“Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano sukhampi vedanaṁ vedayati, dukkhampi vedanaṁ vedayati, adukkhamasukhampi vedanaṁ vedayati. Bhikkhus, an unlearned ordinary person feels pleasant, unpleasant, and neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feelings. Sutavā, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sukhampi vedanaṁ vedayati, dukkhampi vedanaṁ vedayati, adukkhamasukhampi vedanaṁ vedayati. A learned noble disciple also feels pleasant, unpleasant, and neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feelings. Tatra, bhikkhave, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanenā”ti? What, then, is the distinction, disparity, and difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person?” *The two statements above set the context of the entire Sutta, and make plain that the first arrow (that which is shared by both individuals) is feeling in general, not “physical feelings” only, as it's sometimes interpreted. _vedanā_ denotes the affective quality of something, and not bodily sensations. Confusing the two wreaks havoc on the Dhamma. Sensations are _saññā_, and are limited to the 5th sense base; pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feeling is _vedanā_, and this arises in regard to every sense base (MN 148), including the sense of touch. Cutting themselves can feel pleasant and satisfying for some people, and being caressed by someone can be upsetting in some situations, showing how any given sensation can be _felt_ either pleasantly or unpleasantly.
Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe… Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”
assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. An unlearned ordinary person, when struck by unpleasant feeling, sorrows, wails, laments, beats their breast and becomes muddled. So dve vedanā vedayati—They feel two feelings: kāyikañca, cetasikañca. one bodily and one pertaining to the citta. *“kāyika” (bodily) here tends to be mistranslated as “physical”, implying that it refers to painful sensations. But the term for physical pain in Pali is _sārīrika dukkhā vedanā_, used for instance in the context of enduring heat, cold, harsh words of others etc. (e.g., AN 3.49). _kāyika_ refers to the six-sense base/five aggregates as a whole. For instance, SN 22.1 classifies “affliction in body (_kāya_)” as deterioration of *any* of the five aggregates, whereas “affliction in mind (_citta_)” is caused by appropriation being present when the aggregates deteriorate. The feeling arising from the death of a loved one or from an unpleasant mood would thus also be “bodily”, i.e., pertaining to the five aggregates. An extra layer of suffering in the _citta_ will be there on top of that when notions of ownership regarding the aggregates are present, and that is the second arrow. See [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMl8C1ViL1c) and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd9WZzxqAkE) for clarification on _citta_, which in this Sutta is best left untranslated to avoid confusion with _mano_ (see next comment).
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, purisaṁ sallena vijjheyya. It’s like someone who is pierced by an arrow, Tamenaṁ dutiyena sallena anuvedhaṁ vijjheyya. and is further pierced by a second arrow. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, puriso dvisallena vedanaṁ vedayati. Thus, they feel the feeling of two arrows.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. In the same way, bhikkhus, an unlearned ordinary person, when struck by unpleasant feeling, sorrows, wails, laments, beats their breast and becomes muddled. So dve vedanā vedayati—They feel two feelings: kāyikañca, cetasikañca. one bodily and one pertaining to the citta. *The word _cetasika_ here is key and rules out any suggestion of a contrast being made between the five physical senses and the sixth sense, which is _mano_, not _citta_. That _citta_ is not the same as _mano_ is illustrated by Suttas like AN 6.55, where it’s stated that the Arahant’s _citta_ remains unperturbed despite intense phenomena arising for _mano_.
Tassāyeva kho pana dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno paṭighavā hoti. Struck by that same unpleasant feeling, they resist it. *—[and that is the sole reason why they suffer.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8R1za5f9sI) That resistance is the inevitable result of the implicit sense of ownership that a _puthujjana_ does not know how to overcome (_sakkāyadiṭṭhi_ or personality-view). Only with the view that one is in a privileged position of control—of being somehow “outside” and “above” the five aggregates and thus being able to manipulate them freely—is resistance conceivable. Tamenaṁ dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighavantaṁ, yo dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo, so anuseti. Thus, the underlying tendency to resistance against unpleasant feeling underlies them.
So dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno kāmasukhaṁ abhinandati. Struck by unpleasant feeling, they delight in the pleasure of sensuality. Taṁ kissa hetu? Why is that? Na hi so, bhikkhave, pajānāti assutavā puthujjano aññatra kāmasukhā dukkhāya vedanāya nissaraṇaṁ, Because, bhikkhus, an unlearned ordinary person doesn’t understand any escape from unpleasant feeling apart from the pleasure of sensuality. *The pleasure of sensuality serves as a “cover up” to avoid facing the displeasure and dissatisfaction [that would be there otherwise](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Q94MYr3Qc). tassa kāmasukhañca abhinandato, yo sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo, so anuseti. Since they delight in the pleasure of sensuality, the underlying tendency to passion for pleasant feeling underlies them.
So tāsaṁ vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. They don’t understand as they are the origin, ending, gratification, woe, and escape from those feelings. Tassa tāsaṁ vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ appajānato, yo adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo, so anuseti. Since they don’t understand as they are the origin, ending, gratification, woe, and escape from those feelings, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling underlies them. *A discussion on [“neutral” feeling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow4u4hHQwL8).
So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, saññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it yoked. Dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, saññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel an unpleasant feeling, they feel it yoked. Adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, saññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling, they feel it yoked.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘assutavā puthujjano saññutto jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, saññutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. This is called an unlearned ordinary person who is yoked to birth, old age, and death, to sorrows, lamentations, pains, dissatisfactions, and tribulations; who is yoked to suffering, I say.
Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno na socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. But, bhikkhus, a learned noble disciple, when struck by unpleasant feeling, doesn’t sorrow, wail, lament, beat their breast or become muddled. So ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati—They feel one feeling: kāyikaṁ, na cetasikaṁ. one bodily, and none pertaining to the citta. *Since this depends on the understanding of the nature of feeling, which is gained only with the [Right View](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn%209), there is no way for a _puthujjana_ not to be struck by the second arrow if an unpleasant feeling has arisen. If a _puthujjana_ is not suffering on a given occasion, it has to be because the present *feeling* is not actually unpleasant, even if the *perceptions* (bodily sensations) involved are things that would make most people suffer. An example of this would be soldiers, whose tolerance of intense physical sensations is way above average. Their tolerance of _feeling_ is an entirely different matter, however, which is why they aren't any closer to becoming noble disciples than normal people.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, purisaṁ sallena vijjheyya. It’s like someone who is pierced by an arrow, Tamenaṁ dutiyena sallena anuvedhaṁ na vijjheyya. But not by a second arrow. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, puriso ekasallena vedanaṁ vedayati. Thus, they feel the feeling of one arrow.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno na socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. In the same way, a learned noble disciple, when struck by unpleasant feeling, doesn’t sorrow, wail, lament, beat their breast or become muddled. So ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati—They feel one feeling: kāyikaṁ, na cetasikaṁ. one bodily, and none pertaining to the citta.
Tassāyeva kho pana dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno paṭighavā na hoti. Struck by unpleasant feeling, they don’t resist it. Tamenaṁ dukkhāya vedanāya appaṭighavantaṁ, yo dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo, so nānuseti. Thus, the underlying tendency to resistance against unpleasant feeling does not underlie them.
So dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno kāmasukhaṁ nābhinandati. Struck by unpleasant feeling, they don’t delight in the pleasure of sensuality. *The first two types of noble disciples, the stream-enterer and once-returner, are still subject to the fetter of sensual desire, and so they theoretically can experience craving for sensuality on occasions of heedlessness. But the difference remains that for them, that pleasure would no longer be used as a tool to escape and cover up an unpleasant feeling, as they know that this is futile, and they also know the actual escape. Their sensual craving, despite still being a defilement from an Arahant's point of view, is not accompanied by the vast amounts of delusion and self-deception with which the ordinary person would seek sensual pleasures. Taṁ kissa hetu? Why is that? Pajānāti hi so, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako aññatra kāmasukhā dukkhāya vedanāya nissaraṇaṁ. Because a learned noble disciple understands the escape from unpleasant feeling that is apart from the pleasure of sensuality. *The escape is nothing but the cessation of craving against the feeling _while_ it persists, hence the metaphor of being “unyoked” just below. Replacing an unpleasant feeling with a different feeling, the principle of [“management”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zndwMKAszWM) that the majority of contemporary practices revolve around, is not at all an escape. It results in simply being “yoked” to something less unpleasant for the time being, and it's essentially about evading the first arrow so as to circumstantially prevent the second one. Tassa kāmasukhaṁ nābhinandato yo sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo, so nānuseti. Since they don’t delight in the pleasure of sensuality, the underlying tendency to passion for pleasant feeling does not underlie them.
So tāsaṁ vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavaṁ ca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. They understand as they are the origin, ending, gratification, woe, and escape from those feelings. Tassa tāsaṁ vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānato, yo adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo, so nānuseti. Since they understand as they are the origin, ending, gratification, woe, and escape from those feelings, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling does not underlie them.
So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it unyoked. Dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel an unpleasant feeling, they feel it unyoked. Adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati. If they feel a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling, they feel it unyoked.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘sutavā ariyasāvako visaññutto jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, visaññutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. This is called a learned noble disciple who is unyoked from birth, old age, and death, from sorrows, lamentations, pains, dissatisfactions, and tribulations; who is unyoked from suffering, I say.
Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso, ayaṁ adhippayāso, idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanenāti. This is the distinction, disparity, and difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person.
Na vedanaṁ vedayati sapañño, One who understands and is learned does not feel a feeling *“Not feeling a feeling”: as said above, the feeling is there, but the noble disciple is “unyoked” from it. Sukhampi dukkhampi bahussutopi; of pleasure or unpleasure. Ayañca dhīrassa puthujjanena, This is the great distinction Mahā viseso kusalassa hoti. between the wise and skilled, and the ordinary person.
Saṅkhātadhammassa bahussutassa, A learned person who has comprehended the teaching Vipassato lokamimaṁ parañca; sees through this world and the next. Iṭṭhassa dhammā na mathenti cittaṁ, Desirable things don’t agitate their mind Aniṭṭhato no paṭighātameti. nor are they repelled by the undesirable.
Tassānurodhā athavā virodhā, Both welcoming and opposing Vidhūpitā atthagatā na santi; are dispelled and vanished, they are absent. Padañca ñatvā virajaṁ asokaṁ, Knowing the stainless, sorrowless state Sammā pajānāti bhavassa pāragū”ti. they—gone beyond being—understand rightly. ”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=sn36.6