The Buddha teaches the three feelings—pleasant, painful, and neutral—and how the underlying tendencies to greed, aversion, and ignorance respectively should be given up through understanding feelings and seeing the escape.

SN 36.3 Giving Up

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā. Katamā tisso?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

Sukhāya, bhikkhave, vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahīno hoti, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahīno hoti, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahīno hoti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu niranusayo sammaddaso acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’ti.

Sukhaṁ vedayamānassa,
vedanaṁ appajānato;
So rāgānusayo hoti,
anissaraṇadassino.

Dukkhaṁ vedayamānassa,
vedanaṁ appajānato;
Paṭighānusayo hoti,
anissaraṇadassino.

Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,
bhūripaññena desitaṁ;
Tañcāpi abhinandati,
neva dukkhā pamuccati.

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.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā.

“Mendicants, there are these three feelings.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.

Sukhāya, bhikkhave, vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo.

The underlying tendency to greed should be given up when it comes to pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion should be given up when it comes to painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up when it comes to neutral feeling.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahīno hoti, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahīno hoti, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahīno hoti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu niranusayo sammaddaso acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’ti.

When a mendicant has given up these underlying tendencies, they’re called a mendicant without underlying tendencies, who sees rightly, has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.

Sukhaṁ vedayamānassa,

When you feel pleasure

vedanaṁ appajānato;

without understanding feeling,

So rāgānusayo hoti,

the underlying tendency to greed is there,

anissaraṇadassino.

if you don’t see the escape.

Dukkhaṁ vedayamānassa,

When you feel pain

vedanaṁ appajānato;

without understanding feeling,

Paṭighānusayo hoti,

the underlying tendency to aversion is there,

anissaraṇadassino.

if you don’t see the escape.

Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,

As for that peaceful, neutral feeling:

bhūripaññena desitaṁ;

he of vast wisdom has taught

Tañcāpi abhinandati,

that if you relish it,

neva dukkhā pamuccati.

you’re still not released from suffering.

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.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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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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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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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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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