The Questions of Jatukaṇṇi
First published: March 7, 2026
What you'll learn
Buddha teaches Jatukaṇṇi that reaching the state of peace requires removing greed for sensual pleasures and seeing renunciation as true security. The teaching emphasizes not grasping at past, present, or future experiences and achieving freedom from attachment to name-and-form and all defilements.
Where it sits
This is one of sixteen question-and-answer dialogues in the Pārāyana Vagga, the final chapter of the Sutta Nipāta. Each dialogue features a different student asking Buddha about fundamental aspects of the spiritual path.
Suggested use
Read this when seeking guidance on overcoming attachment to sensual pleasures or when working to understand the relationship between renunciation and inner peace. This text is particularly relevant for practitioners examining their relationship with material desires.
Guidance
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Snp 5.12 — The Questions of Jatukaṇṇi (Jatukaṇṇimāṇavapucchā)
snp5.12:gu:0001Guidance (not part of the sutta)
snp5.12:gu:0002What this discourse is really about
snp5.12:gu:0003This discourse addresses the fundamental question of how to find genuine peace and security. The Buddha explains that true peace comes not from seeking pleasure but from letting go of all forms of grasping and attachment to experiences across time.
snp5.12:gu:0004Key teachings
snp5.12:gu:0005- Remove greed for sensual pleasures rather than seeking to fulfill desires.
- Recognize renunciation as the source of real security, not accumulation or indulgence.
- Release attachment to past experiences, present circumstances, and future expectations.
- Freedom from identification with name-and-form (mental and physical phenomena) is essential.
- Liberation from all defilements allows one to transcend death itself.
Common misunderstandings
snp5.12:gu:0011- People often think peace means finding the right external conditions or getting what they want.
- Many misunderstand renunciation as deprivation rather than recognizing it as genuine security.
- Some believe they can hold onto pleasant experiences from any time period while still achieving freedom.
Try this today
snp5.12:gu:0015- Notice when you're mentally grasping at past memories, current situations, or future plans, and practice simply observing without holding on.
- When desires for sensual pleasures arise, examine whether pursuing them actually brings the security you're seeking.
If this landed, read next
snp5.12:gu:0018- SN 22.59 - The teaching on non-self and the five aggregates that shows how identification with name-and-form creates suffering.
- AN 4.10 - Explains the four kinds of grasping that keep beings bound to suffering and rebirth.