At one time, the venerable Ānanda and the venerable Udāyī were dwelling in Kosambi, at Ghosita's park.

Then, after emerging from seclusion in the evening, the venerable Udāyī approached the venerable Ānanda; having approached, he greeted the venerable Ānanda warmly. After exchanging friendly and courteous words, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Udāyī spoke to the venerable Ānanda:

"Just as, friend Ānanda, this body has been thoroughly explained by the Blessed One in many aspects as not-self, revealing, clarifying, and detailing: 'Thus, this body is not-self,' can consciousness likewise be explained as 'Thus, this consciousness is not-self'?"

"Indeed, friend Udāyī, just as this body has been thoroughly explained by the Blessed One in many aspects as not-self, revealing, clarifying, and detailing: 'Thus, this body is not-self,' similarly, consciousness can be explained as 'Thus, this consciousness is not-self'."

"Friend, does eye-consciousness arise dependent on the eye and forms?"

"Yes, friend."

"And, friend, if the cause and condition for the arising of eye-consciousness were to cease entirely, would eye-consciousness be discernible?"

"Not at all, friend."

"By this method too, friend, it has been made clear by the Blessed One: 'Thus, this consciousness is not-self'

"And, friend, does tongue-consciousness arise dependent on the tongue and tastes?" "Indeed, friend." "And if the cause and condition for the arising of tongue-consciousness were to cease entirely, would tongue-consciousness be discernible?" "Not at all, friend." "By this method too, friend, it has been made clear by the Blessed One: 'Thus, this consciousness is not-self'

"And, friend, does mind-consciousness arise dependent on the mind and mental experiences?"

"Yes, friend."

"And if the cause and condition for the arising of mind-consciousness were to cease entirely, would mind-consciousness be discernible?"

"Not at all, friend."

"By this method too, friend, it has been made clear by the Blessed One: 'Thus, this consciousness is not-self'.

Imagine, friend, a man in search of heartwood, seeking, and questing for heartwood, takes a sharp axe into the forest. He finds a large banana plant, straight, fresh, without any fruit-bud. He cuts it at the root, cuts off the top, and peels away the outer layers. Yet, in doing so, he would find neither heartwood nor sapwood, let alone heartwood.

Likewise, friend, a bhikkhu does not regard the six sense bases as self or as belonging to a self. With such perception, he does not cling to anything in the world. Without clinging, he is not perturbed. Without perturbation, he personally attains Nibbāna.

He realizes: 'Birth is extinguished, the spiritual life has been lived, the task is done, there is nothing further for this state of being.'"