1.
The Discourse on Being Yourselves as an Island
43.
At Sāvatthī.
"Monks, dwell having yourselves as an island, having yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge, having the Teaching as an island, having the Teaching as a refuge, with no other refuge.
For those dwelling having yourselves as an island, having yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge, having the Teaching as an island, having the Teaching as a refuge, with no other refuge, the source should be investigated.
What gives birth to sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish, what is their production?"
"And what, monks, gives birth to sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish, what is their production? Here, monks, an ignorant worldling, who does not see the noble ones, who is not skilled in the noble teaching, who is undisciplined in the noble teaching, who does not see good persons, who is not skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is undisciplined in the teaching of good persons, regards matter as self, or self as possessing matter; or matter as in self, or self as in matter. That matter of his changes, and becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of matter, there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. He regards feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling; or feeling as in self, or self as in feeling. That feeling of his changes, and becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of feeling, there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. He regards perception as self... He regards activities as self... He regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness; or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That consciousness of his changes, and becomes otherwise. From the change and alteration of consciousness, there arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
"But having understood the impermanence of matter, its change, fading away and cessation, seeing as it really is with right wisdom thus: 'Both formerly and now, all matter is impermanent, suffering, subject to change' - whatever sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish there are, they are abandoned. With their abandoning, he is not agitated; not being agitated, he dwells in happiness; a monk dwelling in happiness is called 'one quenched in that respect'. But having understood the impermanence of feeling, its change, fading away and cessation, seeing as it really is with right wisdom thus: 'Both formerly and now, all feeling is impermanent, suffering, subject to change' - whatever sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish there are, they are abandoned. With their abandoning, he is not agitated; not being agitated, he dwells in happiness; a monk dwelling in happiness is called 'one quenched in that respect'. Of perception... But having understood the impermanence of activities, their change, fading away and cessation, seeing as it really is with right wisdom thus: 'Both formerly and now, all activities are impermanent, suffering, subject to change' - whatever sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish there are, they are abandoned. With their abandoning, he is not agitated; not being agitated, he dwells in happiness; a monk dwelling in happiness is called 'one quenched in that respect'. But having understood the impermanence of consciousness, its change, fading away and cessation, seeing as it really is with right wisdom thus: 'Both formerly and now, all consciousness is impermanent, suffering, subject to change' - whatever sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish there are, they are abandoned. With their abandoning, he is not agitated; not being agitated, he dwells in happiness; a monk dwelling in happiness is called 'one quenched in that respect'." The first.