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Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 35.15

In Search of Gratification (Interior)

Paṭhamaassādapariyesanasutta — Yamakavagga

Setting
Sāvatthī
Speakers
The Buddha, describing his own past search in the first person
Form
A threefold search-and-discovery formula applied to all six interior sense fields, closing with the same awakening declaration as SN 35.13
Length
~2 minutes 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
★★☆☆☆ — straightforward once SN 35.13's own triad is clear

Why this discourse

This discourse opens this vagga's own second named pair, reusing SN 35.13's own gratification-drawback-escape triad but reframing it as an active search rather than a reflective question: "I went in search of the eye's gratification, and I found it. I've seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the eye's gratification" — the same threefold structure, now emphasizing discovery and thorough comprehension rather than initial inquiry.

Reading guide

A search, not merely a question

"I went in search of the eye's gratification, and I found it" — where SN 35.13 asked what gratification, drawback, and escape might be, this discourse describes actively seeking each one out and genuinely finding it.

Emphasis on the full extent, seen with wisdom

Each of the three terms receives its own claim of complete comprehension: "I've seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the eye's gratification" — repeated for drawback and escape too, stressing thoroughness rather than merely first contact.

The identical closing declaration as SN 35.13

This discourse closes with the same structure as SN 35.13's own ending: awakening withheld until this specific sixfold, threefold understanding was complete, confirming this vagga's own second pair shares the first pair's closing formula even while varying its own opening framing.

Second of this vagga's own five named pairs

SN 35.16 will apply this identical search-and-discovery structure to the exterior sense objects, compressed as before, completing this vagga's own "In Search of Gratification" pair.

Key terms

pariyesana — search, or seeking — this discourse's own title-word, distinguishing its active framing from SN 35.13's own reflective question
assāda — gratification — the first term sought and found, as at SN 35.13
ādīnava — drawback — the second term, likewise sought and found
nissaraṇa — escape — the third term, likewise sought and found
paññāya sudiṭṭho — "seen clearly with wisdom" — this discourse's own recurring phrase for the depth of each discovery

The text

The complete discourse: the threefold search for gratification, drawback, and escape applied to all six interior sense fields, closing with the awakening declaration. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“Mendicants, I went in search of the eye’s gratification, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the eye’s gratification. I went in search of the eye’s drawback, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the eye’s drawback. I went in search of escape from the eye, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of escape from the eye. I went in search of the ear’s … nose’s … tongue’s …

§2body’s … mind’s gratification, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the mind’s gratification. I went in search of the mind’s drawback, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the mind’s drawback. I went in search of escape from the mind, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of escape from the mind.

§3As long as I didn’t truly understand these six interior sense fields’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening … But when I did truly understand … Knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”

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Self-check quiz

5 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 5
How does this discourse's framing differ from SN 35.13's own?
Correct: A. A search-and-discovery framing rather than SN 35.13's own reflective question.
Question 2 of 5
What recurring phrase emphasizes the depth of each discovery?
Correct: A. Repeated for gratification, drawback, and escape, stressing thoroughness.
Question 3 of 5
How does this discourse's closing compare to SN 35.13's own?
Correct: A. Confirming the two pairs share the same closing formula despite varying their own opening framing.
Question 4 of 5
What does this discourse open?
Correct: A. SN 35.16 will apply this same structure to the exterior sense objects, compressed.
Question 5 of 5
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. Consistent with this saṃyutta's other discourses.
Answered 0 of 5 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 35.14 · Before My Awakening (Exterior)