The Buddha teaches on feelings regarding with a mendicant, analyzing their origin, cessation, gratification, drawback, and escape for insight and release from clinging.

SN 36.23 With a Mendicant

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“katamā nu kho, bhante, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā? Katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā? Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan”ti?

“Tisso imā, bhikkhu, vedanā sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Imā vuccanti, bhikkhu, vedanā.

Phassasamudayā vedanāsamudayo. Taṇhā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā.

Phassanirodhā vedanānirodho. Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Yaṁ vedanaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, ayaṁ vedanāya assādo;

yaṁ vedanā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṁ vedanāya ādīnavo;

yo vedanāya chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ, idaṁ vedanāya nissaraṇan”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“katamā nu kho, bhante, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā?

“Sir, what is feeling? What’s the origin of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the origin of feeling?

Katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā?

What’s the cessation of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the cessation of feeling?

Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan”ti?

And what is feeling’s gratification, drawback, and escape?”

“Tisso imā, bhikkhu, vedanā

“Mendicant, there are these three feelings:

sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

pleasant, painful, and neutral.

Imā vuccanti, bhikkhu, vedanā.

These are called feelings.

Phassasamudayā vedanāsamudayo.

Feeling originates from contact.

Taṇhā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā.

Craving is the practice that leads to the origin of feeling.

Phassanirodhā vedanānirodho.

When contact ceases, feeling ceases.

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ

The practice that leads to the cessation of feelings is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Yaṁ vedanaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, ayaṁ vedanāya assādo;

The pleasure and happiness that arise from feeling: this is its gratification.

yaṁ vedanā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṁ vedanāya ādīnavo;

That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.

yo vedanāya chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ, idaṁ vedanāya nissaraṇan”ti.

Removing and giving up desire and greed for feeling: this is its escape.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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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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Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
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Last updated on July 27, 2026