Seeing the vanishing nature of the experience that is felt with each contact leads to dispassion.

PTS 4.204

SN 36.2 Sukha sutta - Pleasant

“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]|. 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 are the three felt experiences.

Sukhaṁ yadi dukkhaṁ,
adukkhamasukhaṁ saha;
Ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca,
yaṁ kiñci atthi veditaṁ.

Whether pleasant or painful,
along with neither-painful-nor-pleasant;
internally and externally,
whatever there is that is |felt::experienced, sensed [vedita]|:

Etaṁ dukkhanti ñatvāna,
mosadhammaṁ palokinaṁ;
Phussa phussa vayaṁ passaṁ,
evaṁ tattha virajjatī”ti.

Having known this as |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|,
|deceptive::false, lit. untrue nature [mosadhamma]| [by nature], |disintegrating::falling apart [palokī]|;
seeing its |vanishing::disappearing, fading away [vaya]| with each contact,
one becomes |dispassionate toward::detached from [virajjati]| it.”

Topics & Qualities:

Arising and Passing Away

Arising and Passing Away

The insight that discerns phenomena as they come into being and as they fade. In the discourses this is both a way of observing—dwelling seeing the arising and vanishing nature of body, felt experience, mind, and mental qualities—and a criterion of wisdom: one who knows and sees the arising and passing away of the aggregates is one for whom the taints wear away. This wisdom is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.

Also known as: rise and fall, appearance and disappearance, formation and dissolution, origination and vanishing
Pāli: udayabbaya, udayatthagāmī, udayabbayānupassanā, samudaya, atthaṅgama
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Dispassion

Dispassion

The fading of desire and attraction toward conditioned things. It arises through seeing the impermanent and unsatisfactory nature of experience. It is the natural fragrance of understanding and the forerunner of release.

Also known as: detachment, disinterest, fading of desire, disentanglement
Pāli: virāga, visaṁyutta
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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. It is the second of the five aggregates.

Also known as: feeling
Pāli: vedanā
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on September 8, 2026

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