“Bhikkhus, an uninstructed ordinary person experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling, and a feeling which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant. Similarly, bhikkhus, a learned noble disciple experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling, and a feeling which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant. Therein, bhikkhus, what is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between a learned noble disciple and an uninstructed ordinary person?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, and have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One himself would clarify the meaning of this statement.”
“Then listen, bhikkhus, and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, an uninstructed ordinary person, when touched by a painful feeling, grieves, laments, wails, beats their chest, and becomes distraught. That person experiences two kinds of feelings—bodily and mental.
Suppose a man were struck by an arrow. Then, a second arrow were to strike him immediately afterwards in the same spot. In this way, the man would experience a feeling from two arrows.
In the same way, bhikkhus, an uninstructed ordinary person, when touched by a painful feeling, grieves, laments, wails, beats their chest, and becomes distraught. That person experiences two kinds of feelings—bodily and mental.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, when an uninstructed ordinary person is touched by a painful feeling, they become |resistant::aversive [paṭighavant]|. In one who resists painful feeling, the underlying tendency of aversion associated with painful feeling |gets reinforced::persists [anuseti]|.
Being touched by painful feeling, they delight in sensual pleasure. And why is that? Because, bhikkhus, an uninstructed ordinary person does not understand an escape from painful feeling apart from sensual pleasure. As they delight in sensual pleasure, the underlying tendency of lust towards pleasant feeling gets reinforced.
They do not understand, as it truly is, the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]|, the |passing away::disappearing, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]|, the |gratification::satisfaction, pleasure, enjoyment, sweetness [assāda]|, the |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]|, and the escape in regard to these feelings. Since they do not understand this as it truly is, the underlying tendency of ignorance associated with neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling gets reinforced.
If they experience a pleasant feeling, they experience it while being |entangled with::bound to, linked with, identified with [saññutta]| it. If they experience a painful feeling, they experience it while being entangled with it. If they experience a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, they experience it while being entangled with it.
Bhikkhus, this is called an uninstructed ordinary person—one who is bound to birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. I say that they are bound to suffering.
Bhikkhus, when a learned noble disciple is touched by a painful feeling, they do not grieve, do not lament, do not wail, do not beat their chest, and do not become distraught. They experience only one kind of feeling—bodily, not mental.
Bhikkhus, suppose a man were struck by an arrow, but a second arrow did not strike him in the same spot. In this way, that man would experience a feeling from only one arrow.
In the same way, bhikkhus, when a learned noble disciple is touched by a painful feeling, they do not grieve, do not lament, do not wail, do not beat their chest, and do not become distraught. They experience only one kind of feeling—bodily, not mental.
Furthermore, when touched by a painful feeling, they are not resistant. Since they do not resist painful feeling, the underlying tendency to aversion associated with painful feeling is not reinforced.
Being touched by painful feeling, they do not delight in sensual pleasure. And why is that? Because, bhikkhus, a learned noble disciple understands an escape from painful feeling apart from sensual pleasure. Since they do not delight in sensual pleasure, the underlying tendency to lust associated with pleasant feeling is not reinforced.
They understand, as it truly is, the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the drawback, and the escape in regard to these feelings. Since they understand this as it truly is, the underlying tendency to ignorance associated with neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is not reinforced.
If they experience a pleasant feeling, they experience it while being |disentangled with::free from, disengaged from, detached from [visaññutta]| it. If they experience a painful feeling, they experience it while being disentangled with it. If they experience a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, they experience it while being disentangled with it.
Bhikkhus, this is called a learned noble disciple—one who is freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. I say that they are freed from suffering.
This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between a learned noble disciple and an uninstructed ordinary person.
A |wise::intelligent, discerning [sapañña]| and learned person is not affected,
by feelings of pleasure and pain;
This is the great distinction in |skill::expertise, adeptness, competence [kusala]|,
between the wise and the ordinary.
For one who has realized the truth, who is learned,
who sees clearly this world and the next;
Pleasing things do not |stir::agitate, disturb, or excite [matheti]| their mind,
nor does the |unpleasant::dislikeable, disagreeable [aniṭṭha]| cause |repulsion::resistance [paṭighātameti]|.
They have dispelled |alignment::favor [anurodha]| and |opposition::aversion, resistance, hostility [virodha]|,
these are gone and no longer present;
Having understood the |unblemished::pure, stainless [viraja]|, sorrowless state,
they comprehend rightly, having crossed beyond |becoming::state of existence, rebirth [bhava]|.”