82. Discourse at the Bamboo Park (SA82)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at the dwelling of the Eastern Bamboo Park among the Cetis.

At that time the Blessed One said to the monks: “What does a learned noble disciple regard as impermanent and dukkha?”

The monks said to the Buddha: “The Blessed One is the root of the Dharma, the eye of Dharma,

the foundation of the Dharma. May he teach us! Having heard it, the monks will receive it respectfully as he has taught it.”

The Buddha said to the monks: “Listen and pay careful attention to what I shall tell you. A learned noble disciple regards bodily form as impermanent and dukkha, he regards feeling … perception … formations … consciousness as impermanent and dukkha. Monks, is bodily form permanent or impermanent?”

The monks said to the Buddha: “It is impermanent, Blessed One.”

The Buddha said: “Monks, what is impermanent, is it dukkha?”

The monks said to the Buddha: “It is dukkha, Blessed One.”

The Buddha said: “Monks, what is impermanent, dukkha, of a nature to change, would a learned noble disciple herein regard it as the self, as distinct from the self in the sense of being owned by it, as existing within the self, or the self as existing within it?”

The monks said to the Buddha: “No, Blessed One.”

The Buddha said: “Feeling … perception … formations … consciousness are also like this. Therefore, monks, whatever bodily form, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, sublime or repugnant, far or near, all of it is entirely not self, not distinct from the self in the sense of being owned by it, does not exist within the self, nor does a self exist within it. Feeling … perception … formations … consciousness are also like this.

“A learned noble disciple who examines it in this way becomes disenchanted with bodily form, becomes disenchanted with feeling … perception … formations … consciousness. Because of being disenchanted, he does not delight in it. Because of not delighting in it, he is liberated from it. Because of being liberated, he understands: ‘Birth for me has been eradicated, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, I myself know that there will be no receiving of further existence.’”

Then the monks, hearing what the Buddha had said, were delighted and received it respectfully.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On the Five Aggregates (3)—A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 59 to 87’. Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, vol. 13, pp. 1–65 (2013). New Taipei City: Dharma Drum Buddhist College.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.