Vedanā — Feeling Tone
In Pali, vedanā** means “feeling tone” — not emotion, but the immediate sense of:
→ pleasant,
→ unpleasant, or
→ neutral.
It happens instantly after contact (phassa).
And it’s the spark that lights the fire of craving.
Role in dependent origination
Vedanā is the seventh link:
phassa → vedanā → taṇhā…
“With contact as condition, feeling arises…”
— Saṃyutta Nikāya 12.1
Three kinds of vedanā
- Pleasant** — leads to wanting more,
- Unpleasant** — leads to wanting to push away,
- Neutral** — leads to zoning out (which is also a kind of craving).
Practical meaning
Try this now:
→ Notice a sensation (itch, sound, thought).
→ Label it: pleasant / unpleasant / neutral.
→ Don’t react. Just feel.
That’s vedanā — seen clearly, not fueling craving.