9.
The First Discourse on the Six Sense Bases of Contact
71.
"Monks, whatever monk does not understand as they really are the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape regarding the six sense bases of contact.
The holy life has not been lived by him, he is far from this Teaching and discipline."
When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One - "Here I, venerable sir, am lost. For I, venerable sir, do not understand as they really are the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape regarding the six sense bases of contact."
"What do you think, monk, do you regard the eye thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, monk, and here for you, monk, the eye - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this will be well seen as it really is with right wisdom. This itself is the end of suffering. Etc. Do you regard the tongue thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, monk, and here for you, monk, the tongue - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this will be well seen as it really is with right wisdom. This itself is the end of suffering. Etc. Do you regard the mind thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, monk, and here for you, monk, the mind - 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' - thus this will be well seen as it really is with right wisdom. This itself is the end of suffering." The ninth.