The Suitable Way for Attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment) (First Discourse)

Monks, I will teach you the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak…

And what, Monks, is the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment)?

Here, a Monk sees the eye as impermanent, he sees forms as impermanent, he sees eye-consciousness as impermanent, he sees eye-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the ear as impermanent, he sees sounds as impermanent, he sees ear-consciousness as impermanent, he sees ear-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the nose as impermanent, he sees odors as impermanent, he sees nose-consciousness as impermanent, he sees nose-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the tongue as impermanent, he sees flavors as impermanent, he sees tongue-consciousness as impermanent, he sees tongue-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the body as impermanent, he sees physical objects as impermanent, he sees body-consciousness as impermanent, he sees body-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with body-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the mind as impermanent, he sees mental objects as impermanent, he sees mind-consciousness as impermanent, he sees mind-contact as impermanent, he sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

This, Monks, is the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

(Reference: SN 35.147)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how The Six Internal Sense Bases, The Six External Sense Bases, and contact through these sense bases create the consciousness or awareness of discontent feelings and these feelings are impermanent.

For example, the eye comes in contact with a form and the mind becomes aware of this through the mind or consciousness. Whatever discontent feelings that arise as a result of this contact are impermanent.

This can be said of all The Six Internal Sense Bases and The Six External Sense Bases. Whether it is the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind, these are all impermanent. Forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects are also all impermanent.

The discontent feelings such as pleasant feelings, painful feelings, or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant that arise in the mind through contact through The Six Sense Bases are also impermanent.

The mind needs to be trained to eliminate the discontent feelings associated with contact through The Six Sense Bases to move the mind towards Enlightenment.

Understanding The Universal Truth of Impermanence, a Practitioner can then train the mind to no longer hold on or welcome discontent feelings into the mind based on impermanent conditions.

Detailed explanation on The Universal Truth of Impermanence is available in Chapter 4 of this same book series found in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).