Ru-Yi Meditation Center
Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 56.14

Interior Sense Fields

Ajjhattikāyatanasutta — Dhammacakkappavattanavagga

Setting
Not given — continuing directly from SN 56.13's own setting
Speaker
The Buddha, addressing the mendicants directly
Form
The identical structure as SN 56.13, with the first truth's own definition substituted
Length
1–2 minutes to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★ — the fourth of ten discourses, its own paired structure with SN 56.13 confirmed by direct comparison

Why this discourse

Confirmed by direct comparison against SN 56.13, this discourse repeats the identical structure, substituting “the six interior sense fields” (the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) for “the five grasping aggregates” as the definition of the first noble truth — the remaining three truths' own definitions left compressed with elision back to SN 56.13's own full statement.

Reading guide

A second definition for the same first truth

This project's own direct comparison: where SN 56.13 identified suffering with the five aggregates, this discourse identifies it instead with the six interior sense fields — not a contradiction, this project notes, since the aggregates and the sense fields are elsewhere shown to be two overlapping analyses of the same experience, each useful for a different purpose.

Key terms

cha ajjhattikāni āyatanāni — “the six interior sense fields” — this discourse's own substituted definition of the first truth, suffering
cakkhāyatanaṁ...manāyatanaṁ — “the sense field of the eye...the sense field of the mind” — the six fields' own first and last members, with the middle four (ear, nose, tongue, body) elided here
taṇhā ponobbhavikā — “craving that leads to future lives” — the second truth's own definition, identical to SN 56.13's own
… — the elision marking, standing in for the second, third, and fourth truths' own definitions already given in full at SN 56.13
catutthaṁ — “the fourth” — this discourse's own root text confirming its own position directly, read rather than assumed

The text

Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source, which itself preserves the elision back to SN 56.13's own full statement. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“Mendicants, there are these four noble truths. What four? The noble truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. And what is the noble truth of suffering? You should say: ‘The six interior sense fields’. What six? The sense fields of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This is called the noble truth of suffering. And what is the noble truth of the origin of suffering?  … the cessation of suffering? … the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering? It is simply this noble eightfold path … That’s why you should practice meditation …”

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Self-check quiz

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

Question 1 of 3
What does this discourse substitute for SN 56.13's own "five grasping aggregates" as the definition of suffering?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison against SN 56.13's own definition.
Question 2 of 3
How does this project characterize the relationship between the aggregates and the sense fields as two definitions of suffering?
Correct: A. This project's own reading, avoiding treating the two discourses as inconsistent.
Question 3 of 3
What position does this discourse occupy in this vagga's own ten-discourse sequence?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading of the root text's own closing marker "Catutthaṁ" ("fourth").
Answered 0 of 3 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 56.13 · Aggregates