Nandakovādasutta

Suttapiṭaka · Majjhimanikāya · Vol. 14 · Section 769

[769] "What do you think, sisters — is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent — is it suffering (dukkha) or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change (viparināmadhamma) — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "What do you think, sisters — is the ear permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Is the nose permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Is the body permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Is the mind (mano) permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent — is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Because, venerable sir, this has already been well seen by us as it really is (yathābhūta) with right wisdom: 'Thus these six internal sense bases (āyatana) are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! So indeed it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees as it really is with right wisdom."

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.

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