9.
The Discourse on Many Kinds of Feeling
88. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga approached the Venerable Udāyī; having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Udāyī and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the carpenter Pañcakaṅga said this to the Venerable Udāyī - "How many feelings, Venerable Udāyī, have been spoken of by the Blessed One?" "Three feelings, carpenter, have been spoken of by the Blessed One. Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling - these, carpenter, are the three feelings spoken of by the Blessed One." When this was said, the carpenter Pañcakaṅga said this to the Venerable Udāyī - "No indeed, Venerable Udāyī, three feelings have not been spoken of by the Blessed One; two feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One - pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling. That which is neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling, venerable sir, this has been spoken of by the Blessed One as being in the peaceful, superior happiness." For the second time the Venerable Udāyī said this to the carpenter Pañcakaṅga - "No indeed, householder, two feelings have not been spoken of by the Blessed One; three feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One. Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling - these, carpenter, are the three feelings spoken of by the Blessed One." For the second time the carpenter Pañcakaṅga said this to the Venerable Udāyī - "No indeed, Venerable Udāyī, three feelings have not been spoken of by the Blessed One; two feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One - pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling. That which is neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling, venerable sir, this has been spoken of by the Blessed One as being in the peaceful, superior happiness." For the third time the Venerable Udāyī said this to the carpenter Pañcakaṅga - "No indeed, carpenter, two feelings have not been spoken of by the Blessed One; three feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One. Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling - these, carpenter, are the three feelings spoken of by the Blessed One." For the third time the carpenter Pañcakaṅga said this to the Venerable Udāyī - "No indeed, Venerable Udāyī, three feelings have not been spoken of by the Blessed One, two feelings have been spoken of by the Blessed One - pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling. That which is neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling, venerable sir, this has been spoken of by the Blessed One as being in the peaceful, superior happiness." Indeed the Venerable Udāyī was not able to convince the carpenter Pañcakaṅga, nor was the carpenter Pañcakaṅga able to convince the Venerable Udāyī.
89. The Venerable Ānanda heard this friendly conversation of the Venerable Udāyī with the carpenter Pañcakaṅga. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda reported to the Blessed One all the friendly conversation that the Venerable Udāyī had with the carpenter Pañcakaṅga. When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Ānanda - "There is indeed an existing exposition, Ānanda, for which the carpenter Pañcakaṅga did not give thanks to Udāyī, and there is indeed an existing exposition for which Udāyī did not give thanks to the carpenter Pañcakaṅga. Two feelings, Ānanda, have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, three feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, five feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, six feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, eighteen feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, thirty-six feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition, one hundred and eight feelings also have been spoken of by me by way of exposition. Thus, Ānanda, the Teaching has been taught by me by way of exposition. When the Teaching has been thus taught by me by way of exposition, Ānanda, those who will not approve, will not agree with, will not give thanks for each other's well-spoken and well-said words, for them this is to be expected - they will dwell quarrelling, disputing, engaging in contention, wounding each other with verbal daggers. Thus, Ānanda, the Teaching has been taught by me by way of exposition. When the Teaching has been thus taught by me by way of exposition, Ānanda, those who will approve, will agree with, will give thanks for each other's well-spoken and well-said words, for them this is to be expected - they will dwell in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection."
90. "There are, Ānanda, these five types of sensual pleasure. Which five? Forms cognizable by eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing; sounds cognizable by ear... etc. odours cognizable by nose... etc. flavours cognizable by tongue... etc. tangible objects cognizable by body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing - these, Ānanda, are the five types of sensual pleasure. Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on these five types of sensual pleasure, Ānanda, this is called sensual happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus - 'This is the utmost happiness and pleasure that beings experience,' that I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? There is, Ānanda, another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus - 'This is the utmost happiness and pleasure that beings experience,' that I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? There is, Ānanda, another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a monk... etc. he enters and dwells in the second meditative absorption. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the fading away of rapture, a monk... etc. he enters and dwells in the third meditative absorption. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the abandoning of pleasure, a monk... etc. he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite space. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite consciousness. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of nothingness. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus... etc. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the complete transcendence of the plane of nothingness, a monk enters and dwells in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
"Whoever, Ānanda, should speak thus - 'This is the utmost happiness and pleasure that beings experience,' that I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? There is, Ānanda, another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness. And what, Ānanda, is that other happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness? Here, Ānanda, with the complete transcendence of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a monk enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. This, Ānanda, is another happiness more brilliant and more sublime than that happiness.
91. "Now, Ānanda, there is this possibility, that heterodox wandering ascetics would speak thus - 'The ascetic Gotama speaks of the cessation of perception and feeling; and he declares that as happiness. What is this, how is this?' Ānanda, heterodox wandering ascetics who speak thus should be told thus - 'No indeed, friend, the Blessed One does not declare happiness with reference to pleasant feeling only; but, friend, wherever happiness is found, in whatever place, that the Truth-finder declares as happiness.'"
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the Venerable Ānanda rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on Many Kinds of Feeling is concluded as ninth.