Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.
“It would be good for me, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| briefly, such that having heard the Blessed One’s Dhamma, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|, |resolute::determined, intent [pahitatta]|, and |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ānanda, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“What do you think, Ānanda—is |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| |permanent::stable, not in flux [nicca]| or |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“And that which is impermanent—is it |dissatisfactory::uncomfortable, unpleasant [dukkha]| or |happiness::contentment, ease, pleasant abiding [sukha]|?”
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: 'etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā'"ti?
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and |subject to change::of the nature of alteration, decay [vipariṇāmadhamma]|—is it fitting to regard that as: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
“No, venerable sir.”
"Vedanā niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
“Is |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| permanent or impermanent?”
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: 'etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā'"ti?
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
“No, venerable sir.”
"Saññā niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
“Is |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| permanent or impermanent?”
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: 'etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā'"ti?
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
“No, venerable sir.”
"Saṅkhārā niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
“Are |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]|permanent or impermanent?”
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: 'etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā'"ti?
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
“No, venerable sir.”
"Viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
“Is |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Evaṁ passaṁ, ānanda, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
Seeing thus, Ānanda, the |learned::well-studied, instructed [sutavant]| disciple of the Noble Ones becomes |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| form, becomes disenchanted with felt experience, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with intentional constructs, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Experiencing disenchantment, they become |dispassionate::detached [virajjati]|; through dispassion, there is release. When released, there arises the knowledge: ‘Released.’
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.
One understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’”