“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: “Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘What is feeling? What’s the origin of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the origin of feeling? What’s the cessation of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the cessation of feeling? ‘katamā nu kho vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā, katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā? And what is feeling’s gratification, drawback, and escape?’ Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan’ti?

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘There are these three feelings: ‘tisso imā vedanā—pleasant, painful, and neutral. sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā. These are called feeling. Imā vuccanti vedanā. Feeling originates from contact. Phassasamudayā vedanāsamudayo. Craving is the practice that leads to the origin of feeling … Taṇhā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā …pe… Removing and giving up desire and greed for feeling: this is its escape.’” yo vedanāya chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ. Idaṁ vedanāya nissaraṇan’”ti.

Catutthaṁ.