3.
The Discourse on the Simile of the Lump of Foam
95.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Ayujjhā on the bank of the river Ganges.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Just as, monks, this river Ganges might carry along a great lump of foam. a man with good eyesight might see it, ponder it, thoroughly investigate it. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it would appear void, it would appear hollow, it would appear coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in a lump of foam? So too, monks, whatever materiality, past, future, or present, etc. whether far or near, that a monk sees, ponders, thoroughly investigates. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it appears void, it appears hollow, it appears coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in materiality?
"Just as, monks, in the autumn season, when the sky rains with large drops, a water bubble arises and ceases in the water. a man with good eyesight might see it, ponder it, thoroughly investigate it. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it would appear void, it would appear hollow, it would appear coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in a water bubble? So too, monks, whatever feeling, past, future, or present, etc. whether far or near, that a monk sees, ponders, thoroughly investigates. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it appears void, it appears hollow, it appears coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in feeling?
"Just as, monks, in the last month of summer, at the midday hour, a mirage shimmers. a man with good eyesight might see it, ponder it, thoroughly investigate it. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it would appear void, it would appear hollow, etc. For what substance could there be, monks, in a mirage? So too, monks, whatever perception, etc.
"Just as, monks, a man desiring the substance, seeking the substance, wandering about in search of the substance, having taken a sharp axe, might enter a forest. There he might see a great plantain trunk, upright, young, without a fruit-bud core. He might cut it at the root; having cut it at the root he might cut it at the top, having cut it at the top he might unroll the leaf-sheaths. Unrolling the leaf-sheaths, he would not find even the soft wood, whence the substance! a man with good eyesight might see it, ponder it, thoroughly investigate it. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it would appear void, it would appear hollow, it would appear coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in a plantain trunk? So too, monks, whatever activities, past, future, or present, etc. whether far or near, that a monk sees, ponders, thoroughly investigates. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it appears void, it appears hollow, it appears coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in activities?
"Just as, monks, a juggler or a juggler's apprentice might display a magical illusion at a crossroads. a man with good eyesight might see it, ponder it, thoroughly investigate it. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it would appear void, it would appear hollow, it would appear coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in a magical illusion? So too, monks, whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, etc. whether far or near, that a monk sees, reflects upon, thoroughly investigates. To him seeing it, pondering it, thoroughly investigating it, it appears void, it appears hollow, it appears coreless. For what substance could there be, monks, in consciousness?
"Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted with materiality, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with activities, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he becomes liberated. When liberated, there is the knowledge: 'Liberated.' etc. He understands: ... there is no more coming back to any state of being.'"
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this -
Perception is like a mirage, activities are like a plantain trunk;
And consciousness is like a magical illusion, taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.
It is void, it is hollow, for whoever sees it wisely.
With the abandoning of three things, see matter discarded.
Then it lies cast aside, food for others, without consciousness.
It is declared a murderer, no substance is found herein.
By day or by night, fully aware and mindful.
One should live as if one's head were on fire, aspiring to the imperishable state." The third.