In this context, the faculties of pleasure and happiness should be seen as pleasant feeling. The faculties of pain and sadness should be seen as painful feeling. The faculty of equanimity should be seen as neutral feeling. That’s how these five faculties, depending on how they’re explained, having been five become three, and having been three become five.”

Linked Discourses 48.39 4. The Pleasure Faculty The Simile of the Fire Sticks

“Mendicants, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculties of pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity. The faculty of pleasure arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. When in a state of pleasure, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pleasure.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pleasure that had arisen ceases and stops.

The faculty of pain arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful. When in a state of pain, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pain.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pain that had arisen ceases and stops.

The faculty of happiness arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as happiness. When in a state of happiness, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of happiness.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as happiness, you understand that the corresponding faculty of happiness that had arisen ceases and stops.