SN 36.7 Gelanna Sutta

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SN 36.7 Gelanna Sutta : The Sick Ward (1)
(This sutta is identical to SN-36.8, except that this one states that the feeling/sensation of pleasure, etc., is dependent on the body instead of on contact.) I have heard that on one occasion the Lord Buddha was staying near Vesali, in the Great Forest, at the Gabled Pavilion. Then, in the late afternoon, he left his seclusion and went to the sick ward and on arrival sat down on a prepared seat. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monks: "A monk should approach the time of death mindful & alert. This is our instruction to you all.

"And how is a monk mindful? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings/sensations in & of themselves... mind in & of itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. This is how a monk is mindful.

"And how is a monk alert? When going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert. This is how a monk is alert.

"So a monk should approach the time of death mindful & alert. This is our instruction to you all.

"As a monk is dwelling thus mindful & alert — heedful, ardent, & resolute — a feeling/sensation of pleasure arises in him. He discerns that 'A feeling/sensation of pleasure has arisen in me. It is dependent on a requisite condition, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this body. Now, this body is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. Being dependent on a body that is inconstant, fabricated, & dependently co-arisen, how can this feeling/sensation of pleasure that has arisen be constant?' He remains focused on inconstancy with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pleasure. He remains focused on dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pleasure. As he remains focused on inconstancy... dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pleasure, he abandons any passion-obsession with regard to the body & the feeling/sensation of pleasure.

"As he is dwelling thus mindful & alert — heedful, ardent, & resolute — a feeling/sensation of pain arises in him. He discerns that 'A feeling/sensation of pain has arisen in me. It is dependent on a requisite condition, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this body. Now, this body is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. Being dependent on a body that is inconstant, fabricated, & dependently co-arisen, how can this feeling/sensation of pain that has arisen be constant?' He remains focused on inconstancy with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pain. He remains focused on dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pain. As he remains focused on inconstancy... dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of pain, he abandons any resistance-obsession with regard to the body & the feeling/sensation of pain.

"As he is dwelling thus mindful & alert — heedful, ardent, & resolute — a feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain arises in him. He discerns that 'A feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain has arisen in me. It is dependent on a requisite condition, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this body. Now, this body is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. Being dependent on a body that is inconstant, fabricated, & dependently co-arisen, how can this feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain that has arisen be constant?' He remains focused on inconstancy with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He remains focused on dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain. As he remains focused on inconstancy... dissolution... dispassion... cessation... relinquishment with regard to the body & to the feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he abandons any ignorance-obsession with regard to the body & the feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain.

"Sensing a feeling/sensation of pleasure, he discerns that it is inconstant, not grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling/sensation of pain... Sensing a feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he discerns that it is inconstant, not grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling/sensation of pleasure, he senses it disjoined from it. Sensing a feeling/sensation of pain... Sensing a feeling/sensation of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he senses it disjoined from it. When sensing a feeling/sensation limited to the body, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling/sensation limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling/sensation limited to life, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling/sensation limited to life.' He discerns that 'With the break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.'

"Just as an oil lamp burns in dependence on oil & wick; and from the termination of the oil & wick — and from not being provided any other sustenance — it goes out unnourished; in the same way, when sensing a feeling/sensation limited to the body, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling/sensation limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling/sensation limited to life, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling/sensation limited to life.' He discerns that 'With the break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.'"

See also: Straight from the Heart.