm,

Adhimattā parittā ca,

strong and weak;

puthū vāyanti mālutā.

these are the different gales that blow.

Tathevimasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ,

So too, in this body

samuppajjanti vedanā;

feelings arise,

Sukhadukkhasamuppatti,

pleasant and painful,

adukkhamasukhā ca yā.

and those that are neutral.

Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī,

But when a mendicant is keen,

sampajaññaṁ na riñcati;

not neglecting situational awareness,

Tato so vedanā sabbā,

that astute person

parijānāti paṇḍito.

understands all feelings.

So vedanā pariññāya,

Completely understanding feelings,

diṭṭhe dhamme anāsavo;

they’re without defilements in this very life.

Kāyassa bhedā dhammaṭṭho,

That knowledge master is firm in principle;

saṅkhyaṁ nopeti vedagū”ti.

when their body breaks up, they can’t be reckoned.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

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