Dhamma Exposition on Sensual Pleasures, Feelings, Perceptions, Taints, Actions, Suffering (AN 6.63) ( lemmy.world )

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This teaching provides a detailed analysis on the central themes of Sensual Pleasures, Feelings, Perceptions, Taints, Actions (kamma), Suffering (dukkha).

"I will teach you, bhikkhus, the penetrative exposition, the dhamma exposition. Listen to it, pay close attention, and I will speak."

"Yes, venerable sir," the bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:

"And what, bhikkhus, is the penetrative exposition, the dhamma exposition?

1.** Sensual pleasures**, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the diversity of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the result of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the cessation of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures is to be understood.

Feelings, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of feelings is to be understood; the diversity of feelings is to be understood; the result of feelings is to be understood; the cessation of feelings is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of feelings is to be understood.
Perceptions, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of perceptions is to be understood; the diversity of perceptions is to be understood; the result of perceptions is to be understood; the cessation of perceptions is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of perceptions is to be understood.
Taints, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of taints is to be understood; the diversity of taints is to be understood; the result of taints is to be understood; the cessation of taints is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of taints is to be understood.
Actions (kamma), bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of actions is to be understood; the diversity of actions is to be understood; the result of actions is to be understood; the cessation of actions is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of actions is to be understood.
Suffering (dukkha), bhikkhus, is to be understood; the origin of suffering is to be understood; the diversity of suffering is to be understood; the result of suffering is to be understood; the cessation of suffering is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of suffering is to be understood.

1. Sensual Pleasures

Sensual pleasures, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the diversity of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the result of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the cessation of sensual pleasures is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures is to be understood. And what is the basis for this statement? There are these five strands of sensual pleasure: forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensual, and enticing; sounds cognizable by the ear... odors cognizable by the nose... tastes cognizable by the tongue... tangibles cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensual, and enticing. However, these are not sensual pleasures; these are sensual strands, in the discipline of the noble ones, it is said:

The passion and desire for them is the sensual pleasure,

The things in the world that are beautiful,

The passion and desire for them is the sensual pleasure,

They remain beautiful in the world,

But the wise abandon desire for them.

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of sensual pleasures? Contact, bhikkhus, is the origin of sensual pleasures.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of sensual pleasures? One kind of desire arises from forms, another kind of desire arises from sounds, another kind of desire arises from odors, another kind of desire arises from tastes, another kind of desire arises from tangibles. This is called the diversity of sensual pleasures.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of sensual pleasures? Bhikkhus, the one who desires and delights in sensual pleasures, by that very desire, produces repeated existence in favorable or unfavorable conditions. This is called the result of sensual pleasures.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of sensual pleasures? The cessation of contact, bhikkhus, is the cessation of sensual pleasures. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands sensual pleasures, understands the origin of sensual pleasures, understands the diversity of sensual pleasures, understands the result of sensual pleasures, understands the cessation of sensual pleasures, understands the path leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures, bhikkhus, are to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

2. Feelings

Feelings, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of feelings is to be understood; the diversity of feelings is to be understood; the result of feelings is to be understood; the cessation of feelings is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of feelings is to be understood. And why was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these three kinds of feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of feelings? Contact, bhikkhus, is the origin of feelings.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of feelings? There is, bhikkhus, sensual pleasant feeling, there is non-sensual pleasant feeling, there is sensual painful feeling, there is non-sensual painful feeling, there is sensual neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, and there is non-sensual neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This is called the diversity of feelings.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of feelings? Bhikkhus, the one who experiences feelings produces repeated existence in favorable or unfavorable conditions. This is called the result of feelings.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of feelings? The cessation of contact, bhikkhus, is the cessation of feelings. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of feelings, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands feelings, understands the origin of feelings, understands the diversity of feelings, understands the result of feelings, understands the cessation of feelings, understands the path leading to the cessation of feelings, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of feelings. Feelings, bhikkhus, are to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of feelings is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

3. Perceptions

Perceptions, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of perceptions is to be understood; the diversity of perceptions is to be understood; the result of perceptions is to be understood; the cessation of perceptions is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of perceptions is to be understood. And why was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these six kinds of perceptions: perception of forms, perception of sounds, perception of odors, perception of tastes, perception of tangibles, perception of mental phenomena.

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of perceptions? Contact, bhikkhus, is the origin of perceptions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of perceptions? One kind of perception arises from forms, another kind of perception arises from sounds, another kind of perception arises from smells, another kind of perception arises from tastes, another kind of perception arises from tangibles, another kind of perception arises from mental phenomena. This is called the diversity of perceptions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of perceptions? Bhikkhus, I say that perception results in verbal expression. As one perceives, so one speaks. Thus one becomes a perceiver. This is called the result of perceptions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of perceptions? The cessation of contact, bhikkhus, is the cessation of perceptions. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of perceptions, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands perceptions, understands the origin of perceptions, understands the diversity of perceptions, understands the result of perceptions, understands the cessation of perceptions, understands the path leading to the cessation of perceptions, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of perceptions. Perceptions, bhikkhus, are to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of perceptions is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

4. Taints

Taints, bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of taints is to be understood; the diversity of taints is to be understood; the result of taints is to be understood; the cessation of taints is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of taints is to be understood. And why was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these three taints: the taint of sensual pleasure, the taint of existence, the taint of ignorance (unknowing of how things have come to be, unknowing of "true reality").

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of taints? Ignorance, bhikkhus, is the origin of taints.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of taints? There are, bhikkhus, taints that lead to rebirth in hell, taints that lead to rebirth in the animal realm, taints that lead to rebirth in the ghost realm, taints that lead to rebirth in the human world, taints that lead to rebirth in the deva world. This is called the diversity of taints.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of taints? Bhikkhus, one who is subject to ignorance produces repeated existence in favorable or unfavorable conditions. This is called the result of taints.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of taints? The cessation of ignorance, bhikkhus, is the cessation of taints. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of taints, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands taints, understands the origin of taints, understands the diversity of taints, understands the result of taints, understands the cessation of taints, understands the path leading to the cessation of taints, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of taints. Taints, bhikkhus, are to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of taints is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

5. Actions

Actions (kamma), bhikkhus, are to be understood; the origin of actions is to be understood; the diversity of actions is to be understood; the result of actions is to be understood; the cessation of actions is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of actions is to be understood. And why was this said? I say, bhikkhus, that intention is action. Having intended, one acts by body, speech, and mind.

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of actions? Contact, bhikkhus, is the origin of actions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of actions? There is, bhikkhus, action that leads to rebirth in hell, action that leads to rebirth in the animal realm, action that leads to rebirth in the ghost realm, action that leads to rebirth in the human world, action that leads to rebirth in the deva world. This is called the diversity of actions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of actions? I say, bhikkhus, that there are three kinds of results of actions: results that are experienced in this very life, results that are experienced upon rebirth, and results that are experienced in future lives. This is called the result of actions.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of actions? The cessation of contact, bhikkhus, is the cessation of actions. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of actions, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands actions, understands the origin of actions, understands the diversity of actions, understands the result of actions, understands the cessation of actions, understands the path leading to the cessation of actions, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of actions. Actions, bhikkhus, are to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of actions is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

6. Suffering

Suffering (dukkha), bhikkhus, is to be understood; the origin of suffering is to be understood; the diversity of suffering is to be understood; the result of suffering is to be understood; the cessation of suffering is to be understood; the path leading to the cessation of suffering is to be understood. And why was this said? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; association with the unloved is suffering; separation from the loved is suffering; not getting what one wants is suffering. In brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.

And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of suffering? Craving, bhikkhus, is the origin of suffering.

And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of suffering? There is, bhikkhus, intense suffering, there is mild suffering (discontentment), there is slow-fading suffering, there is rapid-fading suffering. This is called the diversity of suffering.

And what, bhikkhus, is the result of suffering? Here, bhikkhus, someone who is overwhelmed by suffering and whose mind is exhausted grieves, laments, cries, beats their breast, becomes confused, or seeks external solutions: 'Who knows a remedy for this suffering?' I say, bhikkhus, that suffering results in either confusion or external seeking. This is called the result of suffering.

And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of suffering? The cessation of craving, bhikkhus, is the cessation of suffering. And this very Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the cessation of suffering, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

When a noble disciple thus understands suffering, understands the origin of suffering, understands the diversity of suffering, understands the result of suffering, understands the cessation of suffering, understands the path leading to the cessation of suffering, he understands this penetrative spiritual life leading to the cessation of suffering. Suffering, bhikkhus, is to be understood... and the path leading to the cessation of suffering is to be understood. Therefore, it was said based on this.

This, bhikkhus, is the penetrative exposition, the dhamma exposition."

A hosted version of the diagram linked to relevant teachings can be found here for download or editing: https://xmind.app/mindmap/dhamma-exposition-(an-6.63)/2USKe7/

Related Teachings:

Allure and Drawbacks of Desiring Pleasure (Snp 4.1) - This verse succinctly captures the allure and the drawbacks of engaging in sense-desires.
Full Understanding Of the Six Sense Bases (SN 35.26) - Without understanding the “all” consisting of the six interior and exterior sense bases and becoming dispassionate towards it, it is impossible to be free of suffering.
Causes for Diverse Perceptions, Intentions, Passions, Quests (SN 14.7) - The diverse external elements of sense experience give rise to diverse perceptions, intentions, desires, passions, and quests.
Four Kinds of Kamma (AN 4.232) - A brief teaching on kamma and four kinds of kamma: dark, bright, both, and neither.
Tracing the causes of ignorance | delusion | avijjā sutta (AN 10.61) - Even though ignorance has no discernible first point, it still has a cause. This teaching explores the causes the fuel ignorance.
Attending to pleasing signs leads to growth in craving ... grasping ... rebirth ... suffering (SN 12.53) - Craving increases when you linger on pleasing things that stimulate fetters, illustrated with the simile of a lamp.