The compressed corruption formula, matching SN 27.4–5'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
This saṃyutta's own halfway point: perception (saññā) of each of the six sense objects, given the same corruption/renunciation identity as every category before it, at the identical sequence position where both SN 25.6 and SN 26.6 marked their own halfway points.
Reading guide
Six perceptions, framed by object
"Desire and greed for perception of sights, perception of sounds, perception of smells, perception of tastes, perception of touches, or perception of ideas is a corruption of the mind. …" — naming perception by its object, matching both sibling saṃyuttas' own framing at this identical category.
A third saṃyutta reaching its own midpoint at the same category
SN 25.6, SN 26.6, and now this discourse all mark their respective saṃyuttas' halfway points — a structural regularity that holds because all three saṃyuttas share the identical ten-category sequence in the identical order.
Recognition, held to the same standard as everything else
Perception's usual role in the standard chain — identifying and labeling experience — receives no gentler treatment in this saṃyutta's own formula than the sense faculties did at SN 27.1: desire for it corrupts the mind just as directly.
Three categories still to come
SN 27.7 through SN 27.9 will continue through intention, craving, and the elements, before SN 27.10 closes this saṃyutta in full.
Key terms
saññā — perception — the cognitive act of recognizing and labeling sense experience, the subject of this discourse
rūpasaññā — perception of sights — the first of the six perceptions named, framed by object as at SN 25.6 and 26.6
chandarāga — desire and greed — this saṃyutta's own standing corrupting factor
nekkhamma — renunciation — where the mind inclines once this corruption is given up, implied though not restated here
cetanā — intention — the next link in this saṃyutta's own sequence (SN 27.7)
The text
The complete discourse as bilara-data preserves it: the six perceptions named a corruption of the mind. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, desire and greed for perception of sights, perception of sounds, perception of smells, perception of tastes, perception of touches, or perception of ideas is a corruption of the mind. …”
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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. Framed by object, matching both sibling saṃyuttas' own framing at this category.
Question 2 of 10
What milestone does this discourse mark, mirroring SN 25.6 and SN 26.6?
Correct: A. All three saṃyuttas mark their own halfway points at the identical category.
Question 3 of 10
Why does this structural regularity hold across all three saṃyuttas?
Correct: A. Confirmed repeatedly across SN 25, SN 26, and now SN 27.
Question 4 of 10
Does this saṃyutta treat perception's arising as less significant than earlier categories?
Correct: A. No distinction in severity is drawn between the earliest and latest links in the chain.
Question 5 of 10
What three categories remain after this discourse?
Correct: A. Completing this saṃyutta's own ten-part sequence.
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 perceptions named in this discourse?
Correct: A. Followed by perception of sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.
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 is this saṃyutta's own standing corrupting factor?
Correct: A. Unchanged throughout this saṃyutta's ten discourses.
Question 10 of 10
What role does perception play in the standard analytical chain?
Correct: A. A cognitive act of identification, given no gentler treatment here than any other link.
