SA 261（二六一） 富留那

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Venerable Ānanda was staying in the Kuśīnagara Bamboo Grove.

At that time, the Venerable Ānanda addressed the monks, saying: "When the Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaniputra was young and first ordained, he often spoke of the profound Dharma, saying: 'Ānanda! The arising of form is considered to be the self, not the non-arising. Ānanda! How is the arising of form considered to be the self, not the non-arising? The arising of form is the arising of the self, not the non-arising. The arising of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness is the arising of the self, not the non-arising. It is like a man holding a bright mirror or a clear water mirror, and seeing his own face arising. Because of arising, he sees, not because of non-arising. Therefore, Ānanda! The arising of form is considered to be the self because of arising, not because of non-arising. Similarly, the arising of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness is considered to be the self because of arising, not because of non-arising. Ānanda! Is form permanent or impermanent?' He replied: 'Impermanent.'

He further asked: 'If it is impermanent, is it suffering?' He replied: 'It is suffering.' He further asked: 'If it is impermanent and suffering, is it a changeable and transformable phenomenon? Do the noble disciples still consider it to be the self, different from the self, or to have characteristics?' He replied: 'No.' 'Is feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness permanent or impermanent?' He replied: 'Impermanent.' 'If it is impermanent, is it suffering?' He replied: 'It is suffering.' He further asked: 'If it is impermanent and suffering, is it a changeable and transformable phenomenon? Do the learned noble disciples still consider it to be the self, different from the self, or to have characteristics?' He replied: 'No.'

Ānanda! Therefore, form, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, is all not the self, not different from the self, nor does it exist in the self. Similarly, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, is all not the self, not different from the self, nor does it exist in the self. Knowing and observing this as it truly is, the noble disciples generate disgust, detachment, and liberation towards form, thinking: "My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future existence." Similarly, they generate disgust, detachment, and liberation towards feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, thinking: "My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future existence."'

"Bhikkhus, know that that venerable one was of great benefit to me. Having heard the Dhamma from that venerable one, I became free from dust and defilements, and attained the pure Dhamma-eye. From that time on, I have always taught this Dhamma to the four assemblies, not the teachings of other non-Buddhist ascetics and brahmins who have gone forth."