SN 35.136

Paṭhamarūpārāmasutta

“Rūpārāmā, bhikkhave, devamanussā rūparatā rūpasammuditā. Rūpavipariṇāmavirāganirodhā dukkhā, bhikkhave, devamanussā viharanti. Saddārāmā, bhikkhave, devamanussā saddaratā saddasammuditā. Saddavipariṇāmavirāganirodhā dukkhā, bhikkhave, devamanussā viharanti. Gandhārāmā … rasārāmā … phoṭṭhabbārāmā … dhammārāmā, bhikkhave, devamanussā dhammaratā dhammasammuditā. Dhammavipariṇāmavirāganirodhā dukkhā, bhikkhave, devamanussā viharanti. Tathāgato ca kho, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho rūpānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā na rūpārāmo na rūparato na rūpasammudito. Rūpavipariṇāmavirāganirodhā sukho, bhikkhave, tathāgato viharati. Saddānaṁ … gandhānaṁ … rasānaṁ … phoṭṭhabbānaṁ … dhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā na dhammārāmo, na dhammarato, na dhammasammudito. Dhammavipariṇāmavirāganirodhā sukho, bhikkhave, tathāgato viharati”. Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Liking Sights (1st)

“Mendicants, gods and humans like sights, they love them and enjoy them. But when sights perish, fade away, and cease, gods and humans live in suffering. Gods and humans like sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas, they love them and enjoy them. But when ideas perish, fade away, and cease, gods and humans live in suffering. The Realized One has truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape of sights, so he doesn’t like, love, or enjoy them. When sights perish, fade away, and cease, the Realized One lives happily. The Realized One has truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas, so he doesn’t like, love, or enjoy them. When ideas perish, fade away, and cease, the Realized One lives happily.” That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā, phassā dhammā ca kevalā; Iṭṭhā kantā manāpā ca, yāvatatthīti vuccati.

“Sights, sounds, tastes, smells, touches and ideas, the lot of them— they’re likable, desirable, and pleasurable as long as you can say that they exist.

Sadevakassa lokassa, ete vo sukhasammatā; Yattha cete nirujjhanti, taṁ tesaṁ dukkhasammataṁ.

For all the world with its gods, this is what they deem happiness. And where they cease is deemed as suffering for them.

Sukhaṁ diṭṭhamariyebhi, sakkāyassa nirodhanaṁ; Paccanīkamidaṁ hoti, sabbalokena passataṁ.

The noble ones have seen that happiness is the cessation of substantial reality. This insight by those who see contradicts the whole world.

Yaṁ pare sukhato āhu, tadariyā āhu dukkhato; Yaṁ pare dukkhato āhu, tadariyā sukhato vidū.

What others say is happiness the noble ones say is suffering. What others say is suffering the noble ones know as happiness.

Passa dhammaṁ durājānaṁ, sammūḷhettha aviddasu; Nivutānaṁ tamo hoti, andhakāro apassataṁ.

See, this teaching is hard to understand, it confuses the ignorant. There is darkness for the shrouded; blackness for those who don’t see.

Satañca vivaṭaṁ hoti, āloko passatāmiva; Santike na vijānanti, maggā dhammassa akovidā.

But the good are open; like light for those who see. Though close, they do not understand, the seekers inexpert in the teaching.

Bhavarāgaparetebhi, bhavarāgānusārībhi; Māradheyyānupannehi, nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho.

They’re mired in desire for continued existence, flowing along the stream of lives, mired in Māra’s dominion: this teaching isn’t easy for them to understand.

Ko nu aññatra mariyebhi, Padaṁ sambuddhumarahati; Yaṁ padaṁ sammadaññāya, Parinibbanti anāsavā”ti.

Who, apart from the noble ones, is qualified to understand this state? Having rightly understood this state, the undefiled are fully extinguished.”