The Buddha describes the three feelings—pleasant, painful, and neutral—and teaches how understanding their conditioned nature leads to disenchantment and the ending of suffering.

SN 36.5 Should Be Seen

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā. Katamā tisso?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

Sukhā, bhikkhave, vedanā dukkhato daṭṭhabbā, dukkhā vedanā sallato daṭṭhabbā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato daṭṭhabbā.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhā vedanā dukkhato diṭṭhā hoti, dukkhā vedanā sallato diṭṭhā hoti, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato diṭṭhā hoti ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu sammaddaso acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’ti.

Yo sukhaṁ dukkhato adda,
dukkhamaddakkhi sallato;
Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,
addakkhi naṁ aniccato.

Sa ve sammaddaso bhikkhu,
parijānāti vedanā;
So vedanā pariññāya,
diṭṭhe dhamme anāsavo;
Kāyassa bhedā dhammaṭṭho,
saṅkhyaṁ nopeti vedagū”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

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.

Sukhā, bhikkhave, vedanā dukkhato daṭṭhabbā, dukkhā vedanā sallato daṭṭhabbā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato daṭṭhabbā.

Pleasant feeling should be seen as suffering. Painful feeling should be seen as a dart. Neutral feeling should be seen as impermanent.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sukhā vedanā dukkhato diṭṭhā hoti, dukkhā vedanā sallato diṭṭhā hoti, adukkhamasukhā vedanā aniccato diṭṭhā hoti

When a mendicant has seen these three feelings in this way,

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu sammaddaso acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’ti.

they’re called a mendicant who sees rightly, has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.

Yo sukhaṁ dukkhato adda,

A mendicant who sees pleasure as pain,

dukkhamaddakkhi sallato;

and suffering as a dart,

Adukkhamasukhaṁ santaṁ,

and that peaceful, neutral feeling

addakkhi naṁ aniccato.

as impermanent

Sa ve sammaddaso bhikkhu,

sees rightly;

parijānāti vedanā;

they completely understand 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.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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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 July 27, 2026