The Buddha contrasts ascetics and brahmins who fail to understand feelings—their origin, cessation, and the practice leading to cessation—with those who truly know and see them.

SN 36.21 With Sīvaka

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Atha kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“santi, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti. Idha bhavaṁ gotamo kimāhā”ti?

“Pittasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. Lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. Tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti. Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ tañca atidhāvanti, yañca loke saccasammataṁ tañca atidhāvanti. Tasmā tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchāti vadāmi.

Semhasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… vātasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… sannipātikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… utupariṇāmajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… visamaparihārajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… opakkamikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… kammavipākajānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ. Yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti; lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ. Yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti; tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti. Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ tañca atidhāvanti yañca loke saccasammataṁ tañca atidhāvanti. Tasmā ‘tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchā’ti vadāmī”ti.

Evaṁ vutte, moḷiyasīvako paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“Pittaṁ semhañca vāto ca,
Sannipātā utūni ca;
Visamaṁ opakkamikaṁ,
Kammavipākena aṭṭhamī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the wanderer Moḷiyasīvaka went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“santi, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

“Worthy Gotama, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti.

‘Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds.’

Idha bhavaṁ gotamo kimāhā”ti?

What does the worthy Gotama say about this?”

“Pittasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti.

“Sīvaka, some feelings stem from bile disorders.

Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti.

You can know this from your own personal experience,

Lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti.

and it is generally deemed to be true.

Tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

Since this is so, the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that

‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti.

everything an individual person experiences is because of past deeds

Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ tañca atidhāvanti, yañca loke saccasammataṁ tañca atidhāvanti.

go beyond personal experience and beyond what is generally deemed to be true.

Tasmā tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchāti vadāmi.

So those ascetics and brahmins are wrong, I say.

Semhasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

Some feelings stem from phlegm disorders …

vātasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

wind disorders …

sannipātikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

their conjunction …

utupariṇāmajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

change in weather …

visamaparihārajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

not taking care of yourself …

opakkamikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe…

overexertion …

kammavipākajānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti.

Some feelings are the result of past deeds.

Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ.

You can know this from your own personal experience,

Yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti;

lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ.

and it is generally deemed to be true.

Yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti;

tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

Since this is so, the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that

‘yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ pubbekatahetū’ti.

everything an individual person experiences is because of past deeds

Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ tañca atidhāvanti yañca loke saccasammataṁ tañca atidhāvanti.

go beyond personal experience and beyond what is generally deemed to be true.

Tasmā ‘tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchā’ti vadāmī”ti.

So those ascetics and brahmins are wrong, I say.”

Evaṁ vutte, moḷiyasīvako paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, the wanderer Moḷiyasīvaka said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

“Pittaṁ semhañca vāto ca,

“Bile, phlegm, and wind,

Sannipātā utūni ca;

their conjunction, and the weather,

Visamaṁ opakkamikaṁ,

not taking care of yourself, overexertion,

Kammavipākena aṭṭhamī”ti.

and the result of deeds is the eighth.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

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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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026