Saṃyukta Āgama 289 (Part 4)

(IV) Original Text: A learned noble disciple skillfully contemplates and observes all instances of dependent origination. When pleasant contact gives rise to pleasant feeling, at the moment of experiencing pleasant feeling, one knows the feeling of pleasantness as it truly is. When that pleasant contact ceases, the feeling born from the condition of pleasant contact also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, tranquil, and ceases. As with pleasant feeling, so too with feeling arising from painful contact, pleasant contact, joyful contact, sorrowful contact, or equanimous contact: when experiencing equanimous feeling, one knows the feeling of equanimity as it truly is. When that equanimous contact ceases, the equanimous feeling born from the condition of equanimous contact also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, tranquil, and ceases. Contemplating thus: "These feelings are born from contact; they are bound by the pleasantness of contact. Because of the pleasantness of such-and-such contact, such-and-such pleasant feeling arises. When such-and-such pleasant contact ceases, such-and-such pleasant feeling also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, tranquil, and ceases."

Explanation: The Buddha said that a learned noble disciple should skillfully contemplate and observe all phenomena of dependent origination. Internally, when the conditions for pleasant contact converge and give rise to pleasant feeling, at the moment of experiencing pleasant feeling, one should know the feeling of pleasantness as it truly is. When pleasant contact ceases, the feeling born from the condition of pleasant contact also ceases, the mind becomes cool, tranquil, and ceases. Just as with pleasant feeling, when painful contact arises, one should know the feeling of pain as it truly is. Similarly, when joyful contact, sorrowful contact, or equanimous contact give rise to joyful feeling, sorrowful feeling, or equanimous feeling, one should know joyful feeling, sorrowful feeling, and equanimous feeling as they truly are. When the conditions for joyful contact, sorrowful contact, and equanimous contact cease, joyful contact, sorrowful contact, and equanimous contact also cease, and the mind becomes cool and tranquil.

A learned noble disciple should contemplate thus: Because these feelings induced by contact give rise to the pleasant feeling of contact and the bondage of contact—when the pleasant feeling of each contact arises, each pleasant feeling arises; when each pleasant contact ceases, each pleasant feeling also ceases, and the mind becomes cool and tranquil.

A learned noble disciple can skillfully contemplate and observe all instances of dependent origination. All phenomena in the world are born from conditions; there is not a single phenomenon not born from conditions. With causes and conditions, worldly phenomena assemble; without causes and conditions, phenomena do not arise. Different conditions give rise to different phenomena; thus, the physical bodies of sentient beings differ, and their living environments differ. Where do conditions come from? They are formed by seeds created by body, speech, and mind. A learned noble disciple can skillfully contemplate and observe all instances of dependent origination, whereas ordinary people do not contemplate or observe. They consider everything normal and take it for granted. When noble disciples observe dependent origination, they deeply investigate the source and conditions of birth, aging, sickness, and death, tracing back to the very first instance of dependent origination.

Using pleasant feeling as an example of phenomena born from conditions: painful contact, pleasant contact, joyful contact, sorrowful contact, and equanimous contact all give rise to feelings because they are born from conditions. The arising of these feelings—painful, pleasant, joyful, sorrowful, and equanimous—occurs because there is contact: painful contact, pleasant contact, joyful contact, sorrowful contact, equanimous contact. Without the condition of such contacts, these mental feelings would not arise. Therefore, the contacts of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity are all illusory; the feelings are also illusory, subject to birth, cessation, change, and impermanence. Behind all conditionally arisen phenomena, there are causes and mysteries.

What is equanimous feeling? It is feeling neither pain nor pleasure, neither comfort nor discomfort. It is as if one has forgotten oneself, without any other distinct feelings—this is called equanimous feeling. When does equanimous feeling arise? It arises more frequently during meditation. Occasionally, it is as if one forgets oneself and everything around them, experiencing neither pleasant nor painful feelings. That state is equanimous feeling. When the mind has concentration, one can clearly perceive: "I am now experiencing painful feeling," "I am now experiencing pleasant feeling," "I am now experiencing joyful feeling," "I am now experiencing sorrowful feeling," "I now truly know these feelings; I am aware of them as they are." If those contacts of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity cease, the feelings of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity will also disappear and cease. After cessation, one becomes tranquil, pacified; the mind becomes cool and serene.