SN22.79 — Khajjanīyasutta
Originating in Sāvatthi.
Disciples, whoever among the ascetics or brahmins recollects their manifold past lives, they all recollect the five aggregates of clinging or one among them.
Which five?
Such was my form in the past:
Thus recollecting, they recollect only form.
Such was my feeling in the past:
Thus recollecting, they recollect only feeling.
Such was my perception in the past:
Thus recollecting, they recollect only perception.
Such were my formations in the past:
Thus recollecting, they recollect only formations.
Such was my consciousness in the past:
Thus recollecting, they recollect only consciousness.
And what do you call form?
It is called form because it is afflicted.
Afflicted by what?
It is afflicted by cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and contact with flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles.
It is called form because it is afflicted.
And what do you call feeling?
It is called feeling because it feels.
What does it feel?
It feels pleasure, pain, and neither-pain-nor-pleasure.
It is called feeling because it feels.
And what do you call perception?
It is called perception because it perceives.
What does it perceive?
It perceives blue, yellow, red, and white.
It is called perception because it perceives.
And what do you call formations?
They are called formations because they form the formed.
What do they form?
They form form as form, feeling as feeling, perception as perception, formations as formations, and consciousness as consciousness.
They are called formations because they form the formed.
And what do you call consciousness?
It is called consciousness because it cognizes.
What does it cognize?
He knows the sour, he knows the bitter, he knows the pungent, he knows the sweet, he knows the astringent, he knows the non-astringent, he knows the salty, he knows the non-salty.
Because he knows it is called consciousness.
There a learned noble disciple reflects thus:
I am now being consumed by form.
In the past, I was also consumed by form in the same way as I am now being consumed by present form.
If I were to delight in future form, I would be consumed by form in the future in the same way as I am now being consumed by present form.
Thus, reflecting in this way, he becomes indifferent to past form;
he does not delight in future form;
he is practicing for the disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation of present form.
I am now being consumed by feeling.
In the past, I was also consumed by feeling in the same way as I am now being consumed by present feeling.
If I were to delight in future feeling, I would be consumed by feeling in the future in the same way as I am now being consumed by present feeling.
Thus, reflecting in this way, he becomes indifferent to past feeling;
he does not delight in future feeling;
he is practicing for the disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation of present feeling.
I am now being consumed by perception...
I am now being consumed by formations.
In the past, I was also consumed by formations in the same way as I am now being consumed by present formations.
If I were to delight in future formations, I would be consumed by formations in the future in the same way as I am now being consumed by present formations.
Thus, reflecting in this way, he becomes indifferent to past formations;
he does not delight in future formations;
he is practicing for the disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation of present formations.
I am now being consumed by consciousness.
In the past, I was also consumed by consciousness in the same way as I am now being consumed by present consciousness.
If I were to delight in future consciousness, I would be consumed by consciousness in the future in the same way as I am now being consumed by present consciousness.
So, reflecting thus, he becomes indifferent to past consciousness; he does not delight in future consciousness; he is practicing for the disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation of present consciousness.
What do you think is form permanent or impermanent?
Impermanent, venerable sir.
Now, is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?
Suffering, venerable sir.
Now, 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.
Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness: is it permanent or impermanent?
Impermanent, venerable sir.
Now, is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?
Suffering, venerable sir.
Now, 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 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... any kind of perception... any kind of formations... any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether 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.
This is called a noble disciple who dismantles, does not accumulate; who abandons, does not cling; who scatters, does not amass; who extinguishes, does not kindle.
What does he dismantle, not accumulate? He dismantles form, does not accumulate it; he dismantles feeling... perception... formations... consciousness, does not accumulate it.
What does he abandon, not cling to? He abandons form, does not cling to it; he abandons feeling... perception... formations... consciousness, does not cling to it.
What does he scatter, not amass? He scatters form, does not amass it; he scatters feeling... perception... formations... consciousness, does not amass it.
What does he extinguish, not kindle? He extinguishes form, does not kindle it; he extinguishes feeling... perception... formations... consciousness, does not kindle it.
Seeing thus a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with formations, disenchanted with consciousness.
Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is knowing that he is liberated.
Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.
This is called a disciple who neither accumulates nor diminishes, having stood after accumulating; neither abandons nor clings, having stood after abandoning; neither slackens nor strains, having stood after slackening; neither disperses nor gathers, having stood after dispersing.
What does he neither accumulate nor diminish, having stood after accumulating?
He neither accumulates nor diminishes form, having stood after accumulating;
feeling...
perception...
formations...
consciousness, having stood after accumulating.
What does he neither abandon nor cling to, having stood after abandoning?
He neither abandons nor clings to form, having stood after abandoning;
feeling...
perception...
formations...
consciousness, having stood after abandoning.
What does he neither slacken nor strain, having stood after slackening?
He neither slackens nor strains form, having stood after slackening;
feeling...
perception...
formations...
consciousness, having stood after slackening.
What does he neither disperse nor gather, having stood after dispersing?
He neither disperses nor gathers form, having stood after dispersing;
feeling...
perception...
formations...
consciousness, having stood after dispersing.
Thus the gods with Indra, Brahma, and Pajapati, honor a disciple whose mind is thus liberated from afar, saying:
Homage to you, noble man,
homage to you, supreme man;
for we do not know what you rely on,
in which you meditate.