The Related Discourses
5. Elements
| （四五三） 種種觸等 | 21 (453). The Variety of Contacts et al. (2) |
|---|---|
| 如是我聞： 一時，佛住舍衛國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「緣種種界生種種觸。 緣種種觸生種種受。 緣種種受生種種愛。 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “A variety of contacts arise dependent on the variety of elements. A variety of feelings arise dependent on the variety of contacts. A variety of cravings arise dependent on the variety of feelings. |
| 「云何種種界？ 謂十八界： 眼界、色界、眼識界⋯乃至⋯意界、法界、意識界。 是名種種界。 | 3. “What is the variety of elements? They are the eighteen elements: the eye element, form element, and element of visual awareness … up to … the mind element, idea element, and element of mental awareness. These are called the variety of elements. |
| 「云何緣種種界生種種觸？ 緣種種觸生種種受？ 緣種種受生種種愛？ 謂緣眼界生眼觸。 非緣眼觸生眼界。 但緣眼界生眼觸。 緣眼觸生眼受。 非緣眼受生眼觸。 但緣眼觸生眼受。 緣眼受生眼愛。 非緣眼愛生眼受。 但緣眼受生眼愛。 | 4. “How do the variety of contacts arise dependent on the variety of elements? How do the variety of feelings arise dependent on the variety of contacts? How do the variety of cravings arise dependent on the variety of feelings? Visual contact arises dependent on the eye element. The eye element does not arise dependent on visual contact. Visual contact only arises dependent on the eye element. Visual feeling arises dependent on visual contact. Visual contact does not arise dependent on visual feeling. Visual feeling only arises dependent on visual contact. Visual craving arises dependent on visual feeling. Visual feeling does not arise dependent on visual craving. Visual craving only arises dependent on visual feeling. |
| 「如是，耳⋯鼻⋯舌⋯身⋯意界緣生意觸。 非緣意觸生意界。 但緣意界生意觸。 緣意觸生意受。 非緣意受生意觸。 但緣意觸生意受。 緣意受生意愛。 非緣意愛生意受。 但緣意受生意愛。 | 5. “In this way, the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind element conditions the arising of mental contact. The mind element does not arise dependent on mental contact. Mental contact only arises dependent on the mind element. Mental feeling arises dependent on mental contact. Mental contact does not arise dependent on mental feeling. Mental feeling only arises dependent on mental contact. Mental craving arises dependent on mental feeling. Mental feeling does not arise dependent on mental craving. Mental craving only arises dependent on mental feeling. |
| 「是故，比丘，非緣種種愛生種種受。 非緣種種受生種種觸。 非緣種種觸生種種界。 但緣種種界生種種觸。 緣種種觸生種種受。 緣種種受生種種愛。 是名比丘當善分別種種界。」 | 6. “Therefore, monks, the variety of feelings do not arise dependent on the variety of cravings. The variety of contacts do not arise dependent on the variety of feelings. The variety of elements do not arise dependent on the variety of contacts. The variety of contacts only arise dependent on the variety of elements, the variety of feelings arise dependent on the variety of contacts, and the variety of cravings arise dependent on the variety of feelings. This is called the way a monk should discern well the variety of elements.” |
| 佛說是經已，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 7. After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
This is sūtra no. 453 in the Taisho edition and no. 712 in Yinshun (T99.2.116a22-b13, Y30.165a11-6a6). It’s parallel to SN 14.2-5.
This sūtra presents the same teaching as the previous one in a different format. See the notes to SĀ 5.20 for a summary of its parallels in SN 14. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 8 February 2026
Previous | Next |