The Five Aggregates
A
Study Guide
prepared by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Copyright © 2002 Metta
Forest Monastery
For free distribution only.
You may re-format, reprint,
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Otherwise, all rights reserved.
As
a general introduction to this study guide, see the article, "Five Piles
of Bricks."
Contents
" The Questions
" Constructing the
Aggregates
" Constructing a Self
" Constructing the Path
"
Deconstruction
The Questions
§ 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]
Constructing the
Aggregates
§ 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..."
[MN 28]
§ 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]
Constructing a Self
§
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]
Constructing the Path
§
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]
Deconstruction
§ 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]
Revised:
Monday 2005.05.02
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