Reading guide
Seven cases: four rounds plus three more
The discourse's title concept is precisely additive: to SN 22.56's four rounds (the aggregate, its origin, its cessation, the path to cessation), this discourse adds three more — the aggregate's gratification, drawback, and escape, the same triad SN 22.26-28 explored at length earlier in the book. Seven items in total, all applied to each of the five aggregates in turn.
The same precise per-aggregate definitions as SN 22.56
This discourse reuses SN 22.56's exact technical definitions: form as the four principal states and derived form, originating from fuel; feeling, perception, and choices as six classes each, originating from contact; consciousness as six classes, originating from name and form; and the noble eightfold path named identically as the practice leading to each aggregate's cessation.
Gratification, drawback, and escape, appended to each definition
After the four-round definition for each aggregate, the discourse adds the familiar gratification/drawback/escape formula from SN 22.26: the pleasure and happiness arising from the aggregate is its gratification; its impermanence, suffering, and perishability is its drawback; removing desire and greed for it is its escape. Two established frameworks are stitched together into one continuous analysis for each of the five aggregates.
A third dimension: three ways of examining
Beyond the seven cases, the discourse adds one further requirement: examining “by way of the elements, sense fields, and dependent origination” — three additional analytical lenses this discourse names but does not itself elaborate in detail, pointing beyond Khandhavagga's own subject matter toward material this site's later books (Saḷāyatanavagga on the sense fields, and the already-completed Nidānavagga on dependent origination) address at length. A mendicant meeting all of this — seven cases per aggregate and three ways of examining — earns the discourse's highest title: consummate, accomplished, a supreme person.
Key terms
The text
§1“Mendicants, in this teaching and training a mendicant who is skilled in seven cases and who examines in three ways is called consummate, accomplished, a supreme person. And how is a mendicant skilled in seven cases? It’s when a mendicant understands form, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They understand form’s gratification, drawback, and escape.
§2consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They understand consciousness’s gratification, drawback, and escape.
§3And what is form? The four principal states, and form derived from the four principal states. This is called form. Form originates from fuel. When fuel ceases, form ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of form is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
§4The pleasure and happiness that arise from form: this is its gratification. That form is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback. Removing and giving up desire and greed for form: this is its escape.
§5Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known form in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation; its gratification, drawback, and escape—and are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form: they are practicing well. Those who practice well have a footing in this teaching and training.
§6Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known form in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation; its gratification, drawback, and escape—and due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form, are freed by not grasping: they are well freed. Those who are well freed are consummate ones. For consummate ones, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.
§7And what is feeling? There are these six classes of feeling: feeling born of eye contact … feeling born of mind contact. This is called feeling. Feeling originates from contact. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of feelings is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
§8The pleasure and happiness that arise from feeling: this is its gratification. That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback. Removing and giving up desire and greed for feeling: this is its escape. …
§9And what is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness. This is called consciousness. Consciousness originates from name and form. When name and form cease, consciousness ceases. The practice that leads to the cessation of consciousness is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
§10The pleasure and happiness that arise from consciousness: this is its gratification. That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback. Removing and giving up desire and greed for consciousness: this is its escape.
§11Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known consciousness in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation; its gratification, drawback, and escape—and are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness: they are practicing well. Those who practice well have a footing in this teaching and training.
§12Those ascetics and brahmins who have directly known consciousness in this way—and its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation; its gratification, drawback, and escape—and due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness, are freed by not grasping: they are well freed. Those who are well freed are consummate ones. For consummate ones, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found. That’s how a mendicant is skilled in seven cases.
§13And how does a mendicant examine in three ways? It’s when a mendicant examines by way of the elements, sense fields, and dependent origination. That’s how a mendicant examines in three ways. In this teaching and training, a mendicant who is skilled in seven cases and who examines in three ways is called consummate, accomplished, a supreme person.”
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