It Ends! It Ends!
Develop serenity and
the appreciation of solitude,
my friends —
It is through developing serenity and
the appreciation of solitude
that one comes to know things
as they really are.
What things?
The arising
in the appearance of self
of form and
the ending of form;
the arising in the appearance of self
of sense-experience, and
the ending of sense-experience;
the arising in the appearance of self
of sense-perception, and
the ending of sense-perception,
the arising in the appearance of self
of own-making, and
the ending of own-making;
the arising in the appearance of self
of sense-consciousness, and
the ending of sense-consciousness.
Taking pleasure in form
one is tied down,
taking pleasure in sense-experience
one is tied down,
taking pleasure in sense-perception
one is tied down,
taking pleasure in own-making
one is tied down,
taking pleasure in sense-consciousness
one is tied down.
Regarding forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness
as self, or
the self as having forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness, or
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness
as having self, or
self as being in forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness,
upon the alteration and change
of forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness
there is experienced
anxiety and fear.
Taking pleasure or
experiencing
anxiety and fear
concerning forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness,
one obsesses about
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness,
forms intentions with regard to
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness.
Obsession and
forming intentions
are the fuel
that drives existence.
The counterpart of existence
is birth.
The counterpart of birth
is aging and death,
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery, and
despair.
This was the case
in the past,
this will be the case
in the future, and
this is the case
in what we see
arising in front of us
as self
right now.
This is what one sees
in the serenity
of solitude.
Forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness
are unstable.
Being tied down to,
taking pleasure in,
experiencing
anxiety and fear
concerning that which is unstable
is the experience of pain.
That which is painful
is not wanted,
experience of that
which is not wanted
is something that is not
under one's control.
Something that is not
under one's control
is not reasonably
to be seen as:
"This is mine."
"I am this."
"This is my self."
That on which
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness
depend,
that which is the fuel
which supports their existence,
the driving force
of their existence,
is unstable,
painful, and
not-self.
How could that
which is dependent on,
fueled and
supported by,
driven by,
the unstable,
painful, and
not-self
be stable,
pleasant and
self?
Such a thing,
o b,
can no be.
So seeing,
one is repelled by
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness.
Repelled,
one is not tied down to
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness;
one does not experience
anxiety and fear
at the instability of
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness.
Not taking pleasure or
experiencing
anxiety and fear
concerning
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness,
one does not obsess about
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness,
one does not form intentions
with regard to
forms,
sense-experiences,
sense-perceptions,
own-making and
sense-consciousness.
Not obsessing and
forming intentions,
there is no fuel
to drive existence.
Without existence
there is no birth.
Without birth
there is no aging and death,
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery and
despair.
This is what one sees
in the serenity
of solitude.
Develop serenity and
the appreciation of solitude,
my friends —
It is through
developing serenity and
the appreciation of solitude
that one comes to know things
as they really are.
References:
SN 3.22.21
The Buddha explains to Ānanda that the saying of seers of old 'Its Ending! Its Ending!' points to the perception that form, sense-experience, sense-perception, own-making and sense-consiousness are ending things.
