Saɱyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saɱyutta
5. Atta-Dīpa Vagga
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Part II.
The Book of the Aggregates Khandha-Vagga
22. Connected Discourses on the Aggregates
V. With Yourselves as an Island
Paṭhama Soṇa Suttaɱ
Sutta 49
Sona 1
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saɱyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connected-discourses-buddha.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available
at http://www.wisdompubs.org/terms-use.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.
Then Soṇa the householder's son approached the Blessed One. ...
The Blessed One then said to Soṇa the householder's son:
"Soṇa, when any ascetics and brahmins, on the basis of form — which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — regard themselves thus:
'I am superior,'
or
'I am equal,'
or
'I am inferior,'
what is that due to apart from not seeing things as they really are?
"When any ascetics and brahmins, on the basis of feeling ... on the basis of perception ... on the basis of volitional formations ... on the basis of consciousness — which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — regard themselves thus:
'I am superior,' or 'I am equal,' or 'I am inferior,' what is that due to apart from not seeing things as they really are?
"Soṇa, when any ascetics and brahmins do not, on the basis of form — which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — regard themselves thus:
'I am superior,' or 'I am equal,' [49] or 'I am inferior,' what is that due to apart from seeing things as they really are?
"When any ascetics and brahmins do not, on the basis of feeling ... on the basis of perception ... on the basis of volitional formations ... on the basis of consciousness — which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — regard themselves thus:
'I am superior,' or 'I am equal,' or 'I am inferior,' what is that due to apart from seeing things as they really are?
"What do you think, Soṇa, is form permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus:
'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is feeling permanent or impermanent? ...
Is perception permanent or impermanent? ...
Are volitional formations permanent or impermanent? ...
Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus:
'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Therefore, Soṇa, any kind of form whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus:
'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'
"Any kind of feeling whatsoever ...
Any kind of perception whatsoever ...
Any kind of volitional formations whatsoever ...
Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, [50] internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus:
'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'
"Seeing thus, Soṇa, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness.
Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate.
Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated.
When it is liberated there comes the knowledge:
'It's liberated.'
He understands:
'Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being."
