The Buddha addressing the mendicants (by cross-reference)
Form
A peyyāla stub, mirroring SN 35.2's own compressed shape for the exterior sense objects
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 35.1 and SN 35.4
Why this discourse
The second term of this vagga's own exterior cycle: the six exterior sense objects declared suffering directly, compressed in the identical manner as SN 35.2's own treatment of the interior sense fields, right down to eliding everything past the opening line.
Reading guide
The exterior's own turn at the compressed shape
"Sights are suffering. What's suffering is not-self …" — this discourse compresses exactly as SN 35.2 did for the interior sense fields, eliding the remaining five sense objects and the closing formula alike.
Confirming the interior-exterior parallel holds structurally
This discourse's own compression mirrors SN 35.2's shape precisely, confirming that this vagga's own "full opening, then two compressed follow-ups" pattern applies identically to both the interior and exterior halves of its own structure.
Second of the exterior's own three-term cycle
With impermanence (SN 35.4) and now suffering both applied to the exterior sense objects, only not-self (SN 35.6) remains to complete this vagga's own second three-discourse cycle.
A genuine feature of transmission, not an omission
As with other short peyyāla stubs elsewhere in this project's coverage of the Saṃyutta Nikāya, this discourse's brevity is quoted here exactly as the source gives it rather than expanded into invented prose.
Key terms
dukkha — suffering — this discourse's own starting point, the second term in the exterior's own three-part cycle
rūpa — sights — the first exterior sense object named, standing in for all six by cross-reference
bāhira — exterior — the six sense objects this discourse concerns
anattā — not-self — the term this discourse derives from suffering, closing its own opening line
peyyāla — an elision mark — here compressing the remaining five sense objects and the closing liberation formula
The text
The discourse as the source itself preserves it, compressed to its opening line. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, sights are suffering. What’s suffering is not-self. And what’s not-self should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ …”
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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
What does this discourse declare suffering?
Correct: A. The second term of this vagga's own exterior cycle.
Question 2 of 5
How does this discourse's compression compare to SN 35.2's own?
Correct: A. Confirming this vagga's own pattern applies identically to both halves of its structure.
Question 3 of 5
Where does this discourse fall in the exterior's own three-term cycle?
Correct: A. Not-self at SN 35.6 will complete this vagga's own second three-discourse cycle.
Question 4 of 5
What does this reading guide do with this discourse's own brevity?
Correct: A. Consistent with this project's practice on other short peyyāla stubs.
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.
