The Buddha teaches that just as a guest house receives travelers from all directions, the body receives pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings—both of the flesh and not of the flesh.

SN 36.14 A Guest House

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āgantukāgāraṁ. Tattha puratthimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, pacchimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, uttarāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, dakkhiṇāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti. Khattiyāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, brāhmaṇāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, vessāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, suddāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ vividhā vedanā uppajjanti. Sukhāpi vedanā uppajjati, dukkhāpi vedanā uppajjati, adukkhamasukhāpi vedanā uppajjati. Sāmisāpi sukhā vedanā uppajjati, sāmisāpi dukkhā vedanā uppajjati, sāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjati. Nirāmisāpi sukhā vedanā uppajjati, nirāmisāpi dukkhā vedanā uppajjati, nirāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjatī”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āgantukāgāraṁ. Tattha puratthimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, pacchimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, uttarāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, dakkhiṇāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti. Khattiyāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, brāhmaṇāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, vessāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, suddāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti.

“Mendicants, suppose there was a guest house. Lodgers come from the east, west, north, and south. Aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials all stay there.

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

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

Sāmisāpi sukhā vedanā uppajjati, sāmisāpi dukkhā vedanā uppajjati, sāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjati.

Also pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings of the flesh arise.

Nirāmisāpi sukhā vedanā uppajjati, nirāmisāpi dukkhā vedanā uppajjati, nirāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjatī”ti.

Also pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings not of the flesh arise.”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

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