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

SN 38.7 A Question About Feeling

“‘Vedanā, vedanā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamā nu kho, āvuso, vedanā”ti?

“Tisso imāvuso, vedanā. Katamā tisso? Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā imā kho, āvuso, tisso vedanā”ti.

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

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

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

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Vedanā, vedanā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

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

Katamā nu kho, āvuso, vedanā”ti?

What is feeling?”

“Tisso imāvuso, vedanā.

“Reverend, there are three feelings.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā

Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.

imā kho, āvuso, tisso vedanā”ti.

These are the three feelings.”

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

“But reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these three feelings?”

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

“There is.” …

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

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etāsaṁ tissannaṁ vedanānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

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

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ tissannaṁ vedanānaṁ pariññāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

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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Last updated on July 27, 2026