SN 35.70

Upavāṇasandiṭṭhikasutta

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “‘sandiṭṭhiko dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti?

Upavāṇa on What is Apparent in the Present Life

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha … and said to him: “Sir, they speak of ‘a teaching apparent in the present life’. In what way is the teaching apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves?”

“Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….

“Upavāṇa, take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience both the sight and the desire for the sight. There is desire for sights in them, and they understand that. Since this is so, this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….

Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …

Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti …pe… paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….

Next, take a mendicant who knows an idea with their mind. They experience both the idea and the desire for the idea. There is desire for ideas in them, and they understand that. Since this is so, this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi …pe….

Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. They experience the sight but no desire for the sight. There is no desire for sights in them, and they understand that. Since this is so, this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.

Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti …pe….

Next, take a mendicant who hears … smells … tastes … touches …

Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.

Next, take a mendicant who knows an idea with their mind. They experience the idea but no desire for the idea. There is no desire for ideas in them, and they understand that. Since this is so, this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”