The compressed arising/cessation formula, matching SN 26.3–4's own treatment
Length
Under a minute to read
Northern parallel
A rough counterpart may exist in the Chinese Saṃyukta-āgama (T99), though this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — brief and familiar by this point
Why this discourse
The fifth step: feeling (vedanā) born of each of the six contacts already examined, given the same arising/cessation identity — the same pivotal link SN 25.5 singled out as where the chain from contact to craving can potentially be interrupted, here declared suffering's own arising and cessation directly.
Reading guide
Six feelings, the same identity once more
"The arising of feeling born of eye contact... the arising of feeling born of mind contact... is the manifestation of old age and death" — each feeling's arising declared suffering's own arising, exactly as every category before it in this saṃyutta.
A slightly different compression shape
This discourse's own elision splits across two numbered sections rather than one (1.1–2.5), the arising half and cessation half each getting their own paragraph break — a minor structural variation from SN 26.3–4's own single-block compression, though the content itself follows the identical pattern.
Feeling as suffering's arising, not merely its trigger
Where ordinary usage might treat feeling as merely the occasion for craving to arise afterward, this discourse's framing collapses that distance: feeling's own arising already is suffering's arising, not a a neutral midpoint waiting to tip one way or the other.
Two links remain before craving
SN 26.6 and SN 26.7 will examine perception and intention with the identical formula, completing this saṃyutta's own version of the chain before SN 26.8 names craving directly.
Key terms
vedanā — feeling — the sensation born of contact, the subject of this discourse
cakkhusamphassajā vedanā — feeling born of eye contact — the first of the six feelings named, each explicitly traced to its producing contact
dukkhassa uppādo — the arising of suffering — asserted here directly of feeling's own arising, not merely feeling's downstream consequence
peyyāla — an elision mark — continuing this saṃyutta's compression pattern, split here across two sections
uppāda / nirodha — arising / cessation — this saṃyutta's own standing pair
The text
The complete discourse as bilara-data preserves it: the six feelings' arising and cessation, compressed. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, the arising of feeling born of eye contact … the arising of feeling born of mind contact …
§2is the manifestation of old age and death. The cessation of feeling born of eye contact … the cessation of feeling born of mind contact … is the disappearance of old age and death.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What six items does this discourse examine?
Correct: A. Feeling born of eye contact, ear contact, and the other four.
Question 2 of 10
How does this discourse's elision structure differ slightly from SN 26.3–4's own?
Correct: A. A minor structural variation, though the underlying pattern is the same.
Question 3 of 10
How does this discourse's framing of feeling differ from treating it as merely craving's occasion?
Correct: A. A more direct identity than the usual account of feeling as a mere occasion for craving.
Question 4 of 10
What earlier discourse in this project singled out feeling as a pivotal, potentially interruptible link?
Correct: A. The identical category, now given this saṃyutta's own direct arising/cessation treatment.
Question 5 of 10
What two links remain before this saṃyutta reaches craving?
Correct: A. Completing this saṃyutta's own version of the standard chain.
Question 6 of 10
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. Matching the setting of most discourses in this saṃyutta.
Question 7 of 10
What is the first of the six feelings named in this discourse?
Correct: A. Followed by feeling born of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact.
Question 8 of 10
What discourse comes next in this saṃyutta's sequence?
Correct: A. Continuing one link at a time through the standard chain.
Question 9 of 10
What threefold description does this discourse give for feeling's cessation?
Correct: A. The mirror of the arising formula, run in reverse.
Question 10 of 10
What is this saṃyutta's own recurring pair of terms?
Correct: A. The pair giving this saṃyutta its own working method and name.
