And what are the six feelings? Feeling born of eye contact …ear contact …nose contact …tongue contact …body contact …mind contact. …
Let’s analyze what vedanānupassanā is. This is a gatha from the Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta:
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Vedanā means sensation. The Buddha says there are three types of sensations: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. The Buddha also mentions vedanā in paticcasamuppāda, dependent origination ( Vibhaṅgasutta: Analysis of Dependent Origination, SN 12.2). One can say that paticcasamuppāda is cause and effect, or the chain of dependent origination. In paticcasamuppāda, the Buddha explains that vedanā is the cause for the arising of taṇhā, craving.
Let’s analyze a bit what vedanā, sensation, is. What are the causes of sensation? How does taṇhā arise from sensation? The word taṇhā is usually translated as craving, thirst or passionate desire. However, in Buddhism, there is its own terminology, and for many concepts, there are no exact translations into other languages, so it is best to form one’s own understanding of the Pali terms.
The Buddha says there are three types of taṇhā. The first is kāmataṇhā, where kāma refers to sensual pleasures. Kāmataṇhā is when a person desires something that will bring them sensual pleasures. For example, we love to eat delicious food, listen to beautiful music, see beautiful things — all of this is kāmataṇhā.
The second type is bhavataṇhā. Bhava means existence. For example, when we feel happiness and want that happiness to continue, for it to exist — this is bhavataṇhā, the craving for existence, the desire to exist. For example, every person wants to continue their life. Or when we feel a pleasant sensation — we want it to continue.
The third type of craving is vibhavataṇhā. The prefix “vi-” here gives us negation, so this is the craving for non-existence, the desire for something not to be, or for something to cease. The most obvious example is pain: we want the pain to go away. Or, for example, a loud noise — we want to stop hearing it. Similarly, meeting an unpleasant person — we do not want to see them. This desire not to see, hear, feel, or smell something, for it not to exist — this is vibhavataṇhā.
Today’s topic is vedanā and vipassanā. The Buddha says that the cause of taṇhā is vedanā, or sensation: vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, with feeling as a condition, craving arises. Let’s look at how vedanā becomes the cause for taṇhā.
Imagine that there are different types of dishes. We look at them and feel like trying a particular dish. It seems to us that it will be delicious. Then, when the moment of choice comes, we take this dish, try it, and realize that it is too salty or too spicy. And after that, our desire to eat this dish disappears. Why does this happen? Because when we tasted the food and it touched our tongue — an unpleasant sensation, an unpleasant vedanā, arose in the body, and following that, aversion arose in us. And the cause of this aversion was the sensation. In the end, we do not love the food, but the sensations.
We say: I love pineapple, I love mango, I love durian, but in the end, we do not love pineapple, mango, and durian — we love the taste. If we look further, why do we love this taste, it turns out that it is not even the taste itself that we need, but the pleasant sensation we feel. That is why the Buddha says that the cause of taṇhā is vedanā, sensation.
There is another interesting point: taṇhā becomes the cause for upādāna. Upādāna is usually translated as attachment or clinging. We have many attachments: we are attached to food, housing, our country — all sorts of attachments. These attachments arise from taṇhā, craving. From the desire to obtain something (kāmataṇhā), the desire for something not to be (vibhavataṇhā), or the desire to preserve and continue a feeling (bhavataṇhā). Because of this, upādāna, attachment, arises.
Look at this: we love the taste because we need that feeling, that pleasant sensation. Therefore, desire arises and from this, taṇhā arises. Taṇhā arises towards this taste, and because of taṇhā, upādāna, attachment, arises. And we become attached to the mango, not just to the sensation.
The Buddha says there are five types of attachment:
- rūpa upādāna — attachment to form (or materiality);
- vedanā upādāna — attachment to sensation;
- saññā upādāna — attachment to perception;
- saṅkhāra upādāna — attachment to mental formations;
- viññāṇa upādāna — attachment to consciousness.
Rūpa upādāna means attachment to form. For example, if we like mangoes, then even among many other fruits, we immediately pay attention to the mango because of its attractive shape. This happens because we like the sensation. From the sensation arises craving, from the craving arises attachment to the form: vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ — with feeling as a condition, craving arises; with craving as a condition, attachment arises.
There are many different types of sensations, but we like certain ones, and we become attached to them. And then we constantly think: I like this, I love this. For example, I like this kind of music, but I don’t like that kind. This means there are already certain attachments to sensations.
The same goes for perceptions and everything else. Even when we hear a certain name, we immediately think: “Oh, I like this, I know this, this is good.” Even if we just hear a certain name, attachment immediately arises.
Next are saṅkhārā. We like to think within a certain system. We talk about clinging to mental formations, sankhāra upādāna, but I think it goes even deeper because there is also diṭṭhi upādāna — clinging to views. There are also some false views. A person may assert: “This is good, this is how it should be done, this is right.” And why do they say this — because they think so, they like it, they are attached to it. The reason for their assertions is their own beliefs, their own preferences and attachments.
There is also viññāṇa upādāna. Viññāṇa is translated as consciousness. Or, one could say, it is what we use to perceive the world, through which we perceive the world. And there is viññāṇa upādāna: attachment to consciousness. Even in our example with the mango, the final result is viññāṇa — what we have perceived. And we become attached to this consciousness.
These are the five types of attachment. If we go in the reverse direction, where is the cause? The cause was sensation. This is the nearest cause for taṇhā — sensation, vedanā. If we go even deeper, to the original cause, it is avijjā, ignorance. It is due to ignorance that all of this begins. Therefore, taṇhā has two causes: the nearest cause is sensation, and the distant (or original) cause is ignorance.
In fact, without overcoming avijjā, we cannot overcome taṇhā. A person cannot simply overcome taṇhā by itself. Let’s take the example of food again. Someone likes chocolate, how can they overcome their greed? After all, taṇhā is the cause of dukkha, suffering.
There are Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is the truth of suffering. The Second Noble Truth is about the cause of suffering; the cause of suffering is taṇhā. The Third Noble Truth is about the possibility of liberation from suffering: this is Nibbāna. The Fourth Noble Truth is about the Path to Nibbāna: this is the Noble Eightfold Path.
In the Four Noble Truths, taṇhā is also mentioned. Taṇhā is the cause of suffering. If we consider taṇhā in the context of paticcasamuppāda (dependent origination), then taṇhā has a cause — vedanā. Therefore, our goal is to overcome taṇhā to overcome suffering. How can this be done?
For example, if we have a craving for chocolate, how can we overcome it? People usually think there are two options. The first is to satisfy the desire, that is, when a desire for chocolate arises, we take it and eat it: if there is a desire, it needs to be satisfied. But then, although the sensation of satisfaction comes at the moment of consumption, after a while, the desire arises again. The desire does not stop: today we are satisfied, and tomorrow it starts all over again. It is as if our life or our body is a fire, and we need to constantly throw logs into it. We cannot stop, and this process never ends.
The second option, as people usually think, is to refuse chocolate. They believe that they can overcome this craving by willpower alone, simply by refusing to satisfy this desire.
These are the two extremes: to eat or not to eat. Do you think that by refusing chocolate, we can overcome our craving for it? This also won’t work because even if we do not eat chocolate — we still remember it, see it, see others eating it, and so on. Even when we just see it or remember it, we feel the desire to eat it.
People do all sorts of things to overcome themselves, their mental defilements, to calm themselves, to be satisfied with themselves. For this, people work, earn money, strive for power. The Buddha says that even if there were a rain of gold — people’s craving for gold would still not cease. No matter how much we get — our craving still remains with us. This extreme will not lead us where we need to go.
And the other extreme is to distance oneself from sensual pleasures. People do all sorts of things for this. People practice different forms of asceticism, for example, isolating themselves from society and going into caves, practicing silence, not seeing anyone, not communicating with anyone. During the time of the Buddha, some people even took a vow to live like a dog: sleep like a dog, eat like a dog, and so on. Why did they do this? Because they saw that all human habits are rooted in craving.
Why do I like this particular piece of clothing out of all the clothes? Because there is desire. Why do I like this particular type of tea out of all the types? Because there is craving. Therefore, people thought that to completely overcome craving, they needed to completely abandon these habits. So, people began to live by imitating animals. Or other people thought they needed to torture themselves: for example, by swimming when it was cold weather or sitting by a fire when it was hot. But they did not overcome thirst.
These are the two extremes. The Buddha says that both of these extremes are wrong. To overcome craving, we need to see its causes, both immediate and original. The immediate cause is vedanā, sensation. The original cause, where everything begins, is avijjā, ignorance — everything starts from there.
Two methods are usually used to explain dependent origination (paticcasamuppāda). One is an explanation through three lives: past, present, and future. But dependent origination can also be seen right here and now, in the present moment. This is the explanation I am using now.
Avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā: due to ignorance, volitional formations (saṅkhārā) arise. Saṅkhārā can be translated as volitional mental formations.
Saṅkhāra paccayā viññāna: due to mental formations, consciousness arises. What do we perceive? What appears in the mind. What thoughts appear in our minds, this is what our consciousness will be, and that is what we will know, what we will perceive. For example, if the thought “I am a good person” arises in the mind, then the mind perceives: “I am good.” The result is viññāna, the mind perceives that “I am a good person.”
Viññāna paccayā nāmarūpa. Nāmarūpa means mind and form, mental and material. Due to consciousness, mind and form arise.
Nāmarūpa paccayā salāyatana. Salāyatana means the six sense organs, six sense bases. Due to mind and form, the six sense organs arise.
Salāyatana paccayā phasso. Phassa means contact. Due to the six sense organs, contact arises.
Phassa paccayā vedanā: due to contact, sensation arises.
What does contact mean? For example, if sound enters the ear. If there is contact, then sensation follows. If there is an eye and colors, contact occurs, and then sensation appears. And so it is with all the sense organs.
Bhikkhus, these three feelings are born of contact, rooted in contact, with contact as their source and condition. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
In dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant, bhikkhus, a pleasant feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding feeling — the pleasant feeling that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as pleasant — ceases and subsides.
In dependence on a contact to be experienced as painful, a painful feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, the corresponding feeling — the painful feeling that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as painful — ceases and subsides.
In dependence on a contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the corresponding feeling — the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant—ceases and subsides.
Bhikkhus, just as heat is generated and fire is produced from the conjunction and friction of two fire-sticks, but when the sticks are separated and laid aside the resultant heat ceases and subsides; so too, these three feelings are born of contact, rooted in contact, with contact as their source and condition. In dependence on the appropriate contacts the corresponding feelings arise; with the cessation of the appropriate contacts the corresponding feelings cease.
Phassamūlakasutta: Rooted in Contact (SN 36.10),
translation by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
The Buddha says there are three types of sensations: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. The Buddha also says that sensation is an object for meditation; we can observe it and develop our mindfulness.
In the Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta, there are four objects for developing mindfulness, the four foundations of mindfulness. The first foundation is the body (kāya), and the second foundation is sensations (vedanā).
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
He dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati: to be aware of sensations as sensations.
The word ātāpī means a strong aspiration to overcome one’s mental defilements, sampajāno satimā means wisdom and mindfulness. A strong aspiration to overcome one’s mental defilements with mindfulness, neither being attached to the world nor rejecting it. This gatha can be translated as: “One dwells observing sensations as sensations, with the aspiration to overcome one’s mental defilements with wisdom and mindfulness, neither being attached to the world nor rejecting it.”
We observe sensations in the body, and it seems to us, for example, that this is the head. But the head is not actually one single part; it contains myriads of sensations. If a person, observing the sensations of the body, develops mindfulness, they will see that a vast number of subtle sensations arise and disappear. They can be pleasant, unpleasant, or simply neutral. When a person observes a sensation, they can see that when a pleasant sensation arises, the mind gets carried away by it and wants it to continue. When an unpleasant sensation arises, the mind rejects it and wants it to go away. And a neutral sensation the mind does not notice as a sensation. It is there, but it is not noticeable to us. We see neutral sensations with ignorance, and usually, we perceive a neutral sensation as “hand,” as “head,” as “I.” Therefore, neutral sensation are not usually as apparent as pleasant or unpleasant sensation; it is a very subtle sensation.
These three types of sensations can be further divided into two categories: sāmisa vedanā and nirāmisa vedanā. Sāmisa means sensation with mental defilement, and nirāmisa means sensation without mental defilement.
These explanations are more understandable to those who meditate on sensations, who practice using sensations. When a person observes their body sensations, they can see: there is an unpleasant sensation somewhere, but there is also aversion. And we should see both these unpleasant sensations and the aversion of the mind — this is sāmisa vedanā. For example, when we observe the body and see pleasant sensations somewhere, we can see not only the pleasant sensations but also the mind’s desire to feel them, the desire for these sensations to continue. These desires are the mental defilements.
In this way, we can constantly observe our mind and see how defilements arise in it. And when we observe the sensations of our body, we can see: there are pleasant sensations, there are unpleasant sensations, but they are accompanied by mental defilements.
And now we need ātāpī: the aspiration to overcome our defilements, to overcome our aversion and craving. For this, we observe. If we have wisdom and mindfulness, then we can see that these sensations are impermanent. Therefore, when we have wisdom and mindfulness, there is no personality in what we observe — it is all impermanent. And then the mind learns to observe sensations as sensations, without mental defilements. The mind sees that there is simply pain. If aversion arises with pain, then mental suffering immediately arises as well.
When physical pain appears, it is just a sensation in the body. But at the moment aversion arises in the mind, mental suffering arises as well. Then, due to aversion, various thoughts appear — this is also suffering. And then, because of these thoughts, our physical pain increases. So what do we have in the end: our pain increases, and not only does the body suffer, but our mind also suffers.
Therefore, if a person has wisdom and mindfulness (sampajāno satimā), they can see: this is not a permanent sensation, it will not always be like this, sensations constantly arise and disappear, arise and disappear, there is no permanence. And you cannot say that these sensations are “I.” Sensations have their own causes — it is contact. The sensation arose due to contact. Therefore, you cannot say that the sensation is “I.” The person sees that the sensation itself is suffering. But if, due to ignorance, they start reacting to the sensation — this increases suffering. With wisdom and mindfulness, the person sees the sensation as suffering, and ignorance as suffering. And they have the aspiration to overcome their mental defilements. With this, they observe sensations as sensations.
Then they see that there are simply sensations. And they can observe them just as sensations, and there are no mental defilements in this. This means that there is physical pain, but no mental aversion to it. There is physical ease, joy, some pleasant sensations, but no craving for them to continue; they can simply observe the sensation as it is. And they do not see the sensation as “I.”
In sensations, there is ignorance, so usually we perceive sensations as “I”: “this is my sensation”. Therefore, in sensations, we usually see: “this is the head, this is the hand, this is the back”, but in reality, a sensation is just a sensation. If we can see a sensation as a sensation, then the “I” will disappear. The parts of the body will disappear — only some sensation arises.
Then what is “head”? “Head” is perception. When I close my eyes, how do I know that I have a leg? How do I know this? Because I feel it. Because of sensations I know, through sensations I know. And I perceive these sensations as a leg, as a head. And I perceive painful sensations as “my head hurts,” “my leg hurts.” If I have even more ignorance, then I start thinking: “How will I walk later, since my leg hurts so much now, I probably won’t be able to walk.” And this is where the personality arises. This is a sensation combined with ignorance.
If we simply observe the sensation as a sensation, then we can observe nirāmisa vedanā — sensations without mental defilement. We can see that there are just sensations. Therefore, at the beginning, we simply observe the sensations of the body: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sensations. As the Buddha teaches: vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati — dwell observing sensations as sensations.
When unpleasant sensations (dukha vedanā) arise, observe these unpleasant sensations as unpleasant sensations. When pleasant sensations (sukha vedanā) arise, observe these pleasant sensations as pleasant sensations. When neutral sensations (adukkham-asukhā vedanā) arise, observe these neutral sensations as neutral sensations. When we start observing in this way, we begin to see that there are unpleasant sensations, but along with them, there are also mental defilements, aversion.
The Buddha says: if you see sāmisa vedanā, sensations with mental defilements, observe sensations with mental defilements as sensations with mental defilements. The Buddha does not say that we need to somehow change them, or try to react to them — there is no need to do anything. We should initially have the determination to overcome our mental defilements, but that is different. If we start reacting to sensations, it means we are creating new kamma, new suffering. Therefore, the Buddha says that if there is already a sensation with a mental defilement, observe it as a sensation with a mental defilement, and do not do anything. And further, when there is a pleasant sensation with a mental defilement, or a neutral sensation with a mental defilement — observe them as sensations with mental defilements.
Then the Buddha explains how to observe nirāmisa vedanā, sensations without mental defilements. If there are pleasant or unpleasant sensations without mental defilements, and we see them, we should not rejoice or be upset, we should not react to them. Simply observe these pleasant sensations, or unpleasant sensations, or neutral sensations as sensations without mental defilements.
This is what we do during vedanānupassanā. We develop our mindfulness and our wisdom. When a person observes in this way, they begin to notice and see how everything arises. Then they start to see not only sensations but also how the five aggregates (pañca khandha) arise.
For example, when we observe body sensations and hear a sound. We see: there was a sound, and it disappeared, and the sensation changed and disappeared. Then there was a perception (for example, a dog), and it also disappeared. There were some subtle saṅkhārā, like: “there’s a dog,” or “somewhere a dog is barking,” and they also disappeared. Arising and disappearing. And the person observes the arising and disappearing, then they do not see the external world, do not see a dog, a person, and so on somewhere out there. They see how it all arises and disappears in their own mind. This is pure vipassanā, seeing as it is.
And to practice pure vipassanā, a person must first know how our sense organs work. This knowledge is the foundation, the basis for practice. If they do not know how the Buddha explains this, then they will not have enough knowledge for pure vipassanā practice and will get lost somewhere along the way. Because one could say: “But the dog is there, if I go there, I will see it, I can pet it.”
But if a person knows the Dhamma well and practices the Dhamma, then they can see: the dog is a concept of the mind, and it arose in the mind. When I look, I can only see colors, nothing more; the eye perceives only colors. The eye is limited to perceiving colors; it cannot see dogs, people, or animals. The ear cannot hear people, animals, or music: the ear perceives only sounds. When we touch, we can feel only hardness, softness, pressure and temperature. And the dog is what arises in the mind. If there is ignorance, the dog remains, even though the sense organs constantly change, arise, and disappear, but in the mind, the same constant dog exists. This is bhava, existence.
Therefore, if a person meditates deeply, observing their body sensations, when they see only the sensations without mental defilements, or simply the sensations, they can also see how the world arises and how the world disappears. This is true vipassanā, very deep vipassanā.
Therefore, the observation of sensations brings us beneficial results. We develop our mind and train it. For example, to develop vedanānupassanā, a person sits and observes their body. Undoubtedly, sitting in one posture for a long time can be painful, but they do not run away from it, do not let aversion take over, do not change their posture, and practice patience as much as they can. Patience is a pāramitā, a virtue or perfection, so a practicing person develops their pāramī. Pāramī are the wholesome qualities that help us to be liberated from saṃsāra. There are ten in total, and all of them are developed during Buddhist practice.
Patience is always needed. Right now, we can sit and change our posture whenever we want. But if illness occurs and hospitalization is required, it will be impossible to move. We receive injections and undergo procedures, and we can’t do anything. What remains for us? We only have to endure, nothing more. If at such a moment we lack patience and wisdom, what will be in our mind? There will be aversion, anger, fear, hatred. And what will be the result? A bad rebirth. Until then, we will suffer and torment ourselves in the hospital, and after death, we will be reborn in a bad place.
Through studying the Dhamma and practicing, we can prepare ourselves. By observing painful sensations and not reacting to them, we train our mind to perceive unpleasant sensations simply as unpleasant sensations, without suffering. We usually think that unpleasant sensations are suffering, but this is not the case. In reality, these are two different aspects: the sensations themselves and the suffering of the mind.
Of course, at the deepest level, sensations themselves are also suffering, because sensations are part of saṃsāra and they constantly change, but there is nothing we can do about that now. If we look at it through paticcasamuppāda, these sensations arise due to past kamma. We are not creating these sensations now — they arise because of some past kamma, and we can no longer change them. However, if we now start thinking out of ignorance, “why is this happening to me?”, “why does my leg hurt so much now?”, “what should I do about it?”, “how can I stop this?” and so on, we are creating new kamma. New kamma arises — new suffering will arise in the future. Due to past kamma, these painful sensations appeared, and due to new kamma, new painful sensations will appear in the future; we cannot stop kamma.
We observe the sensations of the body and learn proper patience. Patience can also be of two types: proper and improper. It is not always good to endure; sometimes it is important to adequately respond to one’s sensations. For example, if a person is in great pain and wants to cry, it is sometimes important to express the pain and allow oneself to cry. We understand that if we endure this pain internally, it can manifest outwardly as bodily diseases or other problems.
What does proper patience mean? Proper patience is when there are unpleasant sensations, but we do not suffer from them. The mind does not suffer, does not react to them. For this, a person needs knowledge, skill, and mindfulness. This requires practice. We can get such practice precisely by observing the sensations of the body. In this way, we develop patience and equanimity of mind. Equanimity means a calm mind. When a pleasant sensation arises, there is no joyful excitement. When an unpleasant sensation or pain arises, there is no sorrow and aversion. There is equanimity, calmness of mind, and this is what we learn.
By observing the sensations of the body, we also develop our wisdom. The wisdom to see sensations as sensations, not as “I,” not as “mine,” not as something belonging to me. A sensation arises due to a cause: as long as there are causes, sensations exist; when the causes cease, sensations cease. Thus, wisdom develops.
Therefore, the Buddha says: this mindfulness and wisdom that we gain by observing the sensations of the body help us further develop mindfulness and wisdom. We should further develop and deepen our mindfulness and wisdom, using the mindfulness and wisdom that we already have. And this mindfulness and wisdom help us to become completely liberated. Complete liberation means liberation from all suffering. Therefore, vedanānupassanā will be useful to anyone, anyone can practice it and gain a beneficial result.
I wish you good practice, that you gain the right experience in meditation, and that this experience helps you to be liberated from all suffering!
Even if it were raining money,
you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures.
An astute person understands that sensual pleasures
offer little gratification and much suffering.
Thus they find no delight
even in celestial pleasures.
A disciple of the fully awakened Buddha
delights in the ending of craving.
Buddhavagga: The Buddhas (Dhp 186-187), translation by Ven. Bhikkhu Sujato
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