1Then the Venerable Upavaṇa approached the Blessed One … and said to him: "Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the directly visible Dhamma, the directly visible Dhamma.’[n.34] Sandiṭṭhiko dhammo. What follows is the standard formula for reflection on the Dhamma, minus only the first term, svākkhāto. See Vol I, n. 33. Upavaṇa was the Buddha’s attendant when he was suffering from a wind ailment; see SN7.13. In what way, venerable sir, is the Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise?"

1Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "‘sandiṭṭhiko dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī"ti?

2–4"Here, Upavaṇa, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu experiences the form as well as lust for the form. He understands that lust for forms exists internally thus: ‘There is in me lust for forms internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. sn.iv.42

2"Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi … pe … .

"Further, Upavaṇa, having heard a sound with the ear … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu experiences the mental phenomenon as well as lust for the mental phenomenon. He understands that lust for mental phenomena exists internally thus: ‘There is in me lust for mental phenomena internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.

3Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi … pe … .

4Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti … pe … paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi … pe … .

5–7"But here, Upavaṇa, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu experiences the form without experiencing lust for the form. He understands that lust for forms does not exist internally thus: ‘There is in me no lust for forms internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.

5Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi … pe … .

"Further, Upavaṇa, having heard a sound with the ear … sn.iv.43 … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu experiences the mental phenomenon without experiencing lust for the mental phenomenon. He understands that lust for mental phenomena does not exist internally thus: ‘There is in me no lust for mental phenomena internally.’ Since that is so, Upavaṇa, the Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise."[n.35] Spk says that this sutta discusses the reflections of the trainee (in the first part) and of the arahant (in the second part).

6Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti … pe … .

7Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammappaṭisaṁvedīhi kho hoti, no ca dhammarāgappaṭisaṁvedī. Asantañca ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgaṁ ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ dhammesu rāgo’ti pajānāti. Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti, akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.