The Buddha, by cross-reference to SN 35.19's own full equation
Form
A peyyāla stub, giving only the positive equation's opening line before eliding the rest
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
★☆☆☆☆ — understood only alongside SN 35.19
Why this discourse
This discourse completes this vagga's own fourth named pair, applying SN 35.19's own pleasure-equals-suffering equation to the six exterior sense objects, compressed to the opening positive claim alone: "if you take pleasure in sights, you take pleasure in suffering …"
Reading guide
The same equation, redirected outward
"If you take pleasure in sights, you take pleasure in suffering. If you take pleasure in suffering, you're not free from suffering, I say" — the identical opening claim as SN 35.19's own treatment of the eye, now applied to sights.
The converse elided here, unlike SN 35.19's own full treatment
Where SN 35.19 gave both the positive equation and its own precise negative converse in equal detail, this discourse compresses to the positive half alone, trusting the reader to supply the converse from the interior discourse.
Completing this vagga's own fourth named pair
With this discourse, "Taking Pleasure" (SN 35.19–20) closes, the fourth of five interior-exterior pairs this vagga works through.
Setting up this vagga's own final, genuinely unusual pair
SN 35.21–22 will close this vagga with its own fifth pair — and, unlike every pair so far, both halves will be given in full rather than one compressed.
Key terms
abhinandati — to take pleasure in — the same title-word as SN 35.19, carried over by cross-reference
dukkha — suffering — what taking pleasure in sights is directly equated with
rūpa — sights — the first exterior sense object named, standing in for all six
vadāmi — "I say" — the Buddha's own explicit attribution, carried over from SN 35.19
peyyāla — an elision mark — here compressing the remaining five sense objects and the entire negative converse half
The text
The discourse as the source itself preserves it, compressed to its opening line. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, if you take pleasure in sights, you take pleasure in suffering. If you take pleasure in suffering, you’re not free from suffering, I say. …”
· · ·
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
What does this discourse's opening line claim?
Correct: A. The identical opening claim as SN 35.19's own treatment of the eye, applied to sights.
Question 2 of 5
What does this discourse elide, unlike SN 35.19's own full treatment?
Correct: A. Trusting the reader to supply the converse from the interior discourse.
Question 3 of 5
What does this discourse complete?
Correct: A. The fourth of five interior-exterior pairs this vagga works through.
Question 4 of 5
What makes the vagga's own fifth and final pair genuinely unusual, compared to the first four?
Correct: A. SN 35.21–22 will close this vagga with its own genuinely different treatment.
Question 5 of 5
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. Consistent with this saṃyutta's other discourses, though given here only by cross-reference.
