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prepared by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
§ 1. "There
are some cases in which a person overcome with pain, his mind
exhausted, grieves, mourns, laments, beats his breast, & becomes
bewildered. Or one overcome with pain, his mind exhausted, comes to
search outside, 'Who knows a way or two to stop this pain?' I tell
you, monks, that stress results either in bewilderment or in
search."
—AN
VI.63
§ 2. "Both
formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the
cessation of stress."
— SN
XXII.86
§ 3. Ven.
Sariputta said: "Friends, in foreign lands there are wise
nobles & priests, householders & contemplatives — for the
people there are wise & discriminating — who will question a
monk: 'What is your teacher's doctrine? What does he teach?'
"Thus asked, you should answer, 'Our teacher teaches the
subduing of passion & desire.'
"Having thus been answered, there may be wise nobles &
priests, householders & contemplatives... who will question you
further, 'And your teacher teaches the subduing of passion &
desire for what?'
"Thus asked, you should answer, 'Our teacher teaches the
subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for
perception... for fabrications. Our teacher teaches the subduing of
passion & desire for consciousness.'
"Having thus been answered, there may be wise nobles &
priests, householders & contemplatives... who will question you
further, 'And seeing what danger does your teacher teach the
subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for
perception... for fabrications. Seeing what danger does your teacher
teach the subduing of passion & desire for consciousness?'
"Thus asked, you should answer, 'When one is not free from
passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for form, then
from any change & alteration in that form, there arises sorrow,
lamentation, pain, grief, & despair. When one is not free from
passion... for feeling... for perception... for fabrications... When
one is not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, &
craving for consciousness, then from any change & alteration in
that consciousness, there arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief,
& despair. Seeing this danger, our teacher teaches the subduing
of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for perception...
for fabrications. Seeing this danger our teacher teaches the
subduing of passion & desire for consciousness.'
"Having thus been answered, there may be wise nobles &
priests, householders & contemplatives... who will question you
further, 'And seeing what benefit does your teacher teach the
subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for
perception... for fabrications. Seeing what benefit does your
teacher teach the subduing of passion & desire for
consciousness?'
"Thus asked, you should answer, 'When one is free from
passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for form, then
with any change & alteration in that form, there does not arise
any sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or despair. When one is free
from passion... for feeling... for perception... for fabrications...
When one is free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, &
craving for consciousness, then with any change & alteration in
that consciousness, there does not arise any sorrow, lamentation,
pain, grief, or despair. Seeing this benefit, our teacher teaches
the subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for
perception... for fabrications. Seeing this benefit our teacher
teaches the subduing of passion & desire for
consciousness.'"
— SN XXII.2
§ 4. "And
what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing
vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge,
to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold
Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration."
— SN LVI.11
§ 5. "Monks,
from an inconceivable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning
point is not evident, although beings hindered by ignorance and
fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on.
"It's just as when a dog is tied by a leash to a post or
stake: If it walks, it walks right around that post or stake. If it
stands, it stands right next to that post or stake. If it sits, it
sits right next to that post or stake. If it lies down, it lies down
right next to that post or stake.
"In the same way, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person
regards form as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.'
He regards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness
as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' If he walks,
he walks right around these five clinging-aggregates. If he stands,
he stands right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he sits,
he sits right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he lies
down, he lies down right next to these five clinging-aggregates.
Thus one should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long
time has this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, &
delusion.' From the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From
the purification of the mind are beings purified.
"Monks, have you ever seen a moving-picture show?"
"Yes, lord."
"That moving-picture show was created by the mind. And this
mind is even more variegated than a moving-picture show. Thus one
should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long time has
this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, & delusion.' From
the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From the purification
of the mind are beings purified.
"Monks, I can imagine no one group of beings more variegated
than that of common animals. Common animals are created by mind. And
the mind is even more variegated than common animals. Thus one
should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long time has
this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, & delusion.' From
the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From the purification
of the mind are beings purified.
"It's just as when — there being dye, lac, yellow
orpiment, indigo, or crimson — a dyer or painter would paint the
picture of a woman or a man, complete in all its parts, on a
well-polished panel or wall, or on a piece of cloth; in the same
way, an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, when creating, creates
nothing but form... feeling... perception... fabrications...
consciousness."
— SN XXII.100
§ 6. At Savatthi.
There the Blessed One said, "Monks, I will teach you the five
aggregates & the five clinging-aggregates. Listen & pay
close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, are the five
aggregates?
"Whatever form is past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is
called the aggregate of form.
"Whatever feeling is past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is
called the aggregate of feeling.
"Whatever perception is past, future, or present; internal
or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that
is called the aggregate of perception.
"Whatever (mental) fabrications are past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;
far or near: those are called the aggregate of fabrication.
"Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or
near: that is called the aggregate of consciousness.
"These are called the five aggregates.
"And what are the five clinging-aggregates?
"Whatever form — past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is
clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental
fermentation: that is called form as clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever feeling — past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is
clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental
fermentation: that is called feeling as a clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever perception — past, future, or present; internal
or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near —
is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental
fermentation: that is called perception as a clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever (mental) fabrications — past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;
far or near — are clingable, offer sustenance, and are accompanied
with mental fermentation: those are called fabrication as a
clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever consciousness — past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or
near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with
mental fermentation: that is called consciousness as a
clinging-aggregate.
"These are called the five clinging-aggregates."
— SN XXII.48
§ 7. "And why
is it called 'form' (rupa)? Because it is afflicted (ruppati),
thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold & heat
& hunger & thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes,
wind, sun, & reptiles. Because it is afflicted, it is called
form.
"And why is it called 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it
is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels
pain, it feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is
called feeling.
"And why is it called 'perception'? Because it perceives,
thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives
blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white.
Because it perceives, it is called perception.
"And why are they called 'fabrications'? Because they
fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.'
What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing? From form-ness, they
fabricate form as a fabricated thing. From feeling-ness, they
fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. From perception-hood...
From fabrication-hood... From consciousness-hood, they fabricate
consciousness as a fabricated thing. Because they fabricate
fabricated things, they are called fabrications. [See §
18.]
"And why is it called 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes,
thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes
what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty,
& unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called
consciousness."
—SN XXII.79
§ 8. Form.
Sariputta: "And what, friends, is form as a clinging-aggregate?
The four great existents and the form derived from them. And what
are the four great existents? They are the earth property, the
liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property.
"And what is the earth property? The earth property can be
either internal or external. What is the internal earth property?
Whatever internal, within oneself, is hard, solid, & sustained
[by craving]: head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,
tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen,
lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach,
feces, or whatever else internal, within oneself, is hard, solid,
& sustained: This is called the internal earth property...
"And what is the liquid property? The liquid property may be
either internal or external. What is the internal liquid property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is liquid, watery, &
sustained: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil,
saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine, or whatever else
internal, within oneself, is liquid, watery, & sustained: This
is called the internal liquid property...
"And what is the fire property? The fire property may be
either internal or external. What is the internal fire property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, &
sustained: that by which [the body] is warmed, aged, & consumed
with fever; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, &
savored gets properly digested, or whatever else internal, within
oneself, is fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the
internal fire property...
"And what is the wind property? The wind property may be
either internal or external. What is the internal wind property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, &
sustained: up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the stomach,
winds in the intestines, winds that course through the body,
in-&-out breathing, or whatever else internal, within oneself,
is wind, windy, & sustained: This is called the internal wind
property..."
— SN XXII.79
§ 9. Feeling.
"And what is feeling? These six classes of feeling — feeling
born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of
nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of
body-contact, feeling born of intellect-contact: this is called
feeling."
— SN
XXII.57
§ 10. Sister
Dhammadinna: "There are three kinds of feeling: pleasant
feeling, painful feeling, & neither-pleasant-nor-painful
feeling... Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as
pleasant & gratifying is pleasant feeling. Whatever is
experienced physically or mentally as painful & hurting is
painful feeling. Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as
neither gratifying nor hurting is neither-pleasant-nor-painful
feeling... Pleasant feeling is pleasant in remaining and painful in
changing. Painful feeling is painful in remaining and pleasant in
changing. Neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is pleasant when
conjoined with knowledge and painful when devoid of knowledge."
— MN
44
§ 11. Perception.
"And what is perception? These six classes of perception —
perception of form, perception of sound, perception of smell,
perception of taste, perception of tactile sensation, perception of
ideas: this is called perception."
— SN XXII.57
§ 12. Fabrications. "And what are fabrications? There are
these six classes of intention: intention aimed at sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, tactile sensations, & ideas. These are called
fabrications."
— SN XXII.57§ 13. Three kinds of fabrications: meritorious
fabrications [ripening in pleasure], demeritorious fabrications
[ripening in pain], & imperturbable fabrications [the formless
states of jhana].
— DN 33§ 14. Visakha: "And what, lady, are bodily
fabrications, what are verbal fabrications, what are mental
fabrications?"
Sister Dhammadinna: "In-&-out breathing is bodily, bound up
with the body, therefore is it called a bodily fabrication. Having
directed one's thought and evaluated [the matter], one breaks into
speech. Therefore directed thought & evaluation are called verbal
fabrications. Perception & feeling are mental, bound up with the
mind. Therefore perception & feeling are called mental
fabrications."
— MN 44§ 15. Consciousness. "And what is consciousness? These
six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness,
nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness,
intellect-consciousness. This is called consciousness."
— SN XXII.57§ 16. Conditional Relations. "From the origination
of nutriment comes the origination of form. From the cessation of
nutriment comes the cessation of form... From the origination of
contact comes the origination of feeling. From the cessation of
contact comes the cessation of feeling... From the origination of
contact comes the origination of perception. From the cessation of
contact comes the cessation of perception... From the origination of
contact comes the origination of fabrications. From the cessation of
contact comes the cessation of fabrications... From the origination of
name-&-form comes the origination of consciousness. From the
cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of
consciousness."
— SN XXII.57§ 17. [A certain monk:] "Lord, what is the cause,
what the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of form? What
is the cause, what the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate
of feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness?"
[The Buddha:] "Monk, the four great existents (earth, water,
fire, & wind) are the cause, the four great existents the
condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of form. Contact is
the cause, contact the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate
of feeling. Contact is the cause, contact the condition, for the
delineation of the aggregate of perception. Contact is the cause,
contact the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of
fabrications. Name-&-form is the cause, name-&-form the
condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of
consciousness."
— MN 109§ 18.
"From ignorance as a requisite condition come
fabrications.
From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness.
From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form.
From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense
media.
From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact.
From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.
From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.
From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.
From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming.
From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.
From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the
origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering...
"And what is feeling? These six are classes of feeling: feeling
born from eye-contact, feeling born from ear-contact, feeling born
from nose-contact, feeling born from tongue-contact, feeling born from
body-contact, feeling born from intellect-contact. This is called
feeling.
"And what is contact? These six are classes of contact:
eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact,
intellect-contact. This is called contact.
"And what are the six sense media? These six are sense media: the
eye-medium, the ear-medium, the nose-medium, the tongue-medium, the
body-medium, the intellect-medium. These are called the six sense
media.
"And what is name-&-form? Feeling, perception, intention,
contact, & attention: This is called name. The four great
elements, and the form dependent on the four great elements: This is
called form. This name & this form are called name-&-form.
"And what is consciousness? These six are classes of
consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness,
nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness,
intellect-consciousness. This is called consciousness.
"And what are fabrications? These three are fabrications: bodily
fabrications, verbal fabrications, mental fabrications. These are
called fabrications.
"And what is ignorance? Not knowing stress, not knowing the
origination of stress, not knowing the cessation of stress, not
knowing the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This
is called ignorance."
— SN XII.2§ 19. "'From consciousness as a requisite condition
comes name-&-form.' Thus it has been said. And this is the way to
understand how from consciousness as a requisite condition comes
name-&-form. If consciousness were not to descend into the
mother's womb, would name-&-form take shape in the womb?"
"No, lord."
"If, after descending into the womb, consciousness were to
depart, would name-&-form be produced for this world?"
"No, lord."
"If the consciousness of the young boy or girl were to be cut
off, would name-&-form ripen, grow, and reach maturity?"
"No, lord."
"Thus this is a cause, this is a reason, this is an origination,
this is a requisite condition for name-&-form, i.e.,
consciousness.
"From name-&-form as a requisite condition comes
consciousness.' Thus it has been said. And this is the way to
understand how from name-&-form as a requisite condition comes
consciousness. If consciousness were not to gain a foothold in
name-&-form, would a coming-into-play of the origination of birth,
aging, death, and stress in the future be discerned?"
"No, lord."
"Thus this is a cause, this is a reason, this is an origination,
this is a requisite condition for consciousness, i.e.,
name-&-form.
"This is the extent to which there is birth, aging, death,
passing away, and re-arising. This is the extent to which there are
means of designation, expression, and delineation. This is the extent
to which the dimension of discernment extends, the extent to which the
cycle revolves for the manifesting (discernibility) of this world —
i.e., name-&-form together with consciousness."— DN 15§
20.
"There are these four nutriments for the establishing of
beings who have taken birth or for the support of those in search of a
place to be born. Which four? Physical food, gross or refined; contact
as the second, consciousness the third, and intellectual intention the
fourth. These are the four nutriments for the establishing of beings
or for the support of those in search of a place to be born.
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment
of physical food, consciousness lands there and grows. Where
consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where
name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where
there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of
renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of
renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, &
death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Just as — when there is dye, lac, yellow orpiment, indigo, or
crimson — a dyer or painter would paint the picture of a woman or a
man, complete in all its parts, on a well-polished panel or wall, or
on a piece of cloth; in the same way, where there is passion, delight,
& craving for the nutriment of physical food, consciousness lands
there & grows... together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction,
& despair.(Similarly with the other three kinds of nutriment.)
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food,
where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not
land there or grow... Name-&-form does not alight... There is no
growth of fabrications... There is no production of renewed becoming
in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the
future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell
you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.
"Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having
windows on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and
a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?"
"On the western wall, lord."
"And if there is no western wall...?"
"On the ground, lord."
"And if there is no ground...?"
"On the water, lord."
"And if there is no water...?"
"It does not land, lord."
"In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of
physical food... consciousness does not land or grow... That, I tell
you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair."
(Similarly with the other three kinds of nutriment.)
— SN XII.64§ 21.
"Monks, there are these five means of
propagation. Which five? Root-propagation, stem-propagation,
joint-propagation, cutting-propagation, & seed-propagation as the
fifth. And if these five means of propagation are not broken, not
rotten, not damaged by wind & sun, mature, and well-buried, but
there is no earth and no water, would they exhibit growth, increase,
& proliferation?"
"No, lord."
"And if these five means of propagation are broken, rotten,
damaged by wind & sun, immature, and poorly-buried, but there is
earth & water, would they exhibit growth, increase, &
proliferation?"
"No, lord."
"And if these five means of propagation are not broken, not
rotten, not damaged by wind & sun, mature, and well-buried, and
there is earth & water, would they exhibit growth, increase, &
proliferation?"
"Yes, lord."
"Like the earth property, monks, is how the four standing-spots
for consciousness should be seen. Like the liquid property is how
delight & passion should be seen. Like the five means of
propagation is how consciousness together with its nutriment should be
seen.
"Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to (a
physical) form, supported by form (as its object), established on
form, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, &
proliferation.
"Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to
feeling, supported by feeling (as its object), established on feeling,
watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, &
proliferation.
"Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to
perception, supported by perception (as its object), established on
perception, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase,
& proliferation.
"Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to
fabrications, supported by fabrications (as its object), established
on fabrications, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth,
increase, & proliferation.
"Were someone to say, 'I will describe a coming, a going, a
passing away, an arising, a growth, an increase, or a proliferation of
consciousness apart from form, from feeling, from perception, from
fabrications,' that would be impossible."
— SN XXII.54
§ 22.
"Monks, I will teach you the burden, the carrier of the burden,
the taking up of the burden, and the casting off of the burden.
Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "And which is the burden? 'The five
clinging-aggregates,' it should be said. Which five? Form as a
clinging-aggregate, feeling as a clinging-aggregate, perception as a
clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a clinging-aggregate,
consciousness as a clinging-aggregate: This, monks, is called the
burden.
"And which is the carrier of the burden? 'The person,' it
should be said. This venerable one with such a name, such a
clan-name: This is called the carrier of the burden.
"And which is the taking up of the burden? The craving that
makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now here & now there — i.e., craving for sensual
pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming: This is
called the taking up of the burden.
"And which is the casting off of the burden? The
remainderless dispassion-cessation, renunciation, relinquishment,
release, & letting go of that very craving: This is called the
casting off of the burden."
— SN XXII.22
§ 23.
"Monks, there are four [modes of] clinging. Which four?
Sensuality as a mode of clinging, views as a mode of clinging,
precepts & practices as a mode of clinging, doctrines of the
self as a mode of clinging."
— MN
11
§ 24. "An
uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble
ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no
regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in
their Dhamma — assumes form to be the self, or the self as
possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form.
"He assumes feeling to be the self...
"He assumes perception to be the self...
"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self...
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as
possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the
self as in consciousness."
— SN
XXII.85
§ 25. "To
what extent, Ananda, does one delineate when delineating a self?
Either delineating a self possessed of form and finite, one
delineates that 'My self is possessed of form and finite.' Or,
delineating a self possessed of form and infinite, one delineates
that 'My self is possessed of form and infinite.' Or, delineating a
self formless and finite, one delineates that 'My self is formless
and finite.' Or, delineating a self formless and infinite, one
delineates that 'My self is formless and infinite.'
"Now, the one who, when delineating a self, delineates it as
possessed of form and finite, either delineates it as possessed of
form and finite in the present, or of such a nature that it will
[naturally] become possessed of form and finite [in the future/after
death], or he believes that 'Although it is not yet that way, I will
convert it into being that way.' This being the case, it is proper
to say that a fixed view of a self possessed of form and finite lies
latent [within that person]."
[Similarly with the other three delineations.]
— DN
15
§ 26. "If
one stays obsessed with form, monk, that's what one is measured by.
Whatever one is measured by, that's how one is classified.
"If one stays obsessed with feeling... perception...
fabrications...
"If one stays obsessed with consciousness, that's what one
is measured by. Whatever one is measured by, that's how one is
classified.
"But if one doesn't stay obsessed with form, monk, that's
not what one is measured by. Whatever one isn't measured by, that's
not how one is classified.
"If one doesn't stay obsessed with feeling... perception...
fabrications...
"If one doesn't stay obsessed with consciousness, that's not
what one is measured by. Whatever one isn't measured by, that's not
how one is classified."
— SN
XXII.36
§ 27. Radha:
"'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one
said to be 'a being'?"
The Buddha: "Any desire, passion, delight, or craving
for form, Radha: when one is caught up (satta) there, tied up
(visatta) there, one is said to be 'a being (satta).'
"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling...
perception... fabrications...
"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness,
Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be
'a being.'"
— SN
XXIII.2
§ 28.
Mara:
"By whom was this being created?
Where is the living being's maker?
Where has the living being originated?
Where does the living being
cease?"
Sister Vajira:
"What? Do you assume a 'being,' Mara?
Do you take a position?
This is purely a pile of fabrications.
Here no living being
can be pinned down.
Just as when, with an assemblage of parts,
there's the word,
chariot,
even so when aggregates are present,
there's the convention of
a being.
For only stress is what comes to be;
stress, what remains & falls away.
Nothing but stress comes to be.
Nothing ceases but stress."
Then Mara the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, "Vajira
the nun knows me" — vanished right there.
— SN
V.10
§ 29.
"Seeing that these five hindrances have been abandoned within
him, he becomes glad. Glad, he becomes enraptured. Enraptured, his
body grows tranquil. His body tranquil, he is sensitive to pleasure.
Feeling pleasure, his mind becomes concentrated.
"Quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from
unskillful mental qualities, the monk enters & remains in the
first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal,
accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. His earlier
perception of sensuality ceases, and on that occasion there is a
perception of a refined truth of rapture & pleasure born of
seclusion... And thus it is that with training one perception arises
and with training another perception ceases.
"Then, with the stilling of directed thought &
evaluation, the monk enters & remains in the second jhana:
rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness
free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance.
His earlier perception of a refined truth of rapture & pleasure
born of seclusion ceases, and on that occasion there is a perception
of a refined truth of rapture & pleasure born of
concentration... And thus it is that with training one perception
arises and with training another perception ceases.
"And then, with the fading of rapture, the monk remains in
equanimity, mindful and alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure.
He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the noble ones
declare, 'Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' His
earlier perception of a refined truth of rapture & pleasure born
of concentration ceases, and on that occasion there is a perception
of a refined truth of equanimity... And thus it is that with
training one perception arises and with training another perception
ceases.
"And then, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain — as
with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — the monk
enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and
mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. His earlier perception of a
refined truth of equanimity ceases, and on that occasion there is a
perception of a refined truth of neither pleasure nor pain... And
thus it is that with training one perception arises and with
training another perception ceases.
"And then, with the complete transcending of perceptions of
[physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of
resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, thinking,
'Infinite space,' the monk enters & remains in the dimension of
the infinitude of space. His earlier perception of a refined truth
of neither pleasure nor pain ceases, and on that occasion there is a
perception of a refined truth of the dimension of the infinitude of
space... And thus it is that with training one perception arises and
with training another perception ceases.
"Then, with the complete transcending of the dimension of
the infinitude of space, thinking, 'Infinite consciousness,' the
monk enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of
consciousness. His earlier perception of a refined truth of the
dimension of the infinitude of space ceases, and on that occasion
there is a perception of a refined truth of the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness... And thus it is that with training one
perception arises and with training another perception ceases.
"Then there is the case where a monk, with the complete
transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,
thinking, 'There is nothing,' enters & remains in the dimension
of nothingness. His earlier perception of a refined truth of the
dimension of the infinitude of consciousness ceases, and on that
occasion there is a perception of a refined truth of the dimension
of nothingness... And thus it is that with training one perception
arises and with training another perception ceases."
— DN
9
§ 30. "I
tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the
first jhana... the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the
dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness. I tell
you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception.
"'I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends
on the first jhana.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was
it said? There is the case where a monk, withdrawn from sensuality,
withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the
first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal,
accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He regards
whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling,
perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant,
stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction,
alien, a disintegration, a void, not-self. He turns his mind away
from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the
property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the
resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all
acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation;
Unbinding.'
"Suppose that an archer or archer's apprentice were to
practice on a straw man or mound of clay, so that after a while he
would become able to shoot long distances, to fire accurate shots in
rapid succession, and to pierce great masses. In the same way, there
is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the first jhana:
rapture & pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by directed
thought & evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that
are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, &
consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an
arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an
emptiness, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena,
and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of
deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution
of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the
ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.'
"Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the mental
fermentations. Or, if not, then — through this very dhamma-passion,
this very dhamma-delight, and from the total wasting away of the
five lower fetters [self-identity views, grasping at precepts &
practices, uncertainty, sensual passion, and irritation] — he is
due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound,
never again to return from that world. [See §
43.]
"'I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends
on the first jhana.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was
it said.
[Similarly with the other levels of jhana up through the
dimension of nothingness.]
"Thus, as far as the perception-attainments go, that is as
far as gnosis-penetration goes. As for these two dimensions — the
attainment of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception
& the attainment of the cessation of feeling & perception
— I tell you that they are to be rightly explained by those monks
who are meditators, skilled in attaining, skilled in attaining &
emerging, who have attained & emerged in dependence on
them."
— AN
IX.36
§ 31. I have
heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi,
in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. And on that occasion Ven.
Girimananda was diseased, in pain, severely ill. Then Ven. Ananda
went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him,
sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One,
"Lord, Ven. Girimananda is diseased, in pain, severely ill. It
would be good if the Blessed One would visit Ven. Girimananda, out
of sympathy for him."
"Ananda, if you go to the monk Girimananda and tell
him ten perceptions, it's possible that when he hears the ten
perceptions his disease may be allayed. Which ten? The perception of
inconstancy, the perception of not-self, the perception of
unattractiveness, the perception of drawbacks, the perception of
abandoning, the perception of dispassion, the perception of
cessation, the perception of distaste for every world, the
perception of the undesirability of all fabrications, mindfulness of
in-&-out breathing.
[1] "And what is the perception of inconstancy? There is the
case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'Form is
inconstant, feeling is inconstant, perception is inconstant,
fabrications are inconstant, consciousness is inconstant.' Thus he
remains focused on inconstancy with regard to the five aggregates.
This, Ananda, is called the perception of inconstancy.
[2] "And what is the perception of not-self? There is the
case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'The eye is
not-self, forms are not-self; the ear is not-self, sounds are
not-self; the nose is not-self, aromas are not-self; the tongue is
not-self, flavors are not-self; the body is not-self, flavors are
not-self; the intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self.' Thus he
remains focused on not-selfness with regard to the six inner &
outer sense media. This is called the perception of not-self.
[3] "And what is the perception of unattractiveness? There
is the case where a monk ponders this very body — from the soles
of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by
skin, filled with all sorts of unclean things: 'There is in this
body: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin,
muscle, tendons, bones, bone marrow, spleen, heart, liver,
membranes, kidneys, lungs, large intestines, small intestines,
gorge, feces, gall, phlegm, lymph, blood, sweat, fat, tears, oil,
saliva, mucus, oil in the joints, urine.' Thus he remains focused on
unattractiveness with regard to this very body. This is called the
perception of unattractiveness.
[4] "And what is the perception of drawbacks? There is the
case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the foot of
a tree, or to an empty dwelling — reflects thus: 'This body has
many pains, many drawbacks. In this body many kinds of disease
arise, such as: seeing-diseases, hearing-diseases, nose-diseases,
tongue-diseases, body-diseases, head-diseases, ear-diseases,
mouth-diseases, teeth-diseases, cough, asthma, catarrh, fever,
aging, stomach-ache, fainting, dysentery, grippe, cholera, leprosy,
boils, ringworm, tuberculosis, epilepsy, skin-diseases, itch, scab,
psoriasis, scabies, jaundice, diabetes, hemorrhoids, fistulas,
ulcers; diseases arising from bile, from phlegm, from the
wind-property, from combinations of bodily humors, from changes in
the weather, from uneven care of the body, from attacks, from the
result of kamma; cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, urination.'
Thus he remains focused on drawbacks with regard to this body. This
is called the perception of drawbacks.
[5] "And what is the perception of abandoning? There is the
case where a monk does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality.
He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes it out of
existence. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill-will. He
abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes it out of
existence. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of harmfulness. He
abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes it out of
existence. He does not tolerate arisen evil, unskillful mental
qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, &
wipes them out of existence. This is called the perception of
abandoning.
[6] "And what is the perception of dispassion? There is the
case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'This is peace,
this is exquisite — the stilling of all fabrications, the
relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving,
dispassion, Unbinding.' This is called the perception of dispassion.
[7] "And what is the perception of cessation? There is the
case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'This is peace,
this is exquisite — the stilling of all fabrications, the
relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving,
cessation, Unbinding.' This is called the perception of cessation.
[8] "And what is the perception of distaste for every world?
There is the case where a monk abandoning any attachments,
clingings, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions with regard
to any world, refrains from them and does not get involved. This is
called the perception of distaste for every world.
[9] "And what is the perception of the undesirability of all
fabrications? There is the case where a monk feels horrified,
humiliated, & disgusted with all fabrications. This is called
the perception of the undesirability of all fabrications.
[10] "And what is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing?
There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to
the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding
his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness
to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes
out.
"[i] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in
long; or breathing out long, he discerns that he is breathing out
long. [ii] Or breathing in short, he discerns that he is breathing
in short; or breathing out short, he discerns that he is breathing
out short. [iii] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the
entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [iv]
He trains himself to breathe in calming bodily fabrication, and to
breathe out calming bodily fabrication.
"[v] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture,
and to breathe out sensitive to rapture. [vi] He trains himself to
breathe in sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to
pleasure. [vii] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental
fabrication, and to breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.
[viii] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental fabrication,
and to breathe out calming mental fabrication.
"[ix] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind,
and to breathe out sensitive to the mind. [x] He trains himself to
breathe in satisfying the mind, and to breathe out satisfying the
mind. [xi] He trains himself to breathe in steadying the mind, and
to breathe out steadying the mind. [xii] He trains himself to
breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the
mind.
"[xiii] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on
inconstancy, and to breathe out focusing on inconstancy. [xiv] He
trains himself to breathe in focusing on dispassion [literally,
fading], and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [xv] He trains
himself to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out
focusing on cessation. [xvi] He trains himself to breathe in
focusing on relinquishment, and to breathe out focusing on
relinquishment.
"This, Ananda, is called mindfulness of in-&-out
breathing.
"Now, Ananda, if you go to the monk Girimananda and tell him
these ten perceptions, it's possible that when he hears these ten
perceptions his disease may be allayed."
Then Ven. Ananda, having learned these ten perceptions in the
Blessed One's presence, went to Ven. Girimananda and told them to
him. As Ven. Girimananda heard these ten perceptions, his disease
was allayed. And Ven. Girimananda recovered from his disease. That
was how Ven. Girimananda's disease was abandoned.
— AN
X.60
§ 32. "And
just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to
the cessation of form, i.e., right view, right resolve, right
speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration. The fact that pleasure &
happiness arises in dependence on form: that is the allure of form.
The fact that form is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that
is the drawback of form. The subduing of desire & passion for
form, the abandoning of desire & passion for form: that is the
escape from form."
[Similarly with the other four aggregates.]
— SN
XXII.57
§ 33. Sariputta:
"Suppose there were a householder or householder's son —
rich, wealthy, with many possessions — who was thoroughly
well-guarded. Then suppose there came along a certain man, desiring
what was not his benefit, desiring what was not his welfare,
desiring his loss of security, desiring to kill him. The thought
would occur to this man: 'It would not be easy to kill this person
by force. What if I were to sneak in and then kill him?'
"So he would go to the householder or householder's son and
say, 'May you take me on as a servant, lord.' With that, the
householder or householder's son would take the man on as a servant.
"Having been taken on as a servant, the man would rise in
the morning before his master, go to bed in the evening only after
his master, doing whatever his master ordered, always acting to
please him, speaking politely to him. Then the householder or
householder's son would come to regard him as a friend &
companion, and would fall into his trust. When the man realizes,
'This householder or householder's son trusts me,' then encountering
him in a solitary place, he would kill him with a sharp knife.
"Now what do you think, my friend Yamaka? When that man went
to the householder or householder's son and said, 'May you take me
on as a servant, lord': wasn't he even then a murderer? And yet
although he was a murderer, the householder or householder's son did
not know him as 'my murderer.' And when, taken on as a servant, he
would rise in the morning before his master, go to bed in the
evening only after his master, doing whatever his master ordered,
always acting to please him, speaking politely to him: wasn't he
even then a murderer? And yet although he was a murderer, the
householder or householder's son did not know him as 'my murderer.'
And when he encountered him in a solitary place and killed him with
a sharp knife: wasn't he even then a murderer? And yet although he
was a murderer, the householder or householder's son did not know
him as 'my murderer.'"
"Yes, my friend."
"In the same way, an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person
— who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or
disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity,
is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form
to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the
self, or the self as in form.
"He assumes feeling to be the self...
"He assumes perception to be the self...
"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self...
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as
possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the
self as in consciousness.
"He doesn't discern fabricated form, as it actually is
present, as 'fabricated form.' He does not discern fabricated
feeling... He does not discern fabricated perception... He does not
discern fabricated fabrications... He does not discern fabricated
consciousness, as it actually is present, as 'fabricated
consciousness.'
"He doesn't discern murderous form, as it actually is
present, as 'murderous form.' He does not discern murderous
feeling... He does not discern murderous perception... He does not
discern murderous fabrications... He does not discern murderous
consciousness, as it actually is present, as 'murderous
consciousness.'
"He gets attached to form, clings to form, & determines
it to be 'my self.' He gets attached to feeling... He gets attached
to perception... He gets attached to fabrications... He gets
attached to consciousness, clings to consciousness, & determines
it to be 'my self.' These five clinging-aggregates — attached to,
clung to — lead to his long-term loss & suffering."
— SN
XXII.85
§ 34.
"Monks, suppose there were a river, flowing down from the
mountains, going far, its current swift, carrying everything with
it, and — holding on to both banks — kasa grasses, kusa grasses,
reeds, birana grasses, & trees were growing. Then a man swept
away by the current would grab hold of the kasa grasses, but they
would tear away, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.
He would grab hold of the kusa grasses... the reeds... the birana
grasses... the trees, but they would tear away, and so from that
cause he would come to disaster.
"In the same way, there is the case where an uninstructed,
run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not
well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for
men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma
— assumes form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or
form as in the self, or the self as in form. That form tears away
from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.
"He assumes feeling... perception... fabrications to be the
self...
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as
possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the
self as in consciousness. That consciousness tears away from him,
and so from that cause he would come to disaster."
— SN
XXII.95
§ 35.
"There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill
person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or
disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity,
is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form
to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the
self, or the self as in form. He is obsessed with the idea that 'I
am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is obsessed with these ideas, his
form changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair over its change & alteration.
"He assumes feeling... perception... fabrications... He
assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing
consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in
consciousness. He is obsessed with the idea that 'I am
consciousness' or 'Consciousness is mine.' As he is obsessed with
these ideas, his consciousness changes & alters, and he falls
into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair over its
change & alteration.
"This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body and
afflicted in mind.
"And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind?
There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones
— who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed & disciplined
in their Dhamma; who has regard for men of integrity, is well-versed
& disciplined in their Dhamma — does not assume form to be the
self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the
self as in form. He is not obsessed with the idea that 'I am form'
or 'Form is mine.' As he is not obsessed with these ideas, his form
changes & alters, but he does not fall into sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, or despair over its change & alteration.
"He does not assume feeling... perception... fabrications...
"He does not assume consciousness to be the self, or the
self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self,
or the self as in consciousness. He is not obsessed with the idea
that 'I am consciousness' or 'Consciousness is mine.' As he is not
obsessed with these ideas, his consciousness changes & alters,
but he does not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or
despair over its change & alteration.
"This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body but
unafflicted in mind."
— SN
XXII.1
§ 36. "Thus
an instructed disciple of the noble ones reflects in this way: 'I am
now being chewed up by form. But in the past I was also chewed up by
form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form. And
if I delight in future form, then in the future I will be chewed up
by form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form.'
Having reflected in this way, he becomes indifferent to past form,
does not delight in future form, and is practicing for the sake of
disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation with regard to present
form.
"[He reflects:] 'I am now being chewed up by feeling...
perception... fabrications... consciousness. But in the past I was
also chewed up by consciousness in the same way I am now being
chewed up by present consciousness. And if I delight in future
consciousness, then in the future I will be chewed up by
consciousness in the same way I am now being chewed up by present
consciousness.' Having reflected in this way, he becomes indifferent
to past consciousness, does not delight in future consciousness, and
is practicing for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, and
cessation with regard to present consciousness..."
— SN
XXII.79
§ 37.
"Monks, I will teach you the phenomena to be comprehended, as
well as comprehension. Listen & pay close attention. I will
speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "And which are the phenomena to be
comprehended? Form is a phenomenon to be comprehended. Feeling...
Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is a phenomenon to be
comprehended. These are called phenomena to be comprehended.
"And which is comprehension? Any ending of passion, ending
of aversion, ending of delusion. This is called comprehension."
— SN
XXII.23
§ 38. "I
teach the Dhamma for the abandoning of the gross acquisition of a
self... the mind-made acquisition of a self... the formless
acquisition of a self such that, when you practice it, defiling
mental qualities will be abandoned, bright mental qualities will
grow, and you will enter & remain in the culmination &
abundance of discernment, having known & realized it for
yourself in the here & now. If the thought should occur to you
that, when defiling mental qualities are abandoned and bright mental
qualities have grown, and one enters & remains in the
culmination & abundance of discernment, having known &
realized it for oneself in the here & now, one's abiding is
stressful/painful, you should not see it in that way. When defiling
mental qualities are abandoned and bright mental qualities have
grown, and one enters & remains in the culmination &
abundance of discernment, having known & realized it for oneself
in the here & now, there is joy, rapture, serenity, mindfulness,
alertness, and a pleasant/happy abiding."
— DN
9
§ 39. "It's
just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles
(lit: dirt houses). As long as they are not free from passion,
desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for those little sand
castles, that's how long they have fun with those sand castles,
enjoy them, treasure them, feel possessive of them. But when they
become free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving
for those little sand castles, then they smash them, scatter them,
demolish them with their hands or feet and make them unfit for play.
"In the same way, Radha, you too should smash, scatter,
& demolish form, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the
ending of craving for form.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish feeling, and make
it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for feeling.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish perception, and
make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for
perception.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish fabrications, and
make them unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for
fabrications.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish consciousness and
make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for
consciousness — because the ending of craving, Radha, is
Unbinding."
— SN
XXIII.2
§ 40. On one
occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Ayojjhans on the
banks of the Ganges River. There he addressed the monks:
"Monks, suppose that a large glob of foam were floating down
this Ganges River, and a man with good eyesight were to see it,
observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear
empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in
a glob of foam? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &
appropriately examines any form that is past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or
near. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in form?
"Now suppose that in the autumn — when it's raining in
fat, heavy drops — a water bubble were to appear & disappear
on the water, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe
it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing
it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty,
void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a
water bubble? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &
appropriately examines any feeling that is past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or
near. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in feeling?
"Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a
mirage were shimmering, and a man with good eyesight were to see it,
observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear
empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in
a mirage? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &
appropriately examines any perception that is past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;
far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in perception?
"Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of
heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a
sharp ax. There he would see a large banana tree: straight, young,
of enormous height. He would cut it at the root and, having cut it
at the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he
would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he
wouldn't even find sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a man
with good eyesight would see it, observe it, & appropriately
examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in a banana tree? In the same way, a
monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any fabrications
that are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or
subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing them,
observing them, & appropriately examining them — they would
appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would
there be in fabrications?
"Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were
to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with
good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately
examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a
monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any consciousness
that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or
subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear
empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in
consciousness?"
— SN
XXII.95
§ 41. "And
what is the development of concentration that... leads to the ending
of the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on
arising & falling away with reference to the five
clinging-aggregates: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its
disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is perception... Such are
fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such
its disappearance.' This is the development of concentration that...
leads to the ending of the effluents."
— AN
IV.41
§ 42.
"Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in
& of themselves with reference to the five clinging-aggregates.
And how does he remain focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the five clinging-aggregates? There is
the case where a monk [discerns]: 'Such is form, such its
origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is
perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such
its origination, such its disappearance.'
"In this way he remains focused internally on mental
qualities in & of themselves, or focused externally... not
clinging to anything in the world. This is how a monk remains
focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to
the five clinging-aggregates."
— DN
22
§ 43. Then Ven.
Khemaka (a nonreturner), leaning on his staff, went to the elder
monks and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with them.
After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to
one side. As he was sitting there, the elder monks said to him,
"Friend Khemaka, this 'I am' of which you speak: what do you
say 'I am'? Do you say, 'I am form,' or do you say, 'I am something
other than form'? Do you say, 'I am feeling... perception...
fabrications... consciousness,' or do you say, 'I am something other
than consciousness''? This 'I am' of which you speak: what do you
say 'I am'?"
"Friends, it's not that I say 'I am form,' nor do I say 'I
am something other than form.' It's not that I say, 'I am feeling...
perception... fabrications... consciousness,' nor do I say, 'I am
something other than consciousness.' With regard to these five
clinging-aggregates, 'I am' has not been overcome, although I don't
assume that 'I am this.'
"It's just like the scent of a blue, red, or white lotus: If
someone were to call it the scent of a petal or the scent of the
color or the scent of a filament, would he be speaking
correctly?"
"No, friend."
"Then how would he describe it if he were describing it
correctly?"
"As the scent of the flower: That's how he would describe it
if he were describing it correctly."
"In the same way, friends, it's not that I say 'I am form,'
nor do I say 'I am other than form.' It's not that I say, 'I am
feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness,' nor do I
say, 'I am something other than consciousness.' With regard to these
five clinging-aggregates, 'I am' has not been overcome, although I
don't assume that 'I am this.'
"Friends, even though a noble disciple has abandoned the
five lower fetters, he still has with regard to the five
clinging-aggregates a lingering residual 'I am' conceit, an 'I am'
desire, an 'I am' obsession. But at a later time he keeps focusing
on the phenomena of arising & passing away with regard to the
five clinging-aggregates: 'Such is form, such its origin, such its
disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is perception... Such are
fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origin, such its
disappearance.' As he keeps focusing on the arising & passing
away of these five clinging-aggregates, the lingering residual 'I
am' conceit, 'I am' desire, 'I am' obsession is fully obliterated.
"Just like a cloth, dirty & stained: Its owners give it
over to a washerman, who scrubs it with salt earth or lye or
cow-dung and then rinses it in clear water. Now even though the
cloth is clean & spotless, it still has a lingering residual
scent of salt earth or lye or cow-dung. The washerman gives it to
the owners, the owners put it away in a scent-infused wicker hamper,
and its lingering residual scent of salt earth, lye, or cow-dung is
fully obliterated.
"In the same way, friends, even though a noble disciple has
abandoned the five lower fetters, he still has with regard to the
five clinging-aggregates a lingering residual 'I am' conceit, an 'I
am' desire, an 'I am' obsession. [See § 30.]
But at a later time he keeps focusing on the phenomena of arising
& passing away with regard to the five clinging-aggregates:
'Such is form, such its origin, such its disappearance. Such is
feeling... Such is perception... Such are fabrications... Such is
consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.' As he keeps
focusing on the arising & passing away of these five
clinging-aggregates, the lingering residual 'I am' conceit, 'I am'
desire, 'I am' obsession is fully obliterated."
When this was said, the elder monks said to Ven. Khemaka,
"We didn't cross-examine Ven. Khemaka with the purpose of
troubling him, just that [we thought] Ven. Khemaka is capable of
declaring the Blessed One's message, teaching it, describing it,
setting it forth, revealing it, explaining it, making it plain —
just as he has in fact declared it, taught it, described it, set it
forth, revealed it, explained it, made it plain."
That is what Ven. Khemaka said. Gratified, the elder monks
delighted in his words. And while this explanation was being given,
the minds of sixty-some monks, through no clinging, were fully
released from fermentations — as was Ven. Khemaka's.
— SN
XXII.89
§ 44. Suppose
there were a king or king's minister who had never heard the sound
of a lute before. He might hear the sound of a lute and say, 'What,
my good men, is that sound — so delightful, so tantalizing, so
intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling?' They would say, 'That,
sire, is called a lute, whose sound is so delightful, so
tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling.' Then he
would say, 'Go & fetch me that lute.' They would fetch the lute
and say, 'Here, sire, is the lute whose sound is so delightful, so
tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling.' He
would say, 'Enough of your lute. Fetch me just the sound.' Then they
would say, 'This lute, sire, is made of numerous components, a great
many components. It's through the activity of numerous components
that it sounds: that is, in dependence on the body, the skin, the
neck, the frame, the strings, the bridge, and the appropriate human
effort. Thus it is that this lute — made of numerous components, a
great many components — sounds through the activity of numerous
components.'
"Then the king would split the lute into ten pieces, a
hundred pieces. Having split the lute into ten pieces, a hundred
pieces, he would shave it to splinters. Having shaved it to
splinters, he would burn it in a fire. Having burned it in a fire,
he would reduce it to ashes. Having reduced it to ashes, he would
winnow it before a high wind or let it be washed away by a
swift-flowing stream. He would then say, 'A sorry thing, this lute
— whatever a lute may be — by which people have been so
thoroughly tricked & deceived.'
"In the same way, a monk investigates form, however far form
may go. He investigates feeling... perception... fabrications...
consciousness, however far consciousness may go. As he is
investigating form... feeling... perception... fabrications...
consciousness, however far consciousness may go, any thoughts of
'me' or 'mine' or 'I am' do not occur to him."
— SN
XXXV.205
§ 45. "To
what extent, Ananda, does one assume when assuming a self? Assuming
feeling to be the self, one assumes that 'Feeling is my self' [or]
'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling]' [or]
'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious to feeling,
but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling.'
"Now, one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' should be
addressed as follows: 'There are these three feelings, my friend —
feelings of pleasure, feelings of pain, and feelings of neither
pleasure nor pain. Which of these three feelings do you assume to be
the self? At a moment when a feeling of pleasure is sensed, no
feeling of pain or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a
feeling of pleasure is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a
feeling of pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of neither
pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pain is sensed at
that moment. At a moment when a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain
is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of pain is sensed. Only a
feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed at that moment.
"Now, a feeling of pleasure is inconstant, fabricated,
dependent on conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution,
fading, and cessation. A feeling of pain is inconstant, fabricated,
dependent on conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution,
fading, and cessation. A feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is
inconstant, fabricated, dependent on conditions, subject to passing
away, dissolution, fading, and cessation. Having sensed a feeling of
pleasure as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own
feeling of pleasure, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling
of pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own
feeling of pain, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling of
neither pleasure nor pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of
one's very own feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, 'my self' has
perished.
"Thus he assumes, assuming in the immediate present a self
inconstant, entangled in pleasure and pain, subject to arising and
passing away, he who says, 'Feeling is my self.' Thus in this
manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume feeling to be the
self.
"As for the person who says, 'Feeling is not the self: My
self is oblivious [to feeling],' he should be addressed as follows:
'My friend, where nothing whatsoever is sensed (experienced) at all,
would there be the thought, "I am"?'"
"No, lord."
"Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume
that 'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling].'
"As for the person who says, 'Neither is feeling my self,
nor is my self oblivious [to feeling], but rather my self feels, in
that my self is subject to feeling,' he should be addressed as
follows: 'My friend, should feelings altogether and every way stop
without remainder, then with feeling completely not existing, owing
to the cessation of feeling, would there be the thought, "I
am"?'"
"No, lord."
"Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume
that 'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious [to
feeling], but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to
feeling.'
"Now, Ananda, in as far as a monk does not assume feeling to
be the self, nor the self as oblivious, nor that 'My self feels, in
that my self is subject to feeling,' then, not assuming in this way,
he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not
agitated. Unagitated, he is totally unbound right within. He
discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task
done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is
thus released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view,
that would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after
death'... that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after
death'... that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist
after death' is his view, that would be mistaken. Why? Having
directly known the extent of designation and the extent of the
objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of
the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent
of the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the
extent of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle
revolves: Having directly known that, the monk is released. The view
that, 'Having directly known that, the monk released does not see,
does not know,' would be mistaken."
— DN
15
§ 46. Then Ven.
Anuradha went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down
to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said
to the Blessed One: "Just now I was staying not far from the
Blessed One in a wilderness hut. Then a large number of wandering
sectarians came and... said to me, 'Friend Anuradha, the Tathagata
— the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the
superlative attainment — being described, is described with [one
of] these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not
exist after death, both does & does not exist after death,
neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"When this was said, I said to them, 'Friends, the Tathagata
— the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the
superlative attainment — being described, is described otherwise
than with these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death,
does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after
death, neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"When this was said, the wandering sectarians said to me,
'This monk is either a newcomer, not long gone forth, or else an
elder who is foolish & inexperienced.' So, addressing me as they
would a newcomer or a fool, they got up from their seats and left.
Then not long after they had left, this thought occurred to me: 'If
I am questioned again by those wandering sectarians, how will I
answer in such a way that will I speak in line with what the Blessed
One has said, will not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is
unfactual, will answer in line with the Dhamma, and no one whose
thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for
criticizing me?'"
"What do you think, Anuradha: Is form constant or
inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord." "And is that
which is inconstant easeful or stressful?" "Stressful,
lord." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant,
stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?" "No, lord."
"...Is feeling constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"...Is perception constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"...Are fabrications constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"What do you think, Anuradha — Is consciousness constant
or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord." "And is that
which is inconstant easeful or stressful?" "Stressful,
lord." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant,
stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?" "No, lord."
"What do you think, Anuradha: Do you regard form as the
Tathagata?"
"No, lord."
"Do you regard feeling as the Tathagata?" "No,
lord."
"Do you regard perception as the Tathagata?" "No,
lord."
"Do you regard fabrications as the Tathagata?"
"No, lord."
"Do you regard consciousness as the Tathagata?"
"No, lord."
"What do you think, Anuradha: Do you regard the Tathagata as
being in form?... Elsewhere than form?... In feeling?... Elsewhere
than feeling?... In perception?... Elsewhere than perception?... In
fabrications?... Elsewhere than fabrications?... In
consciousness?... Elsewhere than consciousness?" "No,
lord."
"What do you think: Do you regard the Tathagata as
form-feeling-perception-fabrications-consciousness?" "No,
lord."
"Do you regard the Tathagata as that which is without form,
without feeling, without perception, without fabrications, without
consciousness?" "No, lord."
"And so, Anuradha — when you can't pin down the Tathagata
as a truth or reality even in the present life — is it proper for
you to declare, 'Friends, the Tathagata — the supreme man, the
superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment — being
described, is described otherwise than with these four positions:
The Tathagata exists after death, does not exist after death, both
does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not
exist after death'?" "No, lord."
"Very good, Anuradha. Very good. Both formerly & now, it
is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress."
— SN
XXII.86
§ 47. [After
a similar set of questions and answers between Ven. Sariputta and
Ven. Yamaka, Sariputta says:]
"And so, my friend Yamaka — when you can't pin down the
Tathagata as a truth or reality even in the present life — is it
proper for you to declare, 'As I understand the Teaching explained
by the Blessed One, a monk with no more effluents, on the break-up
of the body, is annihilated, perishes, & does not exist after
death'?"
"Previously, my friend Sariputta, I did foolishly hold that
evil supposition. But now, having heard your explanation of the
Dhamma, I have abandoned that evil supposition, and have broken
through to the Dhamma."
"Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus
asked: A monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is
he on the break-up of the body, after death?"
"Thus asked, I would answer, 'Form is inconstant...
Feeling... Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is
inconstant. That which is inconstant is stressful. That which is
stressful has ceased and gone to its end."
— SN
XXII.85
§ 48. Now at
that moment this line of thinking appeared in the awareness of a
certain monk: "So — form is not-self, feeling is not-self,
perception is not-self, fabrications are not-self, consciousness is
not-self. Then what self will be touched by the actions done by what
is not-self?"
Then the Blessed One, realizing with his awareness the line of
thinking in that monk's awareness, addressed the monks: "It's
possible that a senseless person — immersed in ignorance, overcome
with craving — might think that he could outsmart the Teacher's
message in this way: 'So — form is not-self, feeling is not-self,
perception is not-self, fabrications are not-self, consciousness is
not-self. Then what self will be touched by the actions done by what
is not-self?' Now, monks, haven't I trained you in
counter-questioning with regard to this & that topic here &
there? What do you think — Is form constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord." "And is that which is inconstant
easeful or stressful?" "Stressful, lord." "And
is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to
change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"
"No, lord."
"...Is feeling constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"...Is perception constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"...Are fabrications constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord"...
"What do you think, monks — Is consciousness constant or
inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord." "And is that
which is inconstant easeful or stressful?" "Stressful,
lord." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant,
stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?" "No, lord."
"Thus, monks, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;
far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right
discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not
what I am.'
"Any feeling whatsoever...
"Any perception whatsoever...
"Any fabrications whatsoever...
"Any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;
far or near: every consciousness is to be seen as it actually is
with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self.
This is not what I am.'
"Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones
grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling,
disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications,
disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes
dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full
release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that
'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is
nothing further for this world.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted
in the Blessed One's words. And while this explanation was being
given, the minds of sixty monks, through no clinging, were fully
released from fermentations.
— MN
109
§ 49.
Consciousness without feature,
without end,
luminous all around:
Here water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing.
Here long & short
coarse & fine
fair & foul
name & form
are, without remnant,
brought to an end.
From the cessation of [the activity of] consciousness,
each is here brought to an end.
— DN 11
§ 50.
"Consciousness without feature, without end, luminous all
around, does not partake of the solidity of earth, the liquidity of
water, the radiance of fire, the windiness of wind, the divinity of
devas [and so on through a list of the various levels of godhood to]
the allness of the All."
— MN 49
§ 51.
Where water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing:
There the stars do not shine,
the sun is not visible,
the moon does not appear,
darkness is not found.
And when a sage, an honorable one,
through sagacity
has known [this] for himself,
then from form & formless,
from pleasure & pain,
he is freed.
— Ud I.10
§ 52.
"Freed, dissociated, & released from ten things, Bahuna,
the
Tathagata dwells with unrestricted awareness. Which ten? Freed,
dissociated, & released from form, the Tathagata dwells with
unrestricted awareness. Freed, dissociated, & released from
feeling... Freed, dissociated, & released from perception...
Freed, dissociated, & released from fabrications... Freed,
dissociated, & released from consciousness... Freed,
dissociated, & released from birth... Freed, dissociated, &
released from aging... Freed, dissociated, & released from
death... Freed, dissociated, & released from suffering &
stress... Freed, dissociated, & released from defilement, the
Tathagata dwells with unrestricted awareness.
"Just as a red, blue, or white lotus born in the water and
growing in the water, rises up above the water and stands with no
water adhering to it, in the same way the Tathagata — freed,
dissociated, & released from these ten things — dwells with
unrestricted awareness."
— AN
X.81
| Source: Copyright
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