First Noble Truth: Unsatisfactoriness (Saccavibhaṅgasutta) MN 141

Katamañcāvuso, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ? Jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsāpi dukkhā, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ; saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

And what is the noble truth of Unsatisfactoriness? Rebirth is unsatisfying; old age is unsatisfying; death is unsatisfying; sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are unsatisfying; not getting what you wish for is unsatisfying. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are unsatisfying.

Katamā cāvuso, jāti? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘jāti’.

And what is rebirth? The rebirth, inception, conception, reincarnation, manifestation of the aggregates, and acquisition of the sense fields of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called rebirth.

Katamā cāvuso, jarā? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jarā jīraṇatā khaṇḍiccaṁ pāliccaṁ valittacatā āyuno saṁhāni indriyānaṁ paripāko, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘jarā’.

And what is old age? The old age, decrepitude, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkly skin, diminished vitality, and failing faculties of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called old age.

Katamañcāvuso, maraṇaṁ? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā tamhā sattanikāyā cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālaṅkiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo kaḷevarassa nikkhepo jīvitindriyassupacchedo, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘maraṇaṁ’.

And what is death? The passing away, perishing, disintegration, demise, mortality, death, decease, breaking up of the aggregates, laying to rest of the corpse, and cutting off of the life faculty of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called death.

Katamo cāvuso, soko? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa soko socanā socitattaṁ antosoko antoparisoko, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘soko’.

And what is sorrow? The sorrow, sorrowing, state of sorrow, inner sorrow, inner deep sorrow in someone who has undergone misfortune, who has experienced Unsatisfactoriness. This is called sorrow.

Katamo cāvuso, paridevo? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa ādevo paridevo ādevanā paridevanā ādevitattaṁ paridevitattaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘paridevo’.

And what is lamentation? The wail, lament, wailing, lamenting, state of wailing and lamentation in someone who has undergone misfortune, who has experienced Unsatisfactoriness. This is called lamentation.

Katamañcāvuso, dukkhaṁ? Yaṁ kho, āvuso, kāyikaṁ dukkhaṁ kāyikaṁ asātaṁ kāyasamphassajaṁ dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhaṁ’.

And what is pain? Physical pain, physical unpleasantness, the painful, unpleasant feeling that’s born from physical contact. This is called pain.

Katamañcāvuso, domanassaṁ? Yaṁ kho, āvuso, cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ cetasikaṁ asātaṁ manosamphassajaṁ dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘domanassaṁ’.

And what is sadness? Mental pain, mental displeasure, the painful, unpleasant feeling that’s born from mind contact. This is called sadness.

Katamo cāvuso, upāyāso? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa āyāso upāyāso āyāsitattaṁ upāyāsitattaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘upāyāso’.

And what is distress? The stress, distress, state of stress and distress in someone who has undergone misfortune, who has experienced Unsatisfactoriness. This is called distress.

Katamañcāvuso, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ? Jātidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati: ‘aho vata mayaṁ na jātidhammā assāma; na ca vata no jāti āgaccheyyā’ti. Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ. Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’. Jarādhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ …pe… byādhidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ … maraṇadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ … sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati: ‘aho vata mayaṁ na sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā assāma; na ca vata no sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā āgaccheyyun’ti. Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ. Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’.

And what is ‘not getting what you wish for is unsatisfying’? In sentient beings who are liable to be reborn, such a wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not liable to be reborn! If only rebirth would not come to us!’ But you can’t get that by wishing. This is: ‘not getting what you wish for is suffering.’ In sentient beings who are liable to grow old … fall ill … die … experience sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress, such a wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not liable to experience sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress! If only sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress would not come to us!’ But you can’t get that by wishing. This is: ‘not getting what you wish for is suffering.’

Katame cāvuso, saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā? Seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Ime vuccantāvuso: ‘saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā’. Idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

And what is ‘in brief, the five grasping aggregates are unsatisfying’? They are the grasping aggregates that consist of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. This is called ‘in brief, the five grasping aggregates are unsatisfying.’ This is called the noble truth of Unsatisfactoriness.