Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ayujjhāyaṁ viharati gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
Once, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Ayujjhā::Ayodhya| on the banks of the river Ganges. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:
Form As Lump of Foam
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ gaṅgā nadī mahantaṁ pheṇapiṇḍaṁ āvaheyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, pheṇapiṇḍe sāro?
“Just as, bhikkhus, this river Ganges might carry along a large lump of foam, a person with good sight would see it, reflect on it, and thoroughly examine it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it would appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in a lump of foam, bhikkhus?
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, rūpe sāro?
In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever form there is, whether in the past, the future, and the present... whether far or near, a bhikkhu sees it, reflects on it, and thoroughly examines it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it appears to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in form, bhikkhus?
Feelings As Water Bubbles
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante udake udakapubbuḷaṁ uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, udakapubbuḷe sāro?
Just as, bhikkhus, during the autumn season when the sky is thick with clouds and it rains, bubbles form on the surface of the water. A person with good sight would see them, reflect on them, and thoroughly examine them. Upon seeing them, reflecting on them, and thoroughly examining them, they would appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in a water bubble, bhikkhus?
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci vedanā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… yā dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, vedanāya sāro?
In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever feelings there are, whether in the past, the future, and the present... whether far or near, a bhikkhu sees them, reflects on them, and thoroughly examines them. Upon seeing them, reflecting on them, and thoroughly examining them, they appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in feelings, bhikkhus?
Perception As Mirage
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ṭhite majjhanhike kāle marīcikā phandati. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya …pe… kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, marīcikāya sāro?
Just as, bhikkhus, during the last month of the hot season, at midday, a mirage shimmers. A person with good sight would see it, reflect on it, and thoroughly examine it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it would appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in a mirage, bhikkhus?
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci saññā …pe….
In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever perceptions there are, whether in the past, the future, and the present... whether far or near, a bhikkhu sees them, reflects on them, and thoroughly examines them. Upon seeing them, reflecting on them, and thoroughly examining them, they appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in perceptions, bhikkhus?
Volitional Formations As Coreless Tree
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno tiṇhaṁ kuṭhāriṁ ādāya vanaṁ paviseyya. So tattha passeyya mahantaṁ kadalikkhandhaṁ ujuṁ navaṁ akukkukajātaṁ. Tamenaṁ mūle chindeyya; mūle chetvā agge chindeyya, agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujeyya. So tassa pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujanto pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṁ. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, kadalikkhandhe sāro?
Just as, bhikkhus, a man seeking heartwood, searching for the essence of heartwood, and on a quest for heartwood, taking a sharp axe, would enter the forest. There he would see a large banana tree, straight, young, and without a defect. He would cut it at the root; having cut it at the root, he would cut off the top; having cut off the top, he would peel away the outer sheaths. Peeling away the outer sheaths, he would not find even softwood, much less heartwood. A person with good sight would see it, reflect on it, and thoroughly examine it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it would appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in the trunk of a banana tree, bhikkhus?
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci saṅkhārā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… ye dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, saṅkhāresu sāro?
In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever intentional constructs there are, whether in the past, the future, and the present... whether far or near, a bhikkhu sees them, reflects on them, and thoroughly examines them. Upon seeing them, reflecting on them, and thoroughly examining them, they appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in intentional constructs, bhikkhus?
Consciousness As Magic Trick
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, māyākāro vā māyākārantevāsī vā catumahāpathe māyaṁ vidaṁseyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, māyāya sāro?
Just as, bhikkhus, a magician or a magician’s apprentice might display a magic trick at a crossroads. A person with good sight would see it, reflect on it, and thoroughly examine it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it would appear to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in a magic trick, bhikkhus?
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā, taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe sāro?
In the same way, bhikkhus, whatever consciousness there is, whether in the past, the future, and in the present... whether far or near, a bhikkhu sees it, reflects on it, and thoroughly examines it. Upon seeing it, reflecting on it, and thoroughly examining it, it appears to him as empty, hollow, and without essence. For what essence could there be in consciousness, bhikkhus?
Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi … viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple grows disenchanted with form, grows disenchanted with feelings, grows disenchanted with perceptions, grows disenchanted with intentional constructs, grows disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is insight that he is liberated. He 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.’
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
Thus spoke the Blessed One. Having said this, the Accomplished One, the teacher, further said:
Verse
“Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ,
vedanā bubbuḷūpamā;
Marīcikūpamā saññā,
saṅkhārā kadalūpamā;
Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ,
desitādiccabandhunā.
“Form is like a lump of foam,
Feeling is like a water bubble;
Perception is like a mirage,
intentional constructs are like a banana tree;
And consciousness is like a magic trick,
So taught the Kinsman of the |Sun::an epithet of the Buddha|.
Yathā yathā nijjhāyati,
yoniso upaparikkhati;
Rittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti,
yo naṁ passati yoniso.
As one reflects on them,
Thoroughly examines them;
They appear as empty, hollow, and without essence,
To one who sees them thus.
Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha,
bhūripaññena desitaṁ;
Pahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ,
rūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ.
This body too, when comprehended
By the one with great wisdom;
Is seen as having abandoned the three |things::life, heat, and consciousness|,
Form as discarded.
Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ,
yadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ;
Apaviddho tadā seti,
parabhattaṁ acetanaṁ.
When life, heat, and consciousness
Depart from this body;
It lies there thrown away,
Like an inanimate thing discarded by others.
Etādisāyaṁ santāno,
māyāyaṁ bālalāpinī;
Vadhako esa akkhāto,
sāro ettha na vijjati.
Such is the continuity of this illusion,
A babble of children in a magic show;
It is described as a murderer,
With no essence to be found therein.
Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya,
bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo;
Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ,
sampajāno paṭissato.
Thus should a bhikkhu contemplate the aggregates,
With energy aroused;
By day or by night,
Ever mindful and aware.
Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ,
kareyya saraṇattano;
Careyyādittasīsova,
patthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti.
One should abandon all attachments,
And make oneself one’s own refuge;
Living as if one’s head was on fire,
Aiming for the imperishable goal.”