Significance of Feeling (Vedana) in Theravada Buddhism

Significance of Feeling (Vedana) in Theravada Buddhism

By Dr. Ari Ubeysekara

Introduction

Lord Gautama Buddha who lived and preached in India during the sixth and fifth century BC, taught the Buddhist doctrine to innumerable numbers of human and celestial beings. During the ministry of 45 years from enlightenment to passing away at the age of 80 years, the central focus of the Buddha’s teaching was suffering and how to end the suffering. Due to ignorance, beings respond unwisely to sense objects received through the six sense doors and create mental defilements which will eventually cause suffering and repeated birth in the cycle of birth and death (samsara). According to Buddhist teaching, by modifying one’s reaction to feeling through wisdom, one is able to eradicate mental defilements and attain liberation from suffering with no further rebirth, which is the ultimate aim of a practising Theravada Buddhist.

The Pali word “Vedana” is translated into English as feeling or sensation. When a sense object is received through one of the six sense doors of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and the mind, that which feels the object is the feeling. It’s characteristic is to experience the object and it’s function is to realise the taste or the flavour of the sense object. In general, whenever the word “Vedana” is used, it may give the impression of being a painful physical or mental pain. However, in actuality, “Vedana” refers to the affective tone of a sense experience which can be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.

The basic disposition of the human beings is to avoid unpleasant or painful feelings and to receive more and more pleasant feelings believing that it provides lasting happiness. Whatever one endeavours to do in one’s personal, family, occupational or social life is to avoid unpleasant feelings and to obtain pleasant feelings. A feeling always arises in association with the other mental factors such as consciousness, perception and mental formations. Whenever a feeling arises, initially it is in the nature of a bare feeling with no associated emotional tones. However, a feeling can develop emotional tones such as love, hate, anxiety and fear etc. due to perception and volitional mental formation.

In the higher teachings of the Buddha (Abhidhamma), the Buddha has stated that out of the 52 mental factors (cetasika), seven mental factors including feeling is associated with each and every consciousness.

The seven universal mental factors (sabba-citta-sadharana cetasika)

1. Contact (phassa)
2. Feeling (vedana)
3. Perception (sanna)
4. Volition (cetana)
5. One-pointedness of the mind (ekaggata)
6. Mental life faculty (jivitindriya)
7. Attention (manasikara)

These mental factors are called universal as they arise in association with all types of consciousness with no exception. So, being a universal mental factor, a feeling tone, pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, is associated with each consciousness that results from a sensual experience through one of the six sense organs (1).

Feeling arises in every living and conscious sentient being in relation to the six sense organs. However, in the Buddhist literature, two situations are described where feeling is suppressed along with consciousness. One is what is known as Nirodha Samapatti (sanna-vedayita nirodha), which is a state of deep mental absorption attained by either a Non-Returner (anagami) or an Arahant. It is attained following the development of the eight mental absorptions consisting of the four fine material (rupa Jhana) and the four formless deep mental absorptions (arupa Jhana). The other situation refers to celestial beings born in the Asanna satta Brahma world where only the matter or the physical body exists with no consciousness or feeling. It is said that some beings, when they have attained deep mental absorptions (Jhana), develop a distaste for consciousness and feeling and make a determination to be born in that Brahma world with no consciousness or feeling.

Arising of feeling (vedana)

There are six internal sense organs namely the eye (cakku ayatana), ear (sothayatana), nose (ghanayatana), tongue (jivhayatana), body (kayayatana) and the mind (manayatana). Corresponding to the six internal sense organs, there are six external sense objects that are received through the sense organs. They are: visual objects (rupayatana), sounds (sabdayatana), smell (ghandayatana), taste (rasayatana), touch (potthabbayatana) and thoughts (dhammayatana).

When an external sense object is received by the corresponding internal sense organ, it is cognized by the consciousness (vinnana) based on that particular sense organ. The three factors of internal sense organ, external sense object and the related consciousness together constitute contact (phassa) related to that particular sense organ.

1. The eye, a visual object and eye consciousness (cakku vinnana) constitute eye contact (cakku samphassa).
2. The ear, a sound and ear consciousness (sotha vinnana) constitute ear contact (sotha samphassa).
3. The nose, a smell and nose consciousness (ghana vinnana) constitute nose contact (ghana samphassa).
4. The tongue, a taste and tongue consciousness (jivha vinnana) constitute tongue contact (jivha samphassa).
5. The body, a touch and body consciousness (kaya vinnana) constitute body contact (kaya samphassa).
6. The mind, a thought and mind consciousness (mano vinnana) constitute mind contact (mano samphassa).

When a sense object is received through an internal sense organ, a feeling arises from the contact at that sense organ which is named after that particular sense organ.

1. Feeling arising from eye contact (cakku samphassaja vedana)
2. Feeling arising from ear contact (sotha samphassaja vedana)
3. Feeling arising from nose contact (ghana samphassaja vedana)
4. Feeling arising from tongue contact (jivha samphassaja vedana)
5. Feeling arising from body contact (kaya samphassaja vedana)
6. Feeling arising from mind contact (mano samphassaja vedana)

During the time of the Buddha, there had been a religious opinion in India that the three types of feelings that one experiences, result from volitional actions (kamma) committed in the past. In the Sivaka sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya (collection of the Buddha’s connected discourses), when the Buddha was asked about this opinion, the Buddha stated that Kamma is only one of eight causes of feeling in a person. The eight causes of feeling that the Buddha stated are: Disorder of bile, phlegm, wind, or a combination of them, change of climate, careless behaviour, injuries by others and kamma (2).

In the Datthabba sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has described three types of feelings.

“There are, O monks, these three feelings: pleasant, unpleasant and neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant”

1. Pleasant feeling (sukha vedana)
2. Unpleasant feeling (dukkha vedana)
3. Neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling (adukkham-asukha vedana) (3)

It should be noted that feelings born of contact with visual objects, sound, smell and taste are always neutral feelings initially but, will become pleasant or unpleasant feelings as a result of the subsequent process of perception. However, feelings born of body contact can lead to pleasant or unpleasant feelings while feelings born of mind contact can lead to pleasant, unpleasant or neutral feelings.

Classification of feelings

In the Atthasata pariyaya sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has presented a classification of feelings that ranges from two feelings to one hundred and eight feelings (4).

Two kinds of feelings:

1. Bodily feeling (kayika vedana)
2. Mental feeling (cetasika vedana)

Three kinds of feelings:

1. Pleasant feeling (sukha vedana)
2. Unpleasant feeling (dukkha vedana)
3. Neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling (adukkham-asukha vedana)

Five kinds of feelings that apply to both bodily and mental feeling:

1. Pleasant bodily feeling (sukha vedana)
2. Unpleasant bodily feeling (dukkha vedana)
3. Pleasant mental feeling (somanassa vedana)
4. Unpleasant mental feeling (domanassa vedana)
5. Neither unpleasant nor pleasant bodily and mental feeling (upekha vedana)

Six classes of feelings based upon the sensory organ through which a feeling is experienced:

1. Feeling born of eye contact (cakku samphassaja vedana)
2. Feeling born of ear contact (sotha samphassaja vedana)
3. Feeling born of nose contact (ghana samphassaja vedana)
4. feeling born of tongue contact (jivha samphassaja vedana)
5. feeling born of body contact (kaya samphassaja vedana)
6. Feeling born of mind contact (mano samphassaja vedana)

Eighteen kinds of feelings:

Here, each feeling born from contact at the six sense organs as described above is further divided into the three kinds of pleasant, unpleasant and neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling making a total of eighteen kinds of feeling.

Thirty six kinds of feelings:

In this group, each of the 18 kinds of feeling in the above group is further divided into two depending on whether it is based on the household life (gehasitha) or renunciation (nekkhammasitha) making a total of 36 kinds of feeling.

One hundred and eight kinds of feelings:

Each of the 36 kinds of feeling in the above group is further divided into three based on the past, future and the present making a total of 108 kinds of feeling;

1. 36 kinds of feeling of the past
2. 36 kinds of feeling of the future
3. 36 kinds of feeling of the present

Samisa and Niramisa vedana

In the Buddhist scriptures, feeling has also being divided into Samisa (carnal) and Niramisa (spiritual) vedana. Samisa vedana is the feeling experienced through the sense desires while Niramisa vedana is experienced with no involvement of the sense desires. In the Maha Satipatthana sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha has described six such feelings in contemplation of feelings.

1. Pleasant feeling through sense desires – Samisa sukha vedana
2. Pleasant feeling not through sense desires – Niramisa sukha vedana
3. Painful feeling through sense desires – Samisa dukkha vedana
4. Painful feeling not through sense desires – Niramisa dukkha vedana
5. Neutral feeling through sense desires – Samisa upekha vedana
6. Neutral feeling not through sense desires Niramisa upekha vedana

In the Niramisa sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has stated that the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral spiritual feeling (Niramisa vedana) are better than the three carnal feelings (Samisa vedana) and that the three feelings in someone who has eradicated all the mental defilements are better than the ordinary spiritual feeling (5).

Feeling (vedana) as an aggregate of clinging

Feeling is one of the five aggregates of clinging (pancha-upadanakkhanda), which together constitute the Psycho-physical complex or mind and matter (nama-rupa) described as a being or personality.

1. Form or matter (rupa)
2. Feeling (vedana)
3. Perception (sanna)
4. Mental formation (sankhara)
5. Consciousness (vinnana)

The five aggregates function together as a group to produce all our personal experiences. They constantly arise and cease, so they are impermanent (anicca), and because they are impermanent they are suffering (dukkha) and lack any stable entity or self (anatta). In the Phena sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has likened the five aggregates of clinging to five insubstantial phenomena.

1. Material form to a lump of foam
2. Feeling to a water bubble
3. Perception to a mirage
4. Mental formation to a trunk of a plantain tree with no central hard wood
5. Consciousness to an illusion (6)

In the Anatta Lakkhana sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has stated that, whatever kind of feeling there is, whether past, present or future, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, that is connected with mental defilements and subject to clinging is the feeling aggregate of clinging. In the same discourse, the Buddha has stated that because feeling is impermanent and leads to suffering due to it’s changing nature, it is not fit to regard feeling as “this is mine, this is I, this is my self” (7).

Feeling as self-identity view (sakkaya ditthi)

Self-identity view is one of the ten fetters (dasa samyojana) that act as chains to bind beings to the cycle of birth and death. Through self-identity view, one mistakenly identifies with one of the five aggregates of clinging as “self”, “soul”, “I” or “me”. In Buddhist teaching, clinging to the aggregates believing them to constitute a permanent and absolute entity like “I” or “Me” has been described as an illusion which can only result in eventual suffering and continuous existence in the cycle of birth and death (samsara). Self-identity with feeling (vedana) can occur in four ways.

1. Assumption of feeling to be the self
2. Assumption of the self as possessing feeling
3. Assumption of feeling as within self
4. Assumption of the self as within feeling

The fetter of self-identity is eradicated when one attains the first supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotapanna) of the Buddhist spiritual path of liberation.

Feeling as a link in Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada)

Dependent Origination, which is perhaps the most profound and central aspect of the Buddhist doctrine, consists of twelve conditioning factors and explains how the physical and mental phenomena in the universe arise due to the presence of other causes and conditions and cease to exist when those causes and conditions change or cease to exist. It also explains the mechanism of the cycle of birth and death (samsara), and the arising and cessation of suffering. The twelve factors of Dependent Origination are: Ignorance (avijja), formations (sankhara), consciousness (vinnana), name and form (nama-rupa), six sense bases (salayatana), contact (phassa), feeling (vedana), craving (tanha), clinging (upadana), becoming (bhava), birth (jati) and ageing, death (jara-marana etc.). Each factor is conditioned by the preceding factor and conditions the subsequent factor. Feeling arises from contact and gives rise to craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and so on due to unwise reaction to feeling. So, feeling plays a key role in the production of suffering and continued existence and by responding to feeling wisely, it is possible to disrupt the chain reaction and avoid the arising of craving, clinging etc.

Feeling and latent tendencies (anusaya dhamma)

This group of mental defilements are called latent as they have the tendency to remain dormant in the mind life after life. In response to sense objects received through the sense doors, the latent tendencies initiate obsessions at the conscious level and unwholesome verbal and bodily actions at the gross level. The seven latent tendencies are: desire for sense pleasures (kamaraganusaya), aversion (patighanusaya), conceit (mananusaya), wrong view (ditthanusaya), doubt (vicikiccanusaya), desire for existence (bhava-raganusaya) and ignorance (avijjanusaya).

In the Cula Vedalla sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya (collection of the Buddha’s middle length discourses), Arahant Dhammadinna has stated that desire for sense pleasures underlies pleasant feeling, aversion underlies painful feeling and ignorance underlies neutral feeling. In the same discourse it is stated that pleasant feeling is pleasant when present and is painful when changing, while painful feeling is painful when present and is pleasant when changing. Neutral feeling is pleasant if one understands it and is painful if there is no understanding. Feelings will activate the corresponding latent tendency which in turn predisposes one to react with mental defilements such as desire, ill-will and ignorance. There are certain feelings which will not activate the latent tendencies. For example, pleasant (sukha) and neutral feelings (upekha) that appear in deep mental absorptions (Jhana) during meditation do not activate the latent tendencies of desire for sensual desire or ignorance respectively. Similarly, sadness of someone on the spiritual path due to non-attainment of a higher spiritual stage does not activate the latent tendency of aversion (8).

In the Pahana sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has stated the importance of eradicating the three latencies associated with the three types of feeling (9).

“In the case of pleasant feelings, monks, underlying tendency to desire for sensual pleasures should be given up, in the case of painful feelings, underlying tendency to aversion should be given up, in the case of neither painful nor pleasant feelings, underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up”

In the Salla sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has made a comparison between an uneducated ordinary person with latent tendencies and a Noble disciple who has eradicated them, in relation to the experience of pain. When an ordinary person experiences a physical pain, he will experience both a physical pain and mental pain similar to someone who is stuck with one arrow followed by another arrow. However, when a Noble disciple experiences a physical pain, he will experience only the physical pain with no mental pain similar to someone who is stuck only with one arrow (10).

The latent tendencies are quite obstinate and are the hardest mental defilements to eradicate. Latent tendencies of desire for sense pleasures and aversion are eradicated when one attains the stage of Non-Returner (anagami), while the latent tendency of ignorance is eradicated only when one becomes an Arahant.

In the Datthabba sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has stated that by reflecting on pleasant feeling as painful, painful feeling as a thorn and neutral feeling as impermanent, a disciple will be able to get rid of craving and suffering.

“Pleasant feeling should be seen as painful, painful feeling should be seen as a thorn, and neither painful nor pleasant feeling should be seen as impermanent. If a monk has seen the feelings in such a way, it is said of him that he has the right outlook. He has cut off craving, severed the fetters and, through the full penetration of conceit, he has made an end of suffering”

Feeling (vedana) and the Buddhist path of liberation

According to the twelve factored Dependent Origination, feeling plays a central role in the production of mental defilements such as craving and clinging which lead to suffering and continuation of the cycle of birth and death. Hence, the Buddha has described several spiritual practices based on feeling that could help the disciples to eradicate mental defilements and gain enlightenment. For example, using a model similar to the four Noble Truths, the Buddha, in the Bhikkhu sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, has described how understanding of feeling, it’s cause, it’s cessation and the path leading to the cessation of feeling can lead to enlightenment (11). The three feelings are pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling and they are caused by contact (phassa) of the six sense organs. When there is no contact, there is cessation of feeling and the path leading to the cessation of feeling is the Noble Eight-fold Path. The Noble Eight-fold Path consists of; right view (samma-ditthi), right intention (samma-sankappa), right speech (samma-vaca), right action (samma-kammanta), right livelihood (samma-ajiva), right effort (samma-vayama), right mindfulness (samma-sati) and right concentration (samma-samadhi).

Four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana)

In the Maha Satipatthana sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha has described the four foundations of mindfulness as the direct path to liberation from suffering. Mindfulness (sati) is maintaining awareness of physical and mental phenomena as they occur from moment to moment, non-judgementally and with no reaction to them. According to the Buddha, when practised properly, they will lead to purification from all the defilements, overcoming of sorrow, overcoming of lamentation, destruction of all the suffering, destruction of mental grief, entry into the Noble Path and realisation of Nibbana (12).

1. Contemplating the body in the body (kayanupassana)
2. Contemplating feelings in the feelings (vedananupassana)
3. Contemplating mind in the mind (cittanupassana)
4. Contemplating mind objects in mind objects (dhammanupassana)

Contemplating feelings in the feelings (vedananupassana)

In this meditation technique, the meditator reflects upon the various feelings experienced during meditation, which can be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral (neither unpleasant nor pleasant).

• While experiencing a pleasant feeling, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a pleasant feeling”
• While experiencing an unpleasant feeling, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing an unpleasant feeling”
• While experiencing a feeling that is neither unpleasant nor pleasant, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling”
• While experiencing a pleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures (samisa vedana), the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a pleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures”, or while experiencing a pleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures (niramisa vedana), the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a pleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures”
• While experiencing an unpleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing an unpleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures”, or while experiencing an unpleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing an unpleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures”
• While experiencing a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling associated with sense pleasures”, or while experiencing a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures, the meditator is aware “I am experiencing a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling not associated with sense pleasures”

The Buddha has advised that mindfulness of feeling should be established with effort (athapi), clear comprehension (sampajanna) and mindfulness (sati). Having established mindfulness of different aspects of feeling as above, the meditator is to continue to contemplate and recognize different feelings as just feelings which appear and disappear due to causes, both within and outside, and that they are just phenomena not associated with an “I”, “self” or a “soul.” Having thus recognized the arising and cessation of feelings and their impermanent nature, the meditator is able to be detached from them by not reacting mentally either with craving aversion or boredom and confusion. In the Maha Satipatthana sutta, the Buddha has stated that a disciple who practises the four foundations of mindfulness properly and diligently, will gain enlightenment as an Arahant or attain the stage of Non-Returner (anagami) within a period ranging from seven days to seven years.

Mindfulness of breathing meditation (anapanasati bhavana)

In the Anapanasati sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha has given instructions on mindfulness of breathing meditation which can lead to eradication of mental defilements and final liberation from suffering. In this discourse, the Buddha has described sixteen contemplations divided into four tetrads which correspond to the four foundations of mindfulness included in the Maha Satipatthana sutta. The second tetrad involves contemplating on the feelings as follows (13).

He trains himself “I will breathe in sensitive to rapture (piti)”
He trains himself “I will breathe out sensitive to rapture (piti)”

He trains himself “I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure (sukha)”
He trains himself “I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure (sukha)”

He trains himself “I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrications”
He trains himself “I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrications”

He trains himself “I will breathe in calming mental fabrications”
He trains himself “I will breathe out calming mental fabrications”

Rapture (piti) and pleasure (sukha) are two feelings among the five Jhana factors that arise when the concentration during meditation becomes deeper. The meditator should continue to maintain attention on breathing as an anchor and acknowledge the feeling of joy and pleasure with equanimity. Mental fabrications are feeling (vedana) and perception (sanna). When the meditator continues to breathe with equanimity with no reactions such as craving or aversion to the feelings experienced, the mental fabrications tend to calm down by themselves quite naturally.

The Buddha has stated that when mindfulness of breathing is cultivated and practised regularly, it brings the four foundations of mindfulness to perfection followed by the progressive development of the seven factors of enlightenment. The seven factors of enlightenment are: mindfulness (sati), investigation of dhammas (dhamma vicaya), effort (viriya), rapture (piti), tranquillity (passaddhi), concentration (samadhi) and equanimity (upekkha). When the seven factors of enlightenment are developed to their perfection, it will lead to liberation (vimutti) and the realisation of Nibbana.

The three types of feeling; pleasant, unpleasant and neutral, arise from the sense contact (phassa) of the six sense organs while the three latent tendencies of desire for sense pleasure, aversion and ignorance underlie them. Through ignorance of the reality of their conditioned, impermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta) nature, the unenlightened ones identify with them and react to them with craving, aversion or boredom and confusion respectively. The Buddha has shown that this unwise reaction to feeling plays a central role in creating mental defilements that lead to suffering and repeated existence in the cycle of birth and death (samsara). Having demonstrated the central role played by feeling in the causation of suffering, the Buddha has taught us the means to liberate ourselves from suffering by realizing the true nature of feeling through mindfulness and using it as a central tool in the path of liberation.

References

1. Bhikkhu Bodhi, 1993, A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
2. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Sivaka sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
3. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Datthabba sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
4. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Atthasata Pariyaya sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
5. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Niramisa sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
6. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Phena sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
7. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Anatta Lakkhana sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
8. Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Cula Vedalla sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.
9. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Pahana sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
10. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Salla sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
11. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Bhikkhu sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
12. Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Maha Satipatthana sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.
13. Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Anapanasati sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.

End.