6. The Dart

"An untaught worldling, O monks, experiences pleasant feelings, he
experiences painful feelings and he experiences neutral feelings. A
well-taught noble disciple likewise experiences pleasant, painful and
neutral feelings. Now what is the distinction, the diversity, the
difference that exists herein between a well-taught noble disciple and
an untaught worldling?

"When an untaught worldling is touched by a painful (bodily)
feeling, he worries and grieves, he laments, beats his breast, weeps
and is distraught. He thus experiences two kinds of feelings, a
bodily and a mental feeling. It is as if a man were pierced by a dart
and, following the first piercing, he is hit by a second dart. So
that person will experience feelings caused by two darts. It is
similar with an untaught worldling: when touched by a painful
(bodily) feeling, he worries and grieves, he laments, beats his
breast, weeps and is distraught. So he experiences two kinds of
feeling: a bodily and a mental feeling.

"Having been touched by that painful feeling, he resists (and
resents) it. Then in him who so resists (and resents) that painful
feeling, an underlying tendency of resistance against that painful
feeling comes to underlie (his mind). Under the impact of that
painful feeling he then proceeds to enjoy sensual happiness. And why
does he do so? An untaught worldling, O monks, does not know of any
other escape from painful feelings except the enjoyment of sensual
happiness. Then in him who enjoys sensual happiness, an underlying
tendency to lust for pleasant feelings comes to underlie (his mind).
He does not know, according to facts, the arising and ending of these
feelings, nor the gratification, the danger and the escape, connected
with these feelings. In him who lacks that knowledge, an underlying
tendency to ignorance as to neutral feelings comes to underlie (his
mind). When he experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling or a
neutral feeling, he feels it as one fettered by it. Such a one, O
monks, is called an untaught worldling who is fettered by birth, by
old age, by death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He
is fettered by suffering, this I declare.

"But in the case of a well-taught noble disciple, O monks, when he
is touched by a painful feeling, he will not worry nor grieve and
lament, he will not beat his breast and weep, nor will he be
distraught. It is //one// kind of feeling he experiences, a bodily
one, but not a mental feeling. It is as if a man were pierced by a
dart, but was not hit by a second dart following the first one. So
this person experiences feelings caused by a single dart only. It is
similar with a well-taught noble disciple: when touched by a painful
feeling, he will no worry nor grieve and lament, he will not beat his
breast and weep, nor will he be distraught. He experiences one single
feeling, a bodily one.

"Having been touched by that painful feeling, he does not resist
(and resent) it. Hence, in him no underlying tendency of resistance
against that painful feeling comes to underlie (his mind). Under the
impact of that painful feeling he does not proceed to enjoy sensual
happiness. And why not? As a well-taught noble disciple he knows of
an escape from painful feelings other than by enjoying sensual
happiness. Then in him who does not proceed to enjoy sensual
happiness, no underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feelings comes
to underlie (his mind). He knows, according to facts, the arising and
ending of those feelings, and the gratification, the danger and the
escape connected with these feelings. In him who knows thus, no
underlying tendency to ignorance as to neutral feelings comes to
underlie (his mind). When he experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful
feeling or a neutral feeling, he feels it as one who is not fettered
by it. Such a one, O monks, is called a well-taught noble disciple
who is not fettered by birth, by old age, by death, by sorrow,
lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He is not fettered to
suffering, this I declare.

"This, O monks, is the distinction, the diversity, the difference
that exists between a well-taught noble disciple and an untaught
worldling."

7. At the Sick Room -- I

Once the Blessed One dwelt at Vesali, in the Great Forest, at the
Gabled House. In the evening, after the Blessed One had risen from
his seclusion, he went to the sick room and sat down on a prepared
seat. Being seated he addressed the monks as follows:

"O monks, mindfully and clearly comprehending should a monk spend
his time! This is my injunction to you!

"And how, O monks, is a monk mindful? He dwells practicing
body-contemplation on the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and
mindful, having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the world.
He dwells practicing feeling-contemplation on feelings, ardent,
clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome covetousness and
grief concerning the world. He dwells practicing mind-contemplation
on the mind, having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the
world. He dwells practicing mind-object-contemplation on
mind-objects, having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the
world. So, monks, is a monk mindful.

"And how, O monks, is a monk clearly comprehending? He applies
clear comprehension in going forward and going back; in looking
straight on and in looking elsewhere; in bending and in stretching
(his limbs); in wearing the robes and carrying the almsbowl; in
eating, drinking, chewing and savoring; in obeying the calls of
nature; in walking, standing sitting, falling asleep waking, speaking
and being silent -- in all that he applies clear comprehension. So,
monks, is a monk clearly comprehending.

"If a monk is thus mindful and clearly comprehending, ardent,
earnest and resolute, and a pleasant feeling arises in him, he knows:
'Now a pleasant feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not
unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is
conditioned. [13] And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded,
dependently arisen. But if this pleasant feeling that has arisen, is
conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and
dependently arisen; how could such a pleasant feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both body and the pleasant feeling he dwells
contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwell
contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells
contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to lust in regard to body and pleasant feeling
vanishes.

"If a painful feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a painful
feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned.
Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this
body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if
this painful feeling that has arisen is conditioned by the body which
is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen, how could such a
painful feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both the body and the painful feeling he dwells
contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells
contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells
contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to resistance in regard to the body and painful
feeling vanishes.

"If a neutral feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a neutral
feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned.
Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this
body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if
this neutral feeling that has arisen is conditioned by the body which
is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen, how could such a
neutral feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both the body and the neutral feeling he dwells
contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells
contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells
contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to body and neutral feeling
vanishes.

"If he experiences a pleasant feeling, he knows it as impermanent;
he knows, it is not clung to; he knows, it is not relished. If he
experiences a painful feeling ... a neutral feeling, he knows it as
impermanent; he knows, it is not clung to; he knows, it is not
relished.

"If he experiences a pleasant feeling, he feels it as one
unfettered by it. If he experiences a painful feeling, he feels it as
one unfettered by it. If he experiences a neutral feeling, he feels
it as one unfettered by it.

"When having painful feelings endangering the body, he knows: 'I
have a painful feeling endangering the body.' When having painful
feelings endangering life he knows: 'I have a painful feeling
endangering life.' And he knows: 'After the dissolution of the body,
when life ends, all these feelings which are unrelished, will come to
final rest, even here.'

"It is like a lamp that burns by strength of oil and wick, and if
oil and wick come to an end, the flame is extinguished through lack of
nourishment. Similarly this monk knows: 'After the dissolution of
the body, when life ends, all these feelings which are unrelished will
come to (final) rest, even here.'"

8. At the Sick Room -- II

Once the Blessed One dwelt at Vesali, in the Great Forest, at the
Gabled House. In the evening, after had arisen from his seclusion, he
went to the sick room and sat down on a prepared seat. Being seated,
he addressed the monks as follows:

"O monks, mindfully and clearly comprehending should a monk spend
his time! This is my injunction to you!

"If a monk is thus mindful and clearly comprehending, ardent,
earnest and resolute, and a pleasant feeling arises in him, he knows:
'Now a pleasant feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not
unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this sense-impression
[14] it is conditioned. And this sense-impression, indeed, is
impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this pleasant
feeling that has arisen is conditioned by a sense-impression which is
impermanent, compounded, and dependently arisen, how could such a
pleasant feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both sense-impression and the pleasant feeling, he
dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence,
dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation,
dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to lust in regard to sense-impressions and
pleasant feeling vanishes.

"If a painful feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a painful
feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned.
Conditioned by what? Even by this sense-impression it is conditioned.
And this sense-impression, indeed, is impermanent, compounded,
dependently arisen. But if this painful feeling that has arisen is
conditioned by a sense-impression which is impermanent, compounded and
dependently arisen, how could such a painful feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both sense-impression and painful feeling, he dwells
contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells
contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells
contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to resistance in regard to sense-impression and
painful feeling vanishes.

"If a neutral feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a neutral
feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned.
Conditioned by what? Even by this sense-impression it is conditioned.
And this sense-impression, indeed, is impermanent, compounded,
dependently arisen. But if this neutral feeling that has arisen is
conditioned by a sense-impression, which is impermanent, compounded
and dependently arisen, how could such a neutral feeling be
permanent?'

"In regard to both sense-impression and neutral feeling, he dwells
contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells
contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells
contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the
underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to sense-impression and
neutral feeling vanishes."

(The concluding sections are identical with those in Text 7, from
if he experiences ... up to the end.)

9. Impermanent

"The three kinds of feelings, O monks, are impermanent, compounded,
dependently arisen, liable to destruction, to evanescence, to fading
away, to cessation -- namely, pleasant feeling, painful feeling and
neutral feeling."

10. Rooted in Sense-Impression

"There are, O monks, these three feelings, rooted in sense-impression,
caused by sense-impression, conditioned by sense-impression: pleasant,
painful and neutral feelings.

"Dependent on a sense-impression that is liable to be felt as
pleasurable, there arises a pleasant feeling. When that very
sense-impression liable to be felt as pleasurable has ceased, then the
sensation born from it [15] -- namely the pleasant feeling that arose
dependent on that sense-impression -- also ceases and is stilled.

"Dependent on a sense-impression that is liable to be felt as
painful (neutral), there arises a painful (neutral) feeling. When
that very sense-impression liable to be felt as painful (neutral) has
ceased, then the sensation born from it -- namely the painful
(neutral) feeling that arose dependent on that sense-impression --
also ceases and is stilled.

"Just as from the coming together and rubbing of two sticks of
wood heat results and fire is produced, and by the separation and
disconnection of the sticks, the heat produced by them ceases and
disappears, so it is also with these three feelings which are born of
sense-impression, rooted in sense-impression, caused by
sense-impression, dependent on sense-impression: dependent on a
sense-impression of a certain kind there arises a corresponding
feeling; by the cessation of that sense-impression the corresponding
feeling ceases."

11. Seclusion

Once a certain monk came to see the Blessed One and, after saluting
him respectfully, sat down at one side. Seated thus, he spoke to the
Blessed One as follows:

"When I went into seclusion, while I was in solitude, this thought
occurred to me: 'Three feelings have been taught by the Blessed One:
pleasant, painful and neutral feelings. But the Blessed One has also
said that whatever is felt is within suffering.' Now, with reference
to what was it stated by the Blessed One that whatever is felt is
within suffering?"

"Well spoken, monk, well spoken! While three feelings have been
taught by me, the pleasant, the painful and the neutral, yet I have
also said that whatever is felt is within suffering. This, however,
was stated by me with reference to the impermanence of (all)
conditioned phenomena (sankhara). I have said it because conditioned
phenomena are liable to destruction, to evanescence, to fading away,
to cessation and to change. It is with reference to this that I have
stated: 'Whatever is felt is within suffering.'

"I have further taught, monk, the gradual cessation of conditioned
phenomena. In him who has attained the first meditative absorption
(jhana), speech has ceased. Having attained the second absorption,
thought-conception and discursive thinking has ceased. Having
attained the third absorption, joy has ceased. Having attained the
fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation have ceased. Having
attained the sphere of the infinity of space, perception of form
(matter) has ceased. Having attained the sphere of the infinity of
consciousness, the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space
has ceased. Having attained the sphere of no-thingness, the
perception of the sphere of infinity of consciousness has ceased.
Having attained the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
the perception of the sphere of no-thingness has ceased. Having
attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and
feeling have ceased. In a taint-free monk greed has ceased, hatred
has ceased, delusion has ceased.

"I have further taught, monk the gradual stilling of conditioned
phenomena (//sankhara//). In him who has attained the first
meditative absorption, speech has been stilled. Having attained the
second absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking have
been stilled ... (//To be continued as above, up to//:) Having attained
the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have
been stilled. In a taint-free monk greed has been stilled, hatred has
been stilled, delusion has been stilled.

"There are, monk, these six quietenings. In him who has attained
the first absorption, speech is quietened. Having attained the second
absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking are quietened.
Having attained the third absorption, rapture is quietened. Having
attained the fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation is
quietened. [16] Having attain the cessation of perception and feeling,
perception and feeling are quietened. In a taint-free monk greed is
quietened, hatred is quietened, delusion is quietened."

12. In the Sky -- I

"In the sky, O monks, various kinds of winds are blowing: winds from
the east, west, north and south, winds carrying dust and winds without
dust, winds hot and cold, gentle and fierce. Similarly, monks, there
arise in this body various kinds of feelings: pleasant feelings
arise, painful feelings arise and neutral feelings arise.

"Just as in the sky above winds of various kinds are blowing:
Coming from the east or west, blowing from the north or south,
Some carry dust and others not, cold are some and others hot,
Some are fierce and others mild -- their blowing is so
different.

So also in this body here, feelings of different kind arise:
The pleasant feelings and the painful and the neutral ones.

But if a monk is ardent and does not neglect
To practice mindfulness and comprehension clear,
The nature of all feelings will he understand,
And having penetrated them, he will be taint-free in this
very life.
Mature in knowledge, firm in Dhamma's ways,
When once his life-span ends, his body breaks,
All measure and concept he has transcended."