SN12.61 — The Discourse on the Uninstructed
Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park...
Disciples, an uninstructed ordinary person might become disenchanted with, might become dispassionate towards, might become liberated from this body composed of the four great elements.
What is the reason for that?
Disciples, it is because the growth and decline, the taking up and putting down of this body composed of the four great elements is seen.
Therefore, an uninstructed ordinary person might become disenchanted with, might become dispassionate towards, might become liberated from it.
But, disciples, as for what is called the mind, or the heart, or consciousness, an uninstructed ordinary person is not capable of becoming disenchanted with it, not capable of becoming dispassionate towards it, not capable of becoming liberated from it.
What is the reason for that?
Disciples, it is because for a long time this has been clung to, appropriated, and grasped by the uninstructed ordinary person as: This is mine, I am this, this is my self.
Therefore, an uninstructed ordinary person is not capable of becoming disenchanted with it, not capable of becoming dispassionate towards it, not capable of becoming liberated from it.
Disciples, it would be better for an uninstructed ordinary person to regard this body composed of the four great elements as self rather than the mind.
What is the reason for that?
Disciples, it is because this body composed of the four great elements is seen to last for one year, for two years, for three years, for four years, for five years, for ten years, for twenty years, for thirty years, for forty years, for fifty years, for a hundred years, or even longer.
But, disciples, as for what is called the mind, or the heart, or consciousness, it arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.
Just as, disciples, a monkey roaming through the forest grabs hold of one branch, lets it go, and grabs another; then lets that go and grabs yet another; so too, disciples, what is called the mind, or the heart, or consciousness, arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.
There, disciples, a well-instructed noble disciple carefully and thoroughly attends to dependent origination:
When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises.
When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases: that is, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness...
Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, the cessation of consciousness...
Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
Seeing thus, disciples, a well-instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with volitional formations, becomes disenchanted with consciousness; becoming disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he is liberated; when liberated, there is knowing that he is liberated.
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.