<p>There cannot be consciousness without feeling in the Buddha's teaching. MN 43 says consciousness, feeling &amp; perception are conjoined; they cannot occur without each other. <a href="https://suttacentral.net/iti44/en/ireland?lang=en&amp;reference=none&amp;highlight=false" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Iti 44</a> describes Nibbana as including feelings.</p>
<p>The word 'nirodha' does not generally/always mean 'cessation'. The translations of 'nirodha' are probably the largest problem/mistranslation in Buddhism.</p>
<p>Thai bhikkhus Buddhadasa &amp; Payutto sought to address this, such as Payutto's comment: <a href="https://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm#problem" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A problem with the word &quot;nirodha&quot;</a>.</p>
<p>The word &quot;nirodha&quot; is used in similar contexts to the word &quot;atthaṅgama&quot;. The words &quot;origin&quot; (&quot;samudaya&quot;) and &quot;passing away&quot;(&quot;atthaṅgama&quot;) appear defined in <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.5/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.5</a>, as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of form? What is the origin of
feeling? What is the origin of perception? What is the origin of
volitional formations? What is the origin of consciousness? Here,
bhikkhus, one seeks delight, one welcomes, one remains holding. And
what is it that one seeks delight in, what does one welcome, to what
does one remain holding? One seeks delight in form, welcomes it, and
remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight arises.
Delight in form is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition,
existence comes to be; with existence as condition, birth; with birth
as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure,
and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of
suffering.</p>
<p>And <strong>what, bhikkhus, is the passing away of</strong> form? What is the passing
away of <strong>feeling</strong>? What is the passing away of perception? What is the
passing away of volitional formations? What is the passing away of
consciousness? Here, bhikkhus, <strong>one does not seek delight, one does not
welcome, one does not remain holding</strong>. And what is it that one does not
seek delight in? What doesn’t one welcome? To what doesn’t one remain
holding? One does not seek delight in form, does not welcome it, does
not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight in form
ceases. With the cessation of delight comes cessation of clinging;
with cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the
cessation of this whole mass of suffering.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>About 'nirodha', the Visuddhimagga says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Nirodha</strong> (cessation): the word <strong>ni</strong> denotes <strong>absence</strong>, and the word <strong>rodha</strong>, a
<strong>prison</strong>. Now, the third truth is void of all destinies and so there is no
constraint (rodha) of suffering here reckoned as the prison of the round of rebirths;
or when that cessation has been arrived at, there is <strong>no more constraint</strong> of suffering
reckoned as the prison of the round of rebirths. And being the opposite of that
prison, it is called dukkha-nirodha (cessation of suffering). Or alternatively, it is
called “cessation of suffering” because it is a condition for the cessation of
suffering consisting in non-arising.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In summary, when the Dependent Origination teachings refer to the cessation of feeling, this appears to simply refer to the cessation of ignorance in respect to/affecting feeling.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-26T11:05:34.540Z
2023-11-26T11:16:15.040Z
2023-11-26T11:16:15.040Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>In dependent origination , feelings arise due to contact. Craving results from feelings. Cessation of feeling is cessation of suffering.</p>
<p>Suppose consciousness is devoid of feelings , that is ,no feelings arise, then , can we say cessation of feeling has been achieved?</p>

<pratityasamutpada>
Is cessation of feeling same as having no feeling?
# Is cessation of feeling same as having no feeling?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-26)

In dependent origination , feelings arise due to contact. Craving results from feelings. Cessation of feeling is cessation of suffering.

Suppose consciousness is devoid of feelings , that is ,no feelings arise, then , can we say cessation of feeling has been achieved?

**Tags:** pratityasamutpada


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-11-26. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

There cannot be consciousness without feeling in the Buddha's teaching. MN 43 says consciousness, feeling & perception are conjoined; they cannot occur without each other. [Iti 44](https://suttacentral.net/iti44/en/ireland?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false) describes Nibbana as including feelings.

The word 'nirodha' does not generally/always mean 'cessation'. The translations of 'nirodha' are probably the largest problem/mistranslation in Buddhism.

Thai bhikkhus Buddhadasa & Payutto sought to address this, such as Payutto's comment: [A problem with the word "nirodha"](https://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm#problem).

The word "nirodha" is used in similar contexts to the word "atthaṅgama". The words "origin" ("samudaya") and "passing away"("atthaṅgama") appear defined in [SN 22.5](https://suttacentral.net/sn22.5/en/bodhi), as follows:

> And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of form? What is the origin of
> feeling? What is the origin of perception? What is the origin of
> volitional formations? What is the origin of consciousness? Here,
> bhikkhus, one seeks delight, one welcomes, one remains holding. And
> what is it that one seeks delight in, what does one welcome, to what
> does one remain holding? One seeks delight in form, welcomes it, and
> remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight arises.
> Delight in form is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition,
> existence comes to be; with existence as condition, birth; with birth
> as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure,
> and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of
> suffering.
>
> And **what, bhikkhus, is the passing away of** form? What is the passing
> away of **feeling**? What is the passing away of perception? What is the
> passing away of volitional formations? What is the passing away of
> consciousness? Here, bhikkhus, **one does not seek delight, one does not
> welcome, one does not remain holding**. And what is it that one does not
> seek delight in? What doesn’t one welcome? To what doesn’t one remain
> holding? One does not seek delight in form, does not welcome it, does
> not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight in form
> ceases. With the cessation of delight comes cessation of clinging;
> with cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the
> cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

About 'nirodha', the Visuddhimagga says:

> **Nirodha** (cessation): the word **ni** denotes **absence**, and the word **rodha**, a
> **prison**. Now, the third truth is void of all destinies and so there is no
> constraint (rodha) of suffering here reckoned as the prison of the round of rebirths;
> or when that cessation has been arrived at, there is **no more constraint** of suffering
> reckoned as the prison of the round of rebirths. And being the opposite of that
> prison, it is called dukkha-nirodha (cessation of suffering). Or alternatively, it is
> called “cessation of suffering” because it is a condition for the cessation of
> suffering consisting in non-arising.

In summary, when the Dependent Origination teachings refer to the cessation of feeling, this appears to simply refer to the cessation of ignorance in respect to/affecting feeling.


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