Venerable Sāriputta answers the wanderer Jambukhādaka on a question about suffering, explaining the Dhamma and the practice that leads to extinguishment.

SN 38.14 A Question About Suffering

“‘Dukkhaṁ, dukkhan’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho, āvuso, dukkhan”ti?

“Tisso imā, āvuso, dukkhatā. Dukkhadukkhatā, saṅkhāradukkhatā, vipariṇāmadukkhatā imā kho, āvuso, tisso dukkhatā”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti? “Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti. “Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Cuddasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Dukkhaṁ, dukkhan’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘suffering’.

Katamaṁ nu kho, āvuso, dukkhan”ti?

What is suffering?”

“Tisso imā, āvuso, dukkhatā.

“Reverend, there are these three forms of suffering.

Dukkhadukkhatā, saṅkhāradukkhatā, vipariṇāmadukkhatā

The suffering inherent in painful feeling; the suffering inherent in conditions; and the suffering inherent in perishing.

imā kho, āvuso, tisso dukkhatā”ti.

These are the three forms of suffering.”

“Atthi panāvuso maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these forms of suffering?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“There is.” …

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ dukkhatānaṁ pariññāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Cuddasamaṁ.

Qualities:

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