It is for understanding Dukkha that the holy life is lived

Textual Scholarship
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Samyutta Nikaya
Translation by Bodhi
81 (8) A Number of Bhikkhus

Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One … and said to him: [51] “Here, venerable sir, wanderers of other sects ask us: ‘For what purpose, friends, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?’ When we are asked thus, venerable sir, we answer those wanderers thus: ‘It is, friends, for the full understanding of suffering that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.’ We hope, venerable sir, that when we answer thus we state what has been said by the Blessed One and do not misrepresent him with what is contrary to fact; that we explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and that no reasonable consequence of our assertion gives ground for criticism.”44
“For sure, bhikkhus, when you answer thus you state what has been said by me and do not misrepresent me with what is contrary to fact; you explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and no reasonable consequence of your assertion gives ground for criticism. For, bhikkhus, it is for the full understanding of suffering that the holy life is lived under me.“ But, bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects ask you: ‘What, friends, is that suffering for the full understanding of which the holy life is lived under the ascetic Gotama?’—being asked thus, you should answer them thus: ‘The eye, friends, is suffering: it is for the full understanding of this that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One. Forms are suffering … Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition … that too is suffering … The mind is suffering … Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition … that too is suffering: it is for the full understanding of this that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One. This, friends, is that suffering for the full understanding of which the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.’ [52]
“Being asked thus, bhikkhus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in such a way.”

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Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.81
8. Gilānavagga
Sambahulabhikkhusutta
Variant: Sambahulabhikkhusutta → bhikkhu (pts1ed)
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“idha no, bhante, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā amhe evaṁ pucchanti:
‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?
Evaṁ puṭṭhā mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākaroma:
‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.

Kacci mayaṁ, bhante, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva bhagavato homa, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti?

“Taggha tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva me hotha, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhatha, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarotha, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati.
Dukkhassa hi, bhikkhave, pariññatthaṁ mayi brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Sace pana vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:
‘katamaṁ pana taṁ, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, yassa pariññāya samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti?
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:
‘cakkhu kho, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.
Rūpā …pe…
yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ.
Tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati …pe…

mano dukkho …pe…
yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi dukkhaṁ.
Tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussati.

Idaṁ kho taṁ, āvuso, dukkhaṁ, tassa pariññāya bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

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Perhaps we should add here that, when penetration of one Noble Truth is stated, penetration of other three Noble Truths are also stated.

From paṭhamakoṭigāma sutta(SN56.21)

catunnaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasaccānaṃ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṃ dīghamaddhānaṃ sandhāvitaṃ saṃsaritaṃ mamañceva tumhākañca

Mendicants, due to not understanding and not penetrating four noble truths, both you and I have wandered and transmigrated for such a very long time.

That is to say, these four acts(kriya) happen together

Dukkha (pariññā)paṭivedha
Samudaya (pahāna)paṭivedha
Nirodhaṃ (sacchikiriya)paṭivedha
Magga (bhāvanā)paṭivedha

As an illustration to understand, many kriya happening together, when the first mundane Jhana arises, becoming incredibly joyous(piti), becoming incredibly calm, strongly but temporarily getting rid of defilements(vikkhambhana pahāna),… etc all happen together.

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paññavā paññavā’ti, āvuso, vuccati. kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, paññavāti vuccatī"ti.

"pajānāti pajānātī’ti kho, āvuso, tasmā paññavāti vuccati. "kiñca pajānāti/ ‘idaṃ dukkha’nti pajānāti, ‘ayaṃ dukkhasamudayo’ti pajānāti, ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodho’ti pajānāti, ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti pajānāti. ‘pajānāti pajānātī’ti kho, āvuso, tasmā paññavāti vuccatī"ti.

They speak of ‘a wise person’. How is a wise person defined?”

“They’re called wise because they understand. And what do they understand? They understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ They’re called wise because they understand.”
MN43

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khandhasaṃyutta
uppādasutta (SN22.30)

yo, bhikkhave, rūpassa uppādo ṭhiti abhinibbatti pātubhāvo, dukkhasseso uppādo rogānaṃ ṭhiti jarāmaraṇassa pātubhāvo. yo vedanāya…pe… yo saññāya…pe… yo saṅkhārānaṃ…pe… yo viññāṇassa uppādo ṭhiti abhinibbatti pātubhāvo, dukkhasseso uppādo rogānaṃ ṭhiti jarāmaraṇassa pātubhāvo.

Bhikkhus, the arising, continuation, production, and manifestation of form is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death. The arising of feeling … of perception … of volitional formations … of consciousness is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death.

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