7.
The Discourse on the Characteristic of Non-self
59.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
There the Blessed One addressed the group of five monks -
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"Materiality, monks, is non-self. If, monks, this materiality were self, this materiality would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible with regard to materiality - 'Let my materiality be thus, let my materiality not be thus.' But because, monks, materiality is non-self, therefore materiality leads to affliction, and it is not possible with regard to materiality - 'Let my materiality be thus, let my materiality not be thus.'
"Feeling is non-self. If, monks, this feeling were self, this feeling would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible with regard to feeling - 'Let my feeling be thus, let my feeling not be thus.' But because, monks, feeling is non-self, therefore feeling leads to affliction, and it is not possible with regard to feeling - 'Let my feeling be thus, let my feeling not be thus.'
"Perception is non-self... etc. activities are non-self. If, monks, these activities were self, these activities would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible with regard to activities - 'Let my activities be thus, let my activities not be thus.' But because, monks, activities are non-self, therefore activities lead to affliction, and it is not possible with regard to activities - 'Let my activities be thus, let my activities not be thus.'
"Consciousness is non-self. If, monks, this consciousness were self, this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible with regard to consciousness - 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.' But because, monks, consciousness is non-self, therefore consciousness leads to affliction, and it is not possible with regard to consciousness - 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.'
"What do you think, monks, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Therefore, monks, whatever materiality, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, whether far or near, all materiality - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this should be seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever feeling, past, future, or present, internal or external, etc. whether far or near, all feeling - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this should be seen as it really is with right wisdom.
Whatever perception... etc. whatever activities, past, future, or present, internal or external, etc. whether far or near, all activities - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this should be seen as it really is with right wisdom.
Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, whether far or near, all consciousness - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this should be seen as it really is with right wisdom.
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.' He understands: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.'"
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the group of five monks rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
And while this explanation was being spoken, the minds of the group of five monks were liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging. The seventh.