The Samyutta Nikaya
The Grouped Discourses
Samyutta
Nikaya
XXII.59
Anatta-lakkhana
Sutta
The
Discourse
on
the
Not-self
Characteristic
Translated
from
the
Pali
by
Thanissaro
Bhikkhu.
I
have
heard
that
on
one
occasion
the
Blessed
One
was
staying
at
Varanasi
in
the
Game
Refuge
at
Isipatana.
There
he
addressed
the
group
of
five
monks:
"Form,
monks,
is
not
self.
If
form
were
the
self,
this
form
would
not
lend
itself
to
dis-ease.
It
would
be
possible
[to
say]
with
regard
to
form,
'Let
this
form
be
thus.
Let
this
form
not
be
thus.'
But
precisely
because
form
is
not
self,
form
lends
itself
to
dis-ease.
And
it
is
not
possible
[to
say]
with
regard
to
form,
'Let
this
form
be
thus.
Let
this
form
not
be
thus.'
"Feeling
is
not
self...
"Perception
is
not
self...
"[Mental]
fabrications
are
not
self...
"Consciousness
is
not
self.
If
consciousness
were
the
self,
this
consciousness
would
not
lend
itself
to
dis-ease.
It
would
be
possible
[to
say]
with
regard
to
consciousness,
'Let
my
consciousness
be
thus.
Let
my
consciousness
not
be
thus.'
But
precisely
because
consciousness
is
not
self,
consciousness
lends
itself
to
dis-ease.
And
it
is
not
possible
[to
say]
with
regard
to
consciousness,
'Let
my
consciousness
be
thus.
Let
my
consciousness
not
be
thus.'
"What
do
you
think,
monks
--
Is
form
constant
or
inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."
"And
is
that
which
is
inconstant
easeful
or
stressful?"
"Stressful,
lord."
"And
is
it
fitting
to
regard
what
is
inconstant,
stressful,
subject
to
change
as:
'This
is
mine.
This
is
my
self.
This
is
what
I
am'?"
"No,
lord."
"...Is
feeling
constant
or
inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"...Is
perception
constant
or
inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"...Are
fabrications
constant
or
inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"What
do
you
think,
monks
--
Is
consciousness
constant
or
inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."
"And
is
that
which
is
inconstant
easeful
or
stressful?"
"Stressful,
lord."
"And
is
it
fitting
to
regard
what
is
inconstant,
stressful,
subject
to
change
as:
'This
is
mine.
This
is
my
self.
This
is
what
I
am'?"
"No,
lord."
"Thus,
monks,
any
body
whatsoever
that
is
past,
future,
or
present;
internal
or
external;
blatant
or
subtle;
common
or
sublime;
far
or
near:
every
body
is
to
be
seen
as
it
actually
is
with
right
discernment
as:
'This
is
not
mine.
This
is
not
my
self.
This
is
not
what
I
am.'
"Any
feeling
whatsoever...
"Any
perception
whatsoever...
"Any
fabrications
whatsoever...
"Any
consciousness
whatsoever
that
is
past,
future,
or
present;
internal
or
external;
blatant
or
subtle;
common
or
sublime;
far
or
near:
every
consciousness
is
to
be
seen
as
it
actually
is
with
right
discernment
as:
'This
is
not
mine.
This
is
not
my
self.
This
is
not
what
I
am.'
"Seeing
thus,
the
well-instructed
disciple
of
the
noble
ones
grows
disenchanted
with
the
body,
disenchanted
with
feeling,
disenchanted
with
perception,
disenchanted
with
fabrications,
disenchanted
with
consciousness.
Disenchanted,
he
becomes
dispassionate.
Through
dispassion,
he
is
fully
released.
With
full
release,
there
is
the
knowledge,
'Fully
released.'
He
discerns
that
'Birth
is
depleted,
the
holy
life
fulfilled,
the
task
done.
There
is
nothing
further
for
this
world.'"
That
is
what
the
Blessed
One
said.
Gratified,
the
group
of
five
monks
delighted
at
his
words.
And
while
this
explanation
was
being
given,
the
hearts
of
the
group
of
five
monks,
through
not
clinging
(not
being
sustained),
were
fully
released
from
fermentation/effluents.
Read
an
alternate
translation
by
Ñanamoli
Thera
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