Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.152 15.

The Discourse on the Purpose of the Holy Life

Navapurāṇavagga Kimatthiyabrahmacariyasutta “Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

Disciples, if wanderers of other sects were to ask you:

Friends, for what purpose is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama? Being asked thus you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus:

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Friends, it is for the full knowing of suffering that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

But if those wanderers of other sects were to ask you:

Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamaṁ panāvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?

But, friends, what is that suffering for the full knowing of which the holy life is lived under the ascetic Gotama? Being asked thus you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus:

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘Cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Friends, the eye is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One. Forms are suffering; for the full knowing of these, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

Rūpā dukkhā; tesaṁ pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Eye-consciousness is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Eye-contact is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

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…

Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition: whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

The tongue and mind are also sources of suffering:

jivhā dukkhā …

the tongue is suffering …

mano dukkho; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …

the mind is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ; tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Whatever feeling arises with these as conditions: whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is suffering; for the full knowing of this, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

Idaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ; yassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

This, friends, is the suffering for the full knowing of which the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.

Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti. Sattamaṁ.

Being asked thus you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus.