The Suitable Way for Attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment) (Second 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 discontentedness, he sees forms as discontentedness, he sees eye-consciousness as discontentedness, he sees eye-contact as discontentedness, he sees as discontentedness whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

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

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

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

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

He sees the mind as discontentedness, he sees mental objects as discontentedness, he sees mind-consciousness as discontentedness, he sees mind-contact as discontentedness, he sees as discontentedness 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 35.148)

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 discontentedness.

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 is discontentedness.

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 potential sources of discontentedness. Forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects are also all potential sources of discontentedness.

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 discontentedness.

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 Discontentedness, 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 Discontentedness 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).