KN.PS3.9 — The Discourse on Insight
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling 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:
Disciples, it is impossible for a disciple who perceives any formation as permanent to be endowed with the acceptance in conformity.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not endowed with the acceptance in conformity to enter the certainty of rightness.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not entering the certainty of rightness to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship.
This is not possible.
But it is possible for a disciple who perceives all formations as impermanent to be endowed with the acceptance in conformity.
This is possible;
It is possible for one endowed with the acceptance in conformity to enter the certainty of rightness.
This is possible;
It is possible for one entering the certainty of rightness to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship.
This is possible.
Disciples, it is impossible for a disciple who perceives any formation as pleasurable to be endowed with the acceptance in conformity.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not endowed with the acceptance in conformity to enter the certainty of rightness.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not entering the certainty of rightness to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship.
This is not possible.
But it is possible for a disciple who perceives all formations as suffering to be endowed with the acceptance in conformity.
This is possible;
It is possible for one endowed with the acceptance in conformity to enter the certainty of rightness.
This is possible;
It is possible for one entering the certainty of rightness to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship.
This is possible.
Disciples, it is impossible for a disciple who perceives any phenomenon as self to be endowed with the acceptance in conformity.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not endowed with the acceptance in conformity to enter the certainty of rightness.
This is not possible;
It is impossible for one not entering the certainty of rightness to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship.
There is no such possibility.
But that a disciple, contemplating all phenomena as non-self, will be endowed with conformity knowing:
this is possible;
being endowed with conformity knowing, he will enter the certainty of rightness:
this is possible;
entering the certainty of rightness, he will realize the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruit of once-returning, or the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship:
this is possible.
But that a disciple, contemplating Nibbāna as suffering, will be endowed with conformity knowing:
this is not possible;
being not endowed with conformity knowing, he will enter the certainty of rightness:
this is not possible;
not entering the certainty of rightness, he will realize the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruit of once-returning, or the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship:
this is not possible.
But that a disciple, contemplating Nibbāna as happiness, will be endowed with conformity knowing:
this is possible;
being endowed with conformity knowing, he will enter the certainty of rightness:
this is possible;
entering the certainty of rightness, he will realize the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruit of once-returning, or the fruit of non-returning, or arahantship:
this is possible.
In how many ways does one acquire conformity knowing, and in how many ways does one enter the certainty of rightness?
In forty ways one acquires conformity knowing, in forty ways one enters the certainty of rightness.
What are the forty ways in which one acquires conformity knowing, and what are the forty ways in which one enters the certainty of rightness?
By seeing the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a tumor, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, a plague, a disaster, a terror, a menace, unstable, perishable, not a refuge, not a shelter, not a protection, empty, void, without essence, a danger, subject to change, without substance, rooted in suffering, murderous, subject to vanishing, with afflictions, conditioned, a bait of Māra, subject to birth, subject to aging, subject to illness, subject to death, subject to sorrow, subject to lamentation, subject to pain, subject to distress, subject to defilement.
By seeing the five aggregates as impermanent, one acquires conformity knowing.
By seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as permanent, as Nibbāna, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as suffering, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as happiness, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a disease, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as health, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a tumor, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as non-tumorous, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a dart, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from darts, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a calamity, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from calamity, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as an affliction, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from affliction, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as alien, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as not dependent on others, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as perishable, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as imperishable, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a calamity, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from calamity, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as fearful, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as fearless, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a disturbance, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from disturbance, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as unstable, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as stable, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as breaking up, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the unbroken Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as impermanent, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the permanent Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as without protection, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the protection of Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as without shelter, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the shelter of Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as without refuge, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the refuge of Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as empty, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the non-empty Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as hollow, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the non-hollow Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as void, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the ultimate void Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as not-self, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the ultimate reality Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as fraught with danger, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the non-dangerous Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to change, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the unchanging Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as without essence, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the essence of Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as rooted in suffering, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as the rootless Nibbana, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as a murderer, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as non-murderous, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to destruction, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as non-destructive, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as tainted, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as untainted, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as conditioned, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as unconditioned, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as Mara's bait, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as non-bait, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to birth, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as unborn, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to aging, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as ageless, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to illness, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from illness, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to death, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as deathless, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to sorrow, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as sorrowless, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to lamentation, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from lamentation, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as subject to distress, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as free from distress, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Seeing the five aggregates as defiled, one attains conformity patience.
Seeing the cessation of the five aggregates as undefiled, one enters the certainty of rightness.
Impermanent, contemplation of impermanence.
Suffering, contemplation of suffering.
Disease, contemplation of suffering.
Tumor, contemplation of suffering.
Arrow, contemplation of suffering.
Affliction, contemplation of suffering.
Illness, contemplation of suffering.
Other, contemplation of non-self.
Decay, contemplation of impermanence.
Distress, contemplation of suffering.
Calamity, contemplation of suffering.
Fear, contemplation of suffering.
Trouble, contemplation of suffering.
Instability, contemplation of impermanence.
Fragility, contemplation of impermanence.
Transience, contemplation of impermanence.
Defenselessness, contemplation of suffering.
Shelterlessness, contemplation of suffering.
Helplessness, contemplation of suffering.
Emptiness, contemplation of non-self.
Voidness, contemplation of non-self.
Vacancy, contemplation of non-self.
Non-self, contemplation of non-self.
Danger, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to change, contemplation of impermanence.
Without essence, contemplation of non-self.
Rooted in affliction, contemplation of suffering.
Destructive, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to dissolution, contemplation of impermanence.
With defilements, contemplation of suffering.
Conditioned, contemplation of impermanence.
Bait of Mara, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to birth, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to aging, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to illness, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to death, contemplation of impermanence.
Subject to sorrow, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to lamentation, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to despair, contemplation of suffering.
Subject to defilement, contemplation of suffering.
With these forty aspects, one attains conformity knowing.
With these forty aspects, one enters the path of rightness.
For one who attains conformity knowing with these forty aspects, and for one who enters the path of rightness with these forty aspects, how many are contemplations of impermanence, how many are contemplations of suffering, and how many are contemplations of non-self?
Twenty-five are contemplations of non-self,
Fifty are contemplations of impermanence;
One hundred and twenty-five,
Are said to be contemplations of suffering.
The discourse on insight is finished.