SA 30（三〇） 输屡那

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra was staying on Vulture Peak.

At that time, there was a young householder named Sunīdha who would go to Vulture Peak every day to visit Venerable Śāriputra. After exchanging greetings, he sat to one side and said to Śāriputra, "If śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say about impermanent form, changing form, and unstable form, 'I am superior, I am equal, I am inferior,' why do śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas have such thoughts and not see the truth? If śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say about impermanent, changing, and unstable feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness, 'I am superior, I am equal, I am inferior,' why do śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas have such thoughts and not see the truth?

"If śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say about impermanent form, unstable form, and changing form, 'I am superior, I am equal, I am inferior,' what do they think and not see the truth? If they say about impermanent, changing, and unstable feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness, 'I am superior, I am equal, I am inferior,' what do they think and not see the truth? "

"Sunīdha, what do you think? Is form permanent or impermanent?"

He replied, "Impermanent."

"Sunīdha, if it is impermanent, is it suffering?"

He replied, "It is suffering."

"Sunīdha, if it is impermanent and suffering, and subject to change, what do you think? Do the noble disciples see form as 'me,' 'mine,' or 'in me'?"

He replied, "No."

"Sunīdha, what do you think? Is feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

He replied, "Impermanent."

"If it is impermanent, is it suffering?"

He replied, "It is suffering."

"Śāriputra, if consciousness is impermanent and suffering, and subject to change, what do you think? Can a noble disciple see consciousness as 'I,' 'mine,' or 'something I am'?"

He replied, "No."

"Śāriputra, you should know that all forms, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, are not the self, not different from the self, nor do they coexist with the self. This is called true knowledge. Similarly, all feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, are not the self, not different from the self, nor do they coexist with the self. This is called true knowledge. Śāriputra, in this way, one becomes disenchanted with form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, and becomes detached, liberated, and with the knowledge and vision of liberation, one knows: 'Birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state.'"

When Shariputra had finished speaking this sutra, the elder's son, Sumanas, was free from defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye. At that time, the elder's son, Sumanas, having seen the Dharma, attained the Dharma, not relying on others, and attained fearlessness in the true Dharma. He rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said to Shariputra: "I am now liberated. From today, I take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Sangha as a lay devotee. From today, for as long as I live, I take pure refuge in the Three Jewels."

At that time, the elder's son, Sumanas, having heard what Shariputra said, was joyful and delighted. He bowed and departed.