SN 35.152

Kimatthiyabrahmacariyasutta

“Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti. Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:

What’s the Goal of the Spiritual Life?

“Mendicants, if wanderers who follow another religion were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’ You should answer them: ‘The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’ If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’ You should answer them:

‘Cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Rūpā dukkhā; tesaṁ pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Cakkhusamphasso dukkho; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …pe… jivhā dukkhā … mano dukkho; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati … yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Idaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; yassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti. Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

‘The eye is suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. Sights … Eye consciousness … Eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. This is that suffering. The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’ When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”