➥ vedanā and vedayita.

• for vedanā:
  • sense impression
  • feelings
  • pains
• for vedayita:
  • experienced
  • sense impression

Vedayita=vedanā

Vedayita is the past participle of vedeti, meaning ‘felt, experienced,’ says PED. In some circumstances, we accordingly call it ‘experienced.’ But it is otherwise to be treated as a synonym of vedanā, for which we provide the following evidence:

1) Bodhi treats them as synonyms. For example he calls vedayita ‘feeling’ at SN iv 144 and AN iv 409.

2) The suttas likewise treat them as synonyms, for example in these two quotes:

• For one who has attained the ending of perception and sense impression, perception and sense impression are ended.

Saññāvedayitaṁ nirodhaṁ samāpannassa saññā ca vedanā ca niruddhā honti. (AN iv 409)

• ‘If there were no sense impression in any way, would there be the thought “I am this”?’ ‘No, bhante.’ ‘Therefore this argument is invalid: Sense impression is not my [absolute] Selfhood. My [absolute] Selfhood is without sense impression.’

yattha panāvuso sabbaso vedayitaṁ natthi api nu kho tattha ayamahamasmī ti siyā ti. No hetaṁ bhante. Tasmātihānanda etenapetaṁ nakkhamati na heva kho me vedanā attā appaṭisaṁvedano me attā ti samanupassituṁ. (DN ii 67)

3) Both vedayita and vedanā have the same threefold division:

• Whatever sense impression that arises due to visual sensation―whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral―becomes manifest to him according to reality, as unlasting.

yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccanti yathābhūtaṁ okkhāyati. (SN iv 144)

• Whatever sense impression he experiences, pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, he takes delight in that sense impression, he welcomes it, and persists in cleaving to it. In so doing, spiritually fettering delight arises.

yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā so taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati tassa taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. (MN i 266)

Vedanā and Phassa

The relationship between vedanā (‘sense impression’) and phassa (‘sensation’) is as follows:

• Dependent on the visual sense and visible objects, the visual field of sensation arises. The association of the three is sensation. Sense impression arises dependent on sensation.

Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ. Tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso. Phassapaccayā vedanā. . (SN ii 74)

Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

Experiencing a pleasant sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

So sukhaṁ ce vedanaṁ vedeti. Sā aniccā ti pajānāti anajjhositā ti pajānāti anabhinanditā ti pajānāti.

Experiencing an unpleasant sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

Dukkhaṁ ce vedanaṁ vedeti. Sā aniccā ti pajānāti. Anajjhositā ti pajānāti. Anabhinanditā ti pajānāti

Experiencing a neutral sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedeti sā aniccā ti pajānāti anajjhositā ti pajānāti anabhinanditā ti pajānāti (MN iii 244)

Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

Bhikkhus, when the ignorant Everyman is affected by an unpleasant sense impression, he grieves, suffers, and laments, weeps beating his chest, and falls into bewilderment.

assutavā puthujjano dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati

He experiences two sense impressions—a bodily one and a psychological one.

so dve vedanā vediyati kāyikañca cetasikañca.

Being affected by that unpleasant sense impression, he has feelings of repugnance for it.

Tassāyeva kho pana dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno paṭighavā hoti.

When he has feelings of repugnance for unpleasant sense impression, the proclivity to repugnance towards unpleasant sense impression lurks within him.

Tamenaṁ dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighavantaṁ yo dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo so anuseti

When affected by an unpleasant sense impression, he longs for sensuous pleasure. For what reason?

so dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno kāmasukhaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu

Because the ignorant Everyman does not discern any deliverance from unpleasant sense impression other than through sensuous pleasure.

na bhikkhave pajānāti assutavā puthujjano aññatra kāmasukhā dukkhāya vedanāya nissaraṇaṁ. (SN iv 208)

Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

He knows that: ‘There has arisen in me an unpleasant sense impression. Now that is dependent, not self-sufficient. Dependent on what? Dependent on sensation. But sensation is unlasting, originated, dependently arisen. So when an unpleasant sense impression has arisen dependent on sensation, which is unlasting, originated, dependently arisen, how could it be lasting?'

so evaṁ pajānāti; uppannā kho myāyaṁ dukkhā vedanā sā ca kho paṭicca no apaṭicca kiṁ paṭicca: imameva phassaṁ paṭicca ayaṁ kho pana phasso anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī ti. (SN iv 213-4)

Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

Experiencing a pleasant sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

So sukhaṁ ce vedanaṁ vedeti. Sā aniccā ti pajānāti anajjhositā ti pajānāti anabhinanditā ti pajānāti.

Experiencing an unpleasant sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

Dukkhaṁ ce vedanaṁ vedeti. Sā aniccā ti pajānāti. Anajjhositā ti pajānāti. Anabhinanditā ti pajānāti

Experiencing a neutral sense impression, he knows that it is unlasting; he knows that it is not cleaved to; he knows that it is not delighted in.

adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedeti sā aniccā ti pajānāti anajjhositā ti pajānāti anabhinanditā ti pajānāti (MN iii 244)

Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

</blockquote>Without sense impression, there is no craving. With the ending of sense impression comes the ending of craving.

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Illustration: vedanā, sense impression

Bhikkhus, just as various winds blow in the sky: winds from the east, winds from the west, winds from the north, winds from the south, dusty winds and dustless winds, cold winds and hot winds, mild winds and strong winds; so too, various sense impressions arise in this [wretched human] body:

Evameva kho bhikkhave imasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ vividhā vedanā uppajjanti

• a pleasant sense impression arises,

sukhāpi vedanā uppajjati

• an unpleasant sense impression arises

dukkhāpi vedanā uppajjati

• a neutral sense impression arises.

adukkhamasukhāpi vedanā uppajjatīti. (SN iv 218)

Illustration: vedanā, feelings; vedanā, pains

• Strong painful feelings are increasing in me

bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti. (SN iv 56)

With the Buddha, dukkhā is often omitted, and vedanā means dukkhā vedanā:

• Strong, deadly pains assailed him.

Bāḷhā vedanā vattanti māraṇantikā. (DN ii 99)

• Severe pains assailed the Blessed One

bhusā sudaṁ bhagavato vedanā vattanti. (SN i 27)

Illustration: vedanā, feeling

Having passed beyond the rapture of physical seclusion, having passed beyond unworldly pleasure, having entered [sublime] neutral feeling, he abides therein.

pavivekāya pītiyā samatikkamā nirāmisassa sukhassa samatikkamā adukkhamasukhaṁ vedanaṁ upasampajja viharati

He thinks, ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely: having entered [sublime] neutral feeling I am abiding therein.’

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ adukkhamasukhaṁ vedanaṁ upasampajja viharāmī ti. (MN ii 237)

➥ vedayita: (main article see: vedanā)

Illustration: vedayita, experienced

These three types of sense impression have been spoken of by me: pleasant sense impression, unpleasant sense impression, and neutral sense impression. These three types of sense impression have been spoken of by me.

tisso imā bhikkhu vedanā vuttā mayā sukhā vedanā dukkhā vedanā adukkhamasukhā vedanā imā tisso vedanā vuttā mayā

And I have also said: ‘Whatever is experienced is intrinsically unsatisfactory.

Vuttaṁ kho panetaṁ bhikkhu mayā yaṁ kiñci vedayitaṁ taṁ dukkhasmin ti. (SN iv 216)

Illustration: vedayita, experienced

That which is experienced by body or mind as pleasant or enjoyable is called a pleasant sense impression.

Yaṁ kho āvuso visākha kāyikaṁ vā cetasikaṁ vā sukhaṁ sātaṁ vedayitaṁ ayaṁ sukhā vedanā. (MN i 302)

Illustration: vedayita, sense impression

When the ignorant Everyman is affected by sense impression born of sensation and uninsightfulness into reality, craving arises.

avijjāsamphassajena bhikkhave vedayitena phuṭṭhassa assutavato puthujjanassa uppannā taṇhā. (SN iii 96)

Illustration: vedayita, sense impression

Seeing thus the learned noble disciple is disillusioned with the visual sense, visible objects, the visual field of sensation, visual sensation, and whatever sense impression that arises due to visual sensation―whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral;…

Evaṁ passaṁ bhikkhu sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati rūpesupi nibbindati cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tasmimpi nibbindati. (SN iv 171)

Illustration: vedayita, sense impression

With the demise of the body at death, and with the ending of life, he knows that all sense impressions, being not delighted in, will be dissipated right here in this world.

Kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā ideva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītibhavissantī ti pajānāti. (MN iii 245)