Feel Fully. Cling to Nothing: A Penetrative Analysis of Vedanā in Early Buddhism Reflections by Bhante Dr. Chandima

1. What Is to Be Understood about Feeling

“Vedanā bhikkhave veditabbā, vedanānaṃ nidānasambhavo veditabbo, vedanānaṃ vemattatā veditabbā, vedanānaṃ vipāko veditabbo, vedanānirodho veditabbo, vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā veditabbā” ti iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ, kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

Monks, feeling is to be understood;

the origin of feeling is to be understood;

the diversity of feeling is to be understood;

the result of feeling is to be understood;

the cessation of feeling is to be understood;

and the path leading to the cessation of feeling is to be understood. This was said — but in reference to what was it said?

• The Buddha introduces a sixfold investigative framework for vedanā. Feeling is not merely something to experience — it must be penetrated with wisdom to end dukkha.

2. The Three Kinds of Feeling

Tisso imā bhikkhave vedanā: sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

Monks, there are these three kinds of feeling:

pleasant feeling,

painful feeling,

and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

• Every experience carries one of these three tones. This triad forms the basis of mindfulness of feeling in vedanānupassanā.

3. The Origin of Feeling

Katamo ca bhikkhave vedanānaṃ nidānasambhavo: phasso bhikkhave vedanānaṃ nidānasambhavo.

And what, monks, is the origin of feeling?

Contact (phassa) is the origin of feeling.

• Feeling arises dependent on contact: sense base + object + consciousness → phassa → vedanā This is a central link in dependent origination.

4. The Diversity of Feeling (Worldly and Unworldly)

Katamā ca bhikkhave vedanānaṃ vemattatā: atthi bhikkhave sāmisā sukhā vedanā, atthi nirāmisā sukhā vedanā; atthi sāmisā dukkhā vedanā, atthi nirāmisā dukkhā vedanā; atthi sāmisā adukkhamasukhā vedanā, atthi nirāmisā adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Ayaṃ vuccati bhikkhave vedanānaṃ vemattatā.

And what, monks, is the diversity of feeling?

There is pleasant feeling that is worldly,

and pleasant feeling that is unworldly.

There is painful feeling that is worldly,

and painful feeling that is unworldly.

There is neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that is worldly,

and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that is unworldly.

This is called the diversity of feeling.

• Sāmisa feelings are bound to sensuality and defilements.Nirāmisa feelings arise from renunciation and meditation.Not all pleasure is the same — spiritual joy belongs to nirāmisa vedanā.

5. The Result (vipāka) of Feeling

Katamo ca bhikkhave vedanānaṃ vipāko: yaṃ bhikkhave vediyamāno tajjaṃ tajjaṃ attabhāvaṃ abhinibbatteti puññabhāgiyaṃ vā apuññabhāgiyaṃ vā, ayaṃ vuccati bhikkhave vedanānaṃ vipāko.

And what, monks, is the result of feeling?

While experiencing feeling, one generates corresponding forms of existence — either wholesome or unwholesome.

This is called the result of feeling.

• When feeling is grasped, it becomes kamma. Thus vedanā conditions future becoming (attabhāva) — this is exactly how feeling feeds craving.

6. The Cessation of Feeling

Katamo ca bhikkhave vedanānirodho: phassanirodho bhikkhave vedanānirodho.

And what, monks, is the cessation of feeling?

With the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.

• This refers to the cessation of the source of feeling — when contact is met with wisdom, feeling no longer turns into dukkha.

7. The Path Leading to the Cessation of Feeling

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā. Seyyathīdaṃ: sammādiṭṭhi sammāsaṅkappo sammāvācā sammākammanto sammāājīvo sammāvāyāmo sammāsati sammāsamādhi.

This very Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of feeling:

Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Living, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.

• Feeling is liberated not by suppression, but through full path cultivation.

8. The Noble Disciple’s Penetrative Understanding

Yato ca kho bhikkhave ariyasāvako evaṃ vedanaṃ pajānāti… so imaṃ nibbedhikaṃ brahmacariyaṃ pajānāti vedanānirodhaṃ.

When a noble disciple understands feeling in this way — its origin, diversity, result, cessation, and the path leading to cessation — then he understands this penetrative holy life that leads to the ending of feeling.

• Nibbedhika means piercing insight. Seeing feeling as conditioned and not-self directly undermines craving.

9. Summary Statement

“Vedanā bhikkhave veditabbā… vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā veditabbā” ti iti yantaṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

Monks, feeling is to be understood… the path leading to the cessation of feeling is to be understood.

What was said in this way was said with reference to this.

Further Notes on the Vedanā 

Feeling = process, not possessor.

1. What Vedanā Really Means

• Vedanā does not mean emotion.

• It refers to the hedonic tone of experience — the affective quality:

  • Pleasant (sukha)

  • Painful (dukkha)

  • Neutral (adukkhamasukha = neither pleasant nor painful)

• Neutral feeling refers to the middle spectrum of experience — bland, not distinctly pleasant or painful.

2. Bahuvedanīya Sutta (MN 59) – The “Two Feelings” Debate

In the Bahuvedanīya Sutta (MN 59):

• One disciple says there are two feelings.

• Another says there are three feelings.

• The Buddha says:

  • Udāyī’s explanation is correct in one way (pariyāyena).

  • Pañcakaṅga’s explanation is also correct in another way (pariyāyena).

• Core principle:

  • Dhamma can be explained through multiple valid frameworks, and arguing “only my framework is right” leads to conflict.

• The Buddha says he has taught feelings in different modes of analysis (2, 3, 6, etc.).

• He discourages dogmatic attachment to any single framework.

Crucial clarification:

The “two feelings” do not mean pleasant and painful.

Instead, according to:

• Aṭṭhasata Sutta SN 36.22

The two feelings are:

• Bodily feeling

• Mental feeling

Therefore:

The text does NOT deny neutral feeling as a distinct category.

The Buddha then gives a graded sequence of Happiness:

1. Sensual pleasure (kāmasukha)

2. First jhāna (rapture & bliss born of seclusion)

3. Second jhāna (rapture & bliss born of immersion; stilling of vitakka-vicāra)

4. Third jhāna (equanimity; mindful bliss)

5. Fourth jhāna (purity of mindfulness and equanimity; “neutral” can be reckoned as very refined sukha)

6. Infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatana)

7. Infinite consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana)

8. Nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana)

9. Neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana)

10. Cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha)

3. Ethical Dimension of Feeling (Kīṭāgiri Sutta MN 70)

The Buddha’s insight:

What matters is not whether a feeling is pleasant, painful, or neutral — What matters is its ethical consequence.

From MN 70:

• Some neutral feelings increase unwholesome states.

• Some neutral feelings increase wholesome states.

Thus:

• Neutral feeling is ethically variable.

• It must be evaluated in terms of wholesome vs unwholesome outcomes.

4. The Buddha’s Innovative Insight About Feeling

Before awakening:

• He indulged in pleasure (as a prince).

• Then he pursued pain (asceticism).

He discovered:

• Neither indulgence nor self-mortification is liberating.

• The key is understanding the underlying tendencies (anusaya) activated by feelings.

Thus:

Feeling itself is not the problem.
The mental reaction to it is.

5. Cūḷavedalla Sutta MN 44 – Neutral Feeling and Knowledge

In the Cūḷavedalla Sutta (MN 44):

Neutral feeling is described as:

• Pleasant when known

• Painful when not known

This does not mean neutral feeling becomes pleasant.

Rather:

• The pleasure arises from knowing it with mindfulness.

• The unpleasantness arises from ignorance.

6. Bodhirājakumāra Sutta MN 85

In MN 85, the Buddha reports a mistaken view: Happiness is gained through pain. Non-sensual wholesome happiness is not an obstacle; it can be part of the path. The crucial distinction is:

• Sensual pleasure (often tied to craving/defilement)

• Non-sensual pleasure (e.g., jhāna-based joy; blameless inner happiness)

7.  Cūḷavedalla Sutta MN 44: not all pleasant feeling requires abandoning lust

• In MN 44, Dhammadinnā explains:

  • With pleasant feeling, the tendency to lust (rāgānusaya) is to be abandoned…

  • but not with all pleasant feelings.

• Pleasant feelings connected with first jhāna do not activate sensual lust because lust has already been left behind as a condition for jhāna.

8.  Sense restraint is not sensory avoidance (rejecting feelings) (Indriyabhāvanā Sutta MN 152)

• Sense restraint is not achieved by refusing to see/hear, etc.

• MN 152 critiques the simplistic idea: if restraint were just avoidance, then the blind/deaf would be accomplished practitioners.

• Real task: don’t get carried away by experience—avoid bias, grasping, and proliferation.

9) Key diagnostic question for practice

• The real criterion is ethical and liberative direction:

  • Does this pleasure lead to dispassion and freedom?

  • Or does it lead to bondage and dukkha?