1

Mahasalayatanika Sutta
(The Great Six Sense-media Discourse)
Majjhima Nikya 14

! ha"e heard that on one occasion the #lessed $ne %as stayin& near Sa"atthi in 'eta(s Gro"e) *natha+indika(s Monastery, There he addressed the monks- .Monks/. .0es) lord). the monks res+onded to him, .Monks) ! %ill teach you the &reat six sense-media 1discourse2, 3isten 4 +ay close attention, ! %ill s+eak,. .*s you say) lord). the monks res+onded, The #lessed $ne said- .Not kno%in&) not seein& the eye as it actually is +resent5 not kno%in&) not seein& 6orms,,,consciousness at the eye,,,contact at the eye as they actually are +resent5 not kno%in&) not seein& %hate"er arises conditioned throu&h contact at the eye -ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain -- as it actually is +resent) one is in6atuated %ith the eye,,,6orms,,,consciousness at the eye,,,contact at the eye,,,%hate"er arises conditioned 7y contact at the eye and is ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain, .8or him -- in6atuated) attached) con6used) not remainin& 6ocused on their dra%7acks -- the 6i"e a&&re&ates 6or sustenance head to%ard 6uture accumulation, The cra"in& that makes 6or 6urther 7ecomin& -accom+anied 7y +assion 4 deli&ht) relishin& no% this 4 no% that -&ro%s %ithin him, 9is 7odily distur7ances 4 mental distur7ances &ro%, 9is 7odily torments 4 mental torments &ro%, 9is 7odily distresses 4 mental distresses &ro%, 9e is sensiti"e 7oth to 7odily stress 4 mental stress, .Not kno%in&) not seein& the ear,,,Not kno%in&) not seein& the nose,,,Not kno%in&) not seein& the ton&ue,,,Not kno%in&) not seein& the 7ody,,,

2 .Not kno%in&) not seein& the intellect as it actually is +resent5 not kno%in&) not seein& ideas,,,consciousness at the intellect,,,contact at the intellect as they actually are +resent5 not kno%in&) not seein& %hate"er arises conditioned throu&h intellect-contact -- ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain -- as it actually is +resent) one is in6atuated %ith the intellect,,,ideas,,,consciousness at the intellect,,,contact at the intellect,,,%hate"er arises conditioned 7y contact at the intellect and is ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain, .8or him -- in6atuated) attached) con6used) not remainin& 6ocused on their dra%7acks -- the 6i"e a&&re&ates 6or sustenance head to%ard 6uture accumulation, The cra"in& that makes 6or 6urther 7ecomin& -accom+anied 7y +assion 4 deli&ht) relishin& no% this 4 no% that -&ro%s %ithin him, 9is 7odily distur7ances 4 mental distur7ances &ro%, 9is 7odily torments 4 mental torments &ro%, 9is 7odily distresses 4 mental distresses &ro%, 9e is sensiti"e 7oth to 7odily stress 4 mental stress, .9o%e"er) kno%in& 4 seein& the eye as it actually is +resent) kno%in& 4 seein& 6orms,,,consciousness at the eye,,,contact at the eye as they actually are +resent) kno%in& 4 seein& %hate"er arises conditioned throu&h contact at the eye -- ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither+leasure-nor-+ain -- as it actually is +resent) one is not in6atuated %ith the eye,,,6orms,,,consciousness at the eye,,,contact at the eye,,,%hate"er arises conditioned 7y contact at the eye and is ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain, .8or him : un-in6atuated) unattached) uncon6used) remainin& 6ocused on their dra%7acks -- the 6i"e a&&re&ates 6or sustenance head to%ard 6uture diminution, The cra"in& that makes 6or 6urther 7ecomin& -accom+anied 7y +assion 4 deli&ht) relishin& no% this 4 no% that -- is a7andoned 7y him, 9is 7odily distur7ances 4 mental distur7ances are a7andoned, 9is 7odily torments 4 mental torments are a7andoned, 9is 7odily distresses 4 mental distresses are a7andoned, 9e is sensiti"e 7oth to ease o6 7ody 4 ease o6 a%areness, .*ny "ie% 7elon&in& to one %ho has come to 7e like this is his ri&ht "ie%, *ny resol"e) his ri&ht resol"e, *ny e66ort) his ri&ht e66ort, *ny mind6ulness) his ri&ht mind6ulness, *ny concentration) his ri&ht concentration- just as earlier his actions) s+eech) 4 li"elihood %ere already %ell +uri6ied, Thus 6or him) ha"in& thus de"elo+ed the no7le ei&ht6old +ath) the 6our 6rames o6 re6erence &o to the culmination o6 their de"elo+ment, The 6our ri&ht exertions,,,the 6our 7ases o6 +o%er,,,the 6i"e 6aculties,,,the 6i"e stren&ths,,,the se"en 6actors o6

3 *%akenin& &o to the culmination o6 their de"elo+ment, 112 *nd 6or him these t%o ;ualities occur in tandem- tran;uility and insi&ht, .9e com+rehends throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e) a7andons throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e) de"elo+s throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e) and reali<es throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e= (The 6i"e a&&re&ates o6 clin&in&>sustenance)( should 7e the re+ly, ?hich 6i"e= 8orm as an a&&re&ate o6 clin&in&>sustenance,,,6eelin&,,,+erce+tion,,,6a7rications,,,consciousness as an a&&re&ate o6 clin&in&>sustenance, These are the ;ualities that are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e= !&norance 4 cra"in& 6or 7ecomin&- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e= Tran;uility 4 insi&ht- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e= @lear kno%in& 4 release- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e, .Ano%in& 4 seein& the ear,,,Ano%in& 4 seein& the nose,,,Ano%in& 4 seein& the ton&ue,,,Ano%in& 4 seein& the 7ody,,, .Ano%in& 4 seein& the intellect as it actually is +resent) kno%in& 4 seein& ideas,,,consciousness at the intellect,,,contact at the intellect as they actually are +resent) kno%in& 4 seein& %hate"er arises conditioned throu&h intellect-contact -- ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain -- as it actually is +resent) one is not in6atuated %ith the intellect,,,ideas,,,consciousness at the intellect,,,contact at the intellect,,,%hate"er arises conditioned 7y contact at the intellect and is ex+erienced as +leasure) +ain) or neither-+leasure-nor-+ain, .8or him : un-in6atuated) unattached) uncon6used) remainin& 6ocused on their dra%7acks -- the 6i"e a&&re&ates 6or sustenance head to%ard 6uture diminution, The cra"in& that makes 6or 6urther 7ecomin& --

4 accom+anied 7y +assion and deli&ht) relishin& no% this and no% that -is a7andoned 7y him, 9is 7odily distur7ances 4 mental distur7ances are a7andoned, 9is 7odily torments 4 mental torments are a7andoned, 9is 7odily distresses 4 mental distresses are a7andoned, 9e is sensiti"e 7oth to ease o6 7ody 4 ease o6 a%areness, .*ny "ie% 7elon&in& to one %ho has come to 7e like this is his ri&ht "ie%, *ny resol"e) his ri&ht resol"e, *ny e66ort) his ri&ht e66ort, *ny mind6ulness) his ri&ht mind6ulness, *ny concentration) his ri&ht concentration- just as earlier his actions) s+eech) 4 li"elihood %ere already %ell +uri6ied, Thus 6or him) ha"in& thus de"elo+ed the no7le ei&ht6old +ath) the 6our 6rames o6 re6erence &o to the culmination o6 their de"elo+ment, The 6our ri&ht exertions,,,the 6our 7ases o6 +o%er,,,the 6i"e 6aculties,,,the 6i"e stren&ths,,,the se"en 6actors o6 *%akenin& &o to the culmination o6 their de"elo+ment, 1*nd2 6or him these t%o ;ualities occur in tandem- tran;uility and insi&ht, .9e com+rehends throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e) a7andons throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e) de"elo+s throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e) and reali<es throu&h direct kno%led&e %hate"er ;ualities are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e= (The 6i"e a&&re&ates o6 clin&in&>sustenance)( should 7e the re+ly, ?hich 6i"e= 8orm as an a&&re&ate o6 clin&in&>sustenance,,,6eelin&,,,+erce+tion,,,6a7rications,,,consciousness as an a&&re&ate o6 clin&in&>sustenance, These are the ;ualities that are to 7e com+rehended throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e= !&norance 4 cra"in& 6or 7ecomin&- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e a7andoned throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e= Tran;uility and insi&ht- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e de"elo+ed throu&h direct kno%led&e, .*nd %hat ;ualities are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e= @lear kno%in& 4 release- these are the ;ualities that are to 7e reali<ed throu&h direct kno%led&e,. That is %hat the #lessed $ne said, Grati6ied) the monks deli&hted in the #lessed $ne(s %ords,

Note
1. These thirty-se"en ;ualities are collecti"ely termed the .%in&s to a%akenin&. (bodhipakkhiyadhamma). 8or a thorou&h discussion) see The Wings to Awakening) 7y Thanissaro #hikkhu, 8or 8ree Distri7ution $nly) as a Gi6t o6 Dhamma,