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Contemplation of Phenomena in the Aggregates
Again a disciple dwells observing phenomena in phenomena in regard to the five aggregates of clinging. And how does a disciple dwell observing phenomena in phenomena in regard to the five aggregates of clinging?
Here a disciple understands: such is form, such is the arising of form, such is the passing away of form; such is feeling, such is the arising of feeling, such is the passing away of feeling; such is perception, such is the arising of perception, such is the passing away of perception; such are formations, such is the arising of formations, such is the passing away of formations; such is consciousness, such is the arising of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness, thus he dwells observing phenomena in phenomena internally, or externally, or both internally and externally.
He dwells observing the arising in phenomena, or the passing away in phenomena, or both the arising and passing away in phenomena.
There are phenomena is established in him to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness, and he dwells independent, not clinging to anything in the world.
Thus a disciple dwells observing phenomena in phenomena in regard to the five aggregates of clinging.
Let's start with the basics. Humans have five senses, each stimulated by different phenomena to produce five types of cognition. The eyes are stimulated by color to produce cognition of light and dark, colors; ears by sound to produce cognition of sounds; nose by smell to produce cognition of fragrances and odors; tongue by taste to produce cognition of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, and savory; body by touch to produce cognition of soft, hard, light, heavy, rough, smooth, cold, hot, pain, and itchiness.
Besides, the mind recalls and thinks about past experiences, which are referred to as "dharmas." Thus, humans have six senses that interact with six phenomena to produce six types of cognition.
Here, we name cognition as consciousness, briefly saying: eyes and color produce eye consciousness, ears and sound produce ear consciousness, nose and smell produce nose consciousness, tongue and taste produce tongue consciousness, body and touch produce body consciousness, and mind and dharmas produce mind consciousness.
There are six important characteristics in the process of consciousness arising:
Each sense only interacts with its corresponding phenomenon to produce consciousness and cannot interact with other phenomena. For example, eyes only interact with color, not with sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; the mind only interacts with dharmas, not with color, sound, smell, taste, or touch. The same applies to other senses, each only interacting with its corresponding phenomenon.
Although we can produce six types of consciousness, only one type arises at a time. Like a tug-of-war, the side with greater force pulls the cloth in the middle towards itself. The phenomenon that attracts the most attention interacts with the corresponding sense to produce the corresponding consciousness.
When consciousness arises, we feel as if "I am perceiving the phenomenon," "the mind or consciousness is perceiving the phenomenon," or "the sense is perceiving the phenomenon."
But in fact, cognition is a new phenomenon produced when the senses are stimulated by phenomena, and it is not about knowing or recognizing anything.
Just like light is a new phenomenon produced when electric current passes through a light bulb, it is not the light seeing the electric current, nor is it the light bulb or anything else seeing the electric current.
Light is just a new phenomenon produced by the light bulb and electric current. When each sense and phenomenon produce cognition, it is accompanied by the arising of feeling, perception, and thought.
If all material qualities of the senses and phenomena are classified into one category and named form, then in the process of the arising of cognition, there are a total of five categories of phenomena: form, feeling, perception, volition, and cognition. These five categories encompass our entire body and mind.
Here, they are traditionally named the five aggregates: the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of volitional formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. The five aggregates arise and then cease immediately. But as long as life is not over and the body and mind are healthy, the five aggregates will continuously regenerate, arising and ceasing, the old ceases and the new arises, until death.
At the moment of death, if the last ceasing consciousness has not exhausted ignorance and attachment, then a new set of five aggregates will be reborn, that is, a new life, thus continuing endlessly in the cycle of rebirth.
Just like having a sore on the body, it hurts when touched, hurts when cold, itches when touched, and itches when hot, often suffering various pains. Only when scratching with the right amount of force during itching can it bring temporary pleasure. The five aggregates accompanied by attachment are like a body with a sore, more suffering than joy.
When encountering undesirable phenomena, one suffers from the pain of aversion; when unable to obtain the sought-after happiness, one suffers from the pain of seeking but not obtaining; when what is obtained is lost or changed, one suffers from the pain of separation from loved ones; if one regards the five aggregates as "self," then one suffers the pain of birth, aging, and death when the five aggregates arise, abide, and cease, all of which are constantly accompanied by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.
Only when satisfying attachment can one obtain temporary happiness. It is particularly important to note that many people think that attachment produces suffering because this attachment leads to the regeneration of the five aggregates, and because of the regeneration of the five aggregates, there is suffering.
Thus, they believe that the five aggregates are suffering, and therefore direct the way to extinguish suffering towards extinguishing the five aggregates. But in fact, attachment is the direct cause of suffering in the present, not in the future. Whenever there is attachment, there is suffering; whenever there is no attachment, there is no suffering.
If the five aggregates that arise in the present are accompanied by some form of attachment, and the object of attachment is not as desired, then the five aggregates accompanied by this attachment will appear as suffering in the present. If in the next moment, the newly arisen five aggregates do not have this attachment, then there is no such suffering.
For example, if someone loves a person of the opposite sex, seeing them with someone else can cause annoyance. Later, if the heart changes and love is no longer there, then there will be no more annoyance for any behavior of the other party. Therefore, whenever there is love for it, there may be suffering for it; whenever there is no love for it, there will not be suffering for it.
If this point is not clear, one will go in the wrong direction, thinking that to extinguish suffering is to extinguish the five aggregates. But in fact, we do not need to extinguish any of the five aggregates, nor do we need to extinguish any attachment. The five aggregates arise and cease on their own, even if one wishes to keep them, they cannot be kept, let alone the attachment within the five aggregates.
Therefore, there is no need to do anything extra to eliminate them. If this principle is understood, then it can be understood that to extinguish suffering is to prevent the arising of attachment in the five aggregates that are to be reborn. The past five aggregates have already arisen and ceased, love has already arisen and ceased, suffering has already arisen and ceased.
But if there is no attachment to the five aggregates that arise in the remainder of one's life, then the remainder of one's life will not be troubled by birth, aging, sickness, death, resentment, separation from loved ones, unfulfilled desires, etc., leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. This is called "Parinirvana with remainder."
When the five aggregates of this world are extinguished, ignorance has ended, attachment has been severed, and the five aggregates will extinguish like a flame that has run out of fuel, not leading to the rebirth of new aggregates, completely cutting off the root of suffering.
This is called "Parinirvana without remainder." Some might wonder, if the five aggregates are completely extinguished, doesn't that mean annihilation? What is the meaning of such an outcome? In fact, no matter who it is, whether or not one severs attachment, the fact that the five aggregates arise and then disintegrate cannot be stopped, not even for a moment, both now and at the time of death.
Just like a flame is a phenomenon that arises and extinguishes, but because the fuel keeps supplying, the flame keeps arising. If one ignores the fact that the flame is actually constantly disappearing, one might mistakenly believe that the flame is the same throughout, until the fuel is exhausted and it disperses and extinguishes.
If people do not realize that the five aggregates arise and then completely extinguish, followed by the successive generation of new aggregates, they might mistakenly believe that the previous and subsequent aggregates are the same, from birth to death, and even believe that the rebirth is the same entity. And they regard these aggregates as "self," thus fearing their extinction.
But in fact, they are not the same, nor are they "self," and there is no "self" within or outside the aggregates. Therefore, rebirth is just the rebirth of new aggregates, and not being reborn is just not giving rise to new aggregates.
Some might wonder, if there is no "self," then who is without suffering, who is suffering, and who is liberated, attaining Nirvana? The reason for this doubt is also because people do not fully understand that the five aggregates arise and then completely extinguish.
Although one set of aggregates can lead to the arising of another, the previous and subsequent aggregates are completely different and independent phenomena.
Because of the mistaken belief that there is something unchanging that runs through from one set of aggregates to another, from birth to death, from this life to the next, people think it is this unchanging thing that suffers and does not suffer. But in fact, there is no such unchanging thing. When the aggregates arise, it is merely the aggregates arising. When the aggregates cease, it is these aggregates completely disappearing.
If there is attachment in the arising aggregates, and the object of attachment is not as desired, then the attachment will transform into the form of suffering, and these aggregates are suffering. Similarly, when suffering arises, it is merely suffering arising. When this suffering ceases, it is this suffering completely disappearing. In this process, there is nothing that bears suffering, nor is there anything that bears the absence of suffering, it is just suffering arising and ceasing.
With attachment, suffering continues to arise and cease; if attachment is continuously reborn, suffering is endless. Without attachment, after the old suffering ceases, new suffering does not arise, which is liberation, Nirvana.
So, is there a way for us to reduce or even stop generating attachment in this life, right now, from this moment, to eliminate doubts and completely cut off the rebirth of suffering?
The desire, attachment, inclination, and adherence in these five aggregates of clinging is the origin of suffering. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust in these five aggregates of clinging is the cessation of suffering. Even by this much, friend, a disciple has done much. If, friend, the internal ear... nose... tongue... body... mind is intact, and external phenomena do not come into its field, and there is no appropriate engagement, then there is no manifestation of the corresponding consciousness.
If, friend, the internal mind is intact, and external phenomena come into its field, but there is no appropriate engagement, then there is no manifestation of the corresponding consciousness. However, friend, when the internal mind is intact, and external phenomena come into its field, and there is appropriate engagement, then there is the manifestation of the corresponding consciousness.
The form of such a person goes into the aggregate of form clinging, the feeling goes into the aggregate of feeling clinging, the perception goes into the aggregate of perception clinging, the formations go into the aggregate of formations clinging, and the consciousness goes into the aggregate of consciousness clinging.
He understands thus: Indeed, this is how the collection, gathering, and amalgamation of these five aggregates of clinging occurs. It has been said by the Blessed One: One who sees dependent origination sees the Dhamma; one who sees the Dhamma sees dependent origination.
These five aggregates of clinging are dependently arisen. The desire, attachment, inclination, and adherence in these five aggregates of clinging is the origin of suffering. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust in these five aggregates of clinging is the cessation of suffering. Even by this much, friend, a disciple has done much.
MN28
But when one neither intends nor plans nor has latent tendencies, this does not become an object for the continuation of consciousness. When there is no object, there is no establishment of consciousness.
When consciousness is not established and does not come to growth, there is no production of renewed existence in the future. When there is no production of renewed existence in the future, future birth, aging, and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.
Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
SN12.38
Discernment of The Five Aggregates and their Characteristics
Through the previous analysis, we realize that consciousness arises from our senses and objects. Regardless of the nature of our senses and objects, all we know is limited to consciousness. There is nothing beyond consciousness.
Just like how a movie program is based on light, our usual perceptions, knowledge, living environment, and thoughts are all built upon the foundation of consciousness, specifically the six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind perception.
Previously, we mentioned that the arising of consciousness is the arising of knowledge. Here, we isolate the "knowledge" aspect of consciousness and collectively refer to it as "perception," meaning humans have six perceptions: visual perception, auditory perception, olfactory perception, gustatory perception, tactile perception, and mental perception.
However, perception cannot arise on its own. Whenever perception arises, it is always accompanied by related content, which encompasses all worldly phenomena. Although diverse, these contents can generally be categorized into four types:
The first type is content related to material substances, such as colors, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, temperatures, vibrations, and the senses like sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These are all either material or created by material, and here, all cognition related to colors and material is collectively referred to as "form."
The second type is psychological phenomena related to sensations, including bodily sensations like pain, itchiness, comfort, inner feelings of joy, sorrow, and neutral feelings. All cognition related to sensations is collectively referred to as "feeling."
The third type is concepts, which are people's intuitive impressions and definitions of known content, such as more or less, big or small. All cognition related to concepts is collectively referred to as "perception."
The fourth type is activities. Mental activities encompass thoughts, memories, emotions, desires, doubts, judgments, plans, decisions, and focus, while physical activities include bodily movements and speech. All cognition with activity is collectively referred to as "formation."
Adding the previous "perception," we can categorize the known world into five types, namely form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. These five types of cognition all belong to the realm of consciousness, intangible, impermanent, ceaseless, silent, like darkness or shadows, hence named the "five aggregates" - form aggregate, feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, formation aggregate, and consciousness aggregate.
The five aggregates are not independent of each other. For example, when people perceive colors, corresponding sensations arise simultaneously, and defining colors and sensations involves concepts, indicating the presence of thought. Therefore, the five aggregates are interdependent, multifaceted, just like how light and heat exist simultaneously when the sun rises.
Now, let's analyze the characteristics of the five aggregates.
We know that fire, sound, light, and tree shadows are immediate new phenomena produced by various conditions. We call these phenomena with this characteristic "conditioned arising."
These phenomena lack substance, cannot stay, be preserved, moved, or taken away independently. We call this characteristic "impermanence."
Their arising is based on consuming conditions. They arise and pass away in the present moment of consumption. To sustain these phenomena, new conditions must be continuously supplied. Once new conditions are not met, these phenomena cease to arise.
For example, flames are based on consuming fuel and oxygen. To keep the flame burning, fuel and oxygen must be continuously supplied. If the combustion or oxygen supply is insufficient, the fire will extinguish. We call this characteristic "conditioned."
Because they arise and disappear immediately, new phenomena arise due to new conditions, even though they may seem unchanged. They are constantly arising and ceasing, and the phenomena from one moment to the next are not the same. We call this characteristic "change."
As they are immediate phenomena produced by various conditions, arising and disappearing immediately, they cannot be controlled or dominated by themselves or other phenomena, nor can they control or dominate other phenomena. We call this characteristic "non-self."
Therefore, fire, sound, light, tree shadows, and the five aggregates are all phenomena of conditioned arising, impermanence, conditioned, change, and non-self.
The five aggregates are also such phenomena. For example, colors are produced by light hitting objects and reflecting or by the light source itself; they have no substance, cannot stay, be preserved, moved, or taken away independently; they need continuous conditions to be maintained; colors are essentially light waves, ever-changing, and lack autonomy, unable to control or be controlled by other phenomena.
Therefore, color is originated from conditions, impermanent, constructed, mutable, and ownerless.
Likewise, the other aggregates of form, sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are also originated from conditions, impermanent, constructed, mutable, and ownerless.
Primitive people were ignorant of the true nature of fire, believing that fire had substance, was permanent, had agency, could perceive and know, and could dominate all things. Therefore, they regarded fire as divine or alive. However, modern people, understanding that fire is originated from conditions, impermanent, constructed, mutable, and ownerless, do not consider fire as divine or alive.
Similarly, if people are ignorant of the five aggregates, they may perceive them as having substance, being permanent, having life, agency, knowing and perceiving, acting and doing, being able to control and dominate themselves or others, and being controlled or dominated by others. This could lead them to regard the five aggregates as divine, others, or the self. Consequently, attachment and aversion arise, leading to suffering such as love, hatred, emotions, and conflicts.
If people can truly understand the five aggregates as originated from conditions, impermanent, constructed, mutable, and ownerless, regardless of past, present, future, internal, external, coarse, fine, beautiful, ugly, near, or far, they will not regard the five aggregates as divine, others, or the self. Therefore, they will not cling to the five aggregates. Not clinging to the five aggregates means not clinging to anything in the world. Without clinging, there is no dependence. Without dependence, there is self-aware liberation and nirvana.
The Tathagata explains that to attain liberation, one has to fully understand clinging, its origin, and its cessation. He covers the four different types of clinging:
MN11 — Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta
Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Blessed One addressed the disciples:
Disciples.
Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
Here a recluse, here a second recluse, here a third recluse, here a fourth recluse; other doctrines are empty of recluses.
Thus you should rightly roar the lion's roar.
There is a possibility that wanderers of other sects might say:
What is the assurance, what is the strength, by which you venerable ones say this:
here a recluse, here a second recluse, here a third recluse, here a fourth recluse; other doctrines are empty of recluses?
Disciples, if wanderers of other sects say this, they should be answered thus:
Friends, there are four things declared by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, which we, seeing in ourselves, say this:
here a recluse, here a second recluse, here a third recluse, here a fourth recluse; other doctrines are empty of recluses.
What are the four?
There is, friends, faith in the Teacher, there is faith in the Dhamma, there is fulfillment of moral conduct; and there is affection and respect among fellow practitioners:
both householders and those gone forth.
These are the four things declared by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, which we, seeing in ourselves, say this:
here a recluse, here a second recluse, here a third recluse, here a fourth recluse; other doctrines are empty of recluses.
There is a possibility that wanderers of other sects might say:
We too, friends, have faith in our teacher, we too have faith in our doctrine, we too fulfill moral conduct, and we too have affection and respect among fellow practitioners: both householders and those gone forth.
What then, friends, is the distinction, what is the difference, what is the distinguishing factor between you and us?
Disciples, if wanderers of other sects say this, they should be answered thus:
Friends, is there one final goal, or are there many final goals?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, there is one final goal, not many final goals.
Friends, is that final goal for one with lust or for one without lust?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one without lust, not for one with lust.
Friends, is that final goal for one with hatred or for one without hatred?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one without hatred, not for one with hatred.
Friends, is that final goal for one with delusion or for one without delusion?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one without delusion, not for one with delusion.
Friends, is that final goal for one with craving or for one without craving?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one without craving, not for one with craving.
Friends, is that final goal for one with clinging or for one without clinging?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one without clinging, not for one with clinging.
Friends, is that final goal for one with knowing or for one without knowing?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one with knowing, not for one without knowing.
Friends, is that final goal for one who is in harmony or for one who is in conflict?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one who is in harmony, not for one who is in conflict.
Friends, is that final goal for one who delights in proliferation or for one who delights in non-proliferation?
Rightly answering wanderers of other sects would answer thus:
Friends, that final goal is for one who delights in non-proliferation, not for one who delights in proliferation.
There are these two views, disciples: the view of existence and the view of non-existence.
Whoever are recluses or brahmins who are attached to the view of existence, who have entered upon the view of existence, who are clinging to the view of existence, they are opposed to the view of non-existence.
Whoever are recluses or brahmins who are attached to the view of non-existence, who have entered upon the view of non-existence, who are clinging to the view of non-existence, they are opposed to the view of existence.
They are attached to the view of annihilation, they have adopted the view of annihilation, they are opposed to the view of existence.
Whoever whether ascetics or brahmins, do not understand as it really is the arising, the cessation, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to these two views, they are with lust, with hatred, with delusion, with craving, with clinging, with ignorance, opposed to the noble ones, delighting in proliferation, enjoying proliferation; they do not escape from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; they do not escape from suffering, I say.
But whoever whether ascetics or brahmins, understand as it really is the arising, the cessation, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to these two views, they are without lust, without hatred, without delusion, without craving, without clinging, with knowing, not opposed to the noble ones, not delighting in proliferation, not enjoying proliferation; they escape from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; they escape from suffering, I say.
There are these four kinds of clinging, disciples.
What four?
Clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who declare the complete understanding of all clinging.
They do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly:
they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
Why is that?
Because those venerable ascetics and brahmins do not understand these three things as they really are.
Therefore, those venerable ascetics and brahmins, while declaring the complete understanding of all clinging, do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly: they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who declare the complete understanding of all clinging.
They do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly:
they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
Why is that?
Because those venerable ascetics and brahmins do not understand these two things as they really are.
Therefore, those venerable ascetics and brahmins, while declaring the complete understanding of all clinging, do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly: they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who declare the complete understanding of all clinging.
They do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly: they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self.
Why is that?
Because those venerable ascetics and brahmins do not understand this one thing as it really is.
Therefore, those venerable ascetics and brahmins, while declaring the complete understanding of all clinging, do not declare the complete understanding of all clinging correctly: they declare the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, but they do not declare the complete understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self.
In such a teaching and discipline the confidence in the teacher is not rightly placed; the confidence in the teaching is not rightly placed;
the fulfillment of moral conduct is not rightly placed; the affection and respect among fellow practitioners is not rightly placed.
Why is that?
Because it happens that in such a poorly proclaimed teaching and discipline, poorly taught, not conducive to liberation, not leading to peace, not proclaimed by a fully enlightened one.
But the Tathagata the Arahant, the fully enlightened one, while declaring the complete understanding of all clinging, declares the complete understanding of all clinging correctly: he declares the complete understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to precepts and practices, clinging to a doctrine of self.
In such a teaching and discipline the confidence in the teacher is rightly placed;
the confidence in the teaching is rightly placed;
the fulfillment of moral conduct is rightly placed;
the affection and respect among fellow practitioners is rightly placed.
Why is that?
Because it happens that in such a well-proclaimed teaching and discipline, well taught, conducive to liberation, leading to peace, proclaimed by a fully enlightened one.
Disciples, there are these four kinds of clinging. What is their source, what is their origin, from what are they born, from what are they produced? These four kinds of clinging have craving as their source, craving as their origin, they are born from craving, they are produced from craving. And this craving what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born, from what is it produced? Craving has feeling as its source, feeling as its origin, it is born from feeling, it is produced from feeling.
And this feeling what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born, from what is it produced?
Feeling has contact as its source, contact as its origin, it is born from contact, it is produced from contact. And this contact what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born, from what is it produced?
Contact has the six sense bases as its source, the six sense bases as its origin, it is born from the six sense bases, it is produced from the six sense bases. And these six sense bases what is their source, what is their origin, from what are they born, from what are they produced?
The six sense bases have name-and-form as their source, name-and-form as their origin, they are born from name-and-form, they are produced from name-and-form. And this name-and-form what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born, from what is it produced?
Name-and-form has consciousness as its source, consciousness as its origin, it is born from consciousness, it is produced from consciousness. And this consciousness what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born, from what is it produced?
Consciousness has formations as its source, formations as its origin, it is born from formations, it is produced from formations. And these formations what is their source, what is their origin, from what are they born, from what are they produced?
Formations have ignorance as their source, ignorance as their origin, they are born from ignorance, they are produced from ignorance. But when a disciple has abandoned ignorance and knowing has arisen, then, with the fading away of ignorance and the arising of knowing, he does not cling to sensual pleasure, he does not cling to views, he does not cling to precepts and practices, he does not cling to a doctrine of self.
Not clinging, he does not become agitated, not being agitated, he personally attains Nibbāna. He understands: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being. This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, the disciples delighted in the Blessed Ones words.
The Discourse on the Lions Roar is finished.
A desciple should develop concentration in order to truly understand the origin and ending of the five aggregates:
SN22.5 — Samādhisutta
Thus have I heard: …at Sāvatthī…
Develop concentration, disciples; a disciple who is concentrated understands things as they really are.
What does he understand as it really is?
The arising and passing away of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
And what is the arising of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness?
Here a disciple delights in, welcomes, and remains holding to.
And what does he delight in, welcome, and remain holding to?
He delights in, welcomes, and remains holding to form.
From delighting in, welcoming, and remaining holding to form, delight arises.
The delight in form is clinging.
With clinging as condition, there is becoming;
with becoming as condition, there is birth;
with birth as condition, arise aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Thus arises this entire mass of suffering.
He delights in feeling…
He delights in perception…
He delights in formations…
He delights in consciousness, welcomes, and remains holding to.
From delighting in, welcoming, and remaining holding to consciousness, delight arises.
The delight in consciousness is clinging.
With clinging as condition, there is becoming;
with becoming as condition, there is birth;
with birth as condition…
Thus arises this entire mass of suffering.
This is the arising of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
And what is the passing away of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness?
Here one does not delight in, welcome, or remain holding to.
And what does one not delight in, welcome, or remain holding to?
One does not delight in, welcome, or remain holding to form.
For one not delighting in, not welcoming, and not remaining holding to form, the delight in form ceases.
With the cessation of delight, there is the cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, there is the cessation of becoming…thus ceases this entire mass of suffering.
One does not delight in feeling…
One does not delight in perception…
One does not delight in formations, does not welcome, and does not remain holding to.
For one not delighting in, not welcoming, and not remaining holding to formations, the delight in formations ceases.
With the cessation of delight, there is the cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, there is the cessation of becoming… thus ceases this entire mass of suffering.
One does not delight in consciousness, does not welcome, and does not remain holding to.
For one not delighting in, not welcoming, and not remaining holding to consciousness, the delight in consciousness ceases.
With the cessation of delight, there is the cessation of clinging… thus ceases this entire mass of suffering.
This is the passing away of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
Consciousness stands dependent on the other four aggregates, and this attachment is what fuels the cycle of rebirth:
SN22.53 — The Discourse on Attachments
Originating in Sāvatthī.
Disciples, one who is attached is not liberated; one who is not attached is liberated.
If consciousness were to remain attached to form, it would remain dependent on form, established on form, and would grow, increase, and expand.
If consciousness were to remain attached to feeling...
If consciousness were to remain attached to perception...
If consciousness were to remain attached to mental formations, it would remain dependent on mental formations, established on mental formations, and would grow, increase, and expand.
Disciples, if someone were to say:
I will describe the coming, going, passing away, rebirth, growth, increase, and expansion of consciousness apart from form, apart from feeling, apart from perception, apart from mental formations, that is not possible.
Disciples, if a disciple has abandoned desire for the form element,
with the abandonment of desire, the support for the establishment of consciousness is cut off.
If a disciple has abandoned desire for the feeling element...
If a disciple has abandoned desire for the perception element...
If a disciple has abandoned desire for the mental formations element...
If a disciple has abandoned desire for the consciousness element, with the abandonment of desire, the support for the establishment of consciousness is cut off.
When consciousness is unestablished, not growing, and not produced, it is liberated.
Because it is liberated, it is stable. Because it is stable, it is content. Because it is content, it is not agitated. Being unagitated, it personally attains final Nibbāna.
He understands: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.
On a sabbath day with the Sangha at Sāvatthi, the Tathagata answers a series of ten questions on the aggregates:
SN22.82 — Puṇṇamasutta
At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, at the Eastern Park, in the palace of Migāras mother, together with a large community of disciples.
Now, at that time, on the full moon night of the fifteenth, the Blessed One was sitting in the open air, surrounded by the community of disciples.
Then a certain disciple got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverence towards the Blessed One, said to him:
May I ask a question, Blessed One, if the Blessed One would grant me the opportunity to ask it?
Then sit down in your own seat and ask what you wish, the Blessed One replied.
Very well, Blessed One, the disciple replied, and after sitting down in his own seat, he asked the Blessed One:
Blessed One, are these the five aggregates subject to clinging, namely, the form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the formations aggregate subject to clinging, and the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging?
These are indeed the five aggregates subject to clinging, disciple, the Blessed One replied.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
Blessed One, what is the root of these five aggregates subject to clinging?
These five aggregates subject to clinging have desire as their root, the Blessed One replied.
Is it the case, Blessed One, that the clinging is the same as the five aggregates subject to clinging, or is the clinging something apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging?
It is not the case, disciple, that the clinging is the same as the five aggregates subject to clinging, nor is it apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging. But the desire and lust for them, that is the clinging there.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
Blessed One, could there be a variation in desire and lust among the five aggregates subject to clinging?
There could be, disciple, the Blessed One replied:
Here, disciple, someone might think:
May I be of such form in the future, may I be of such feeling in the future, may I be of such perception in the future, may I be of such formations in the future, may I be of such consciousness in the future.
In this way, disciple, there could be a variation in desire and lust among the five aggregates subject to clinging.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
To what extent, Blessed One, is there the designation of aggregates?
Whatever form there is, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, this is called the form aggregate.
Whatever feeling there is...
Whatever perception there is...
Whatever formations there are...
Whatever consciousness there is, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, this is called the consciousness aggregate.
To this extent, disciple, there is the designation of aggregates.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
What is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate;
what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate;
what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate;
what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the formations aggregate;
what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate?
The four great elements, disciple, are the cause and condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate.
Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate.
Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate.
Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the formations aggregate.
Name-and-form is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
How, Blessed One, does identity view arise?
Here, disciple, an uninstructed worldling, who has no regard for noble ones, is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true persons, is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form;
he regards feeling as self...
he regards perception as self...
he regards formations as self...
he regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness.
In this way, disciple, identity view arises.
Good, Blessed One, the disciple said, rejoicing in the Blessed Ones words, and then he asked another question:
But how, Blessed One, does identity view not arise?
Here, disciple, a well-instructed noble disciple, who has regard for noble ones, is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true persons, is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard form as self, does not regard self as possessing form...
...nor self in form, nor form in self, nor self in feeling, nor self in perception, nor self in formations, nor self in consciousness, nor consciousness in self, nor self in consciousness. Thus, disciple, there is no view of self in the aggregates.
Good, venerable sir, the disciple replied... and asked: What, venerable sir, is the gratification in form, what is its danger, and what is the escape from it? What is the gratification in feeling, what is its danger, and what is the escape from it? What is the gratification in perception, what is its danger, and what is the escape from it? What is the gratification in formations, what is its danger, and what is the escape from it? What is the gratification in consciousness, what is its danger, and what is the escape from it?
Disciple, the pleasure and joy that arise dependent on form: this is the gratification in form. That form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in form. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for form: this is the escape from form. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on feeling... perception... formations... consciousness: this is the gratification in consciousness. That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in consciousness. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for consciousness: this is the escape from consciousness.
Good, venerable sir, the disciple replied, delighted and rejoicing in the Blessed One's words, and asked further: How, venerable sir, does one know and see so that in regard to this body with consciousness and all external signs, the tendencies to conceit, I am, and mine do not arise?
Disciple, whatever form, 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. Whatever feeling... whatever perception... whatever formations... whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, 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. Thus, disciple, knowing and seeing in this way, in regard to this body with consciousness and all external signs, the tendencies to conceit, I am, and mine do not arise.
At that time, a certain disciple had this thought: So it seems, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self. How then, if there is no self, can deeds done by what is not-self affect the self?
The Blessed One, knowing the disciple's thought, addressed the disciples: It is possible that some foolish person, unlearned, ignorant, and dominated by craving, might think that the teaching of the Teacher should be surpassed. So it seems, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self. How then, if there is no self, can deeds done by what is not-self affect the self? You should be questioned about this in various ways. What do you think is form permanent or impermanent?
Impermanent, venerable sir.
Is feeling... perception... formations... consciousness permanent or impermanent?
Impermanent, venerable sir.
Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?
Suffering, venerable sir.
Is it fitting to regard what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as: This is mine, this I am, this is my self?
No, venerable sir.
Therefore... seeing thus... one understands: There is no further becoming.
Two aggregates should be considered, the designation and the cause; two are spoken of in terms of self, and the gratification-consciousness; these are said to be tenfold, and the disciple's question is answered.
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