Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.49

The Related Suttas Collection 22.49

5. Attadīpavagga

5. Be Your Own Island

Soṇasutta

With Soṇa

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho soṇo gahapatiputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho soṇaṁ gahapatiputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then the householder Soṇa went up to the Buddha … The Buddha said to him:

“Ye hi keci, soṇa, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aniccena rūpena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā? Aniccāya vedanāya dukkhāya vipariṇāmadhammāya ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā? Aniccāya saññāya … aniccehi saṅkhārehi dukkhehi vipariṇāmadhammehi ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā? Aniccena viññāṇena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā?

“Soṇa, there are ascetics and brahmins who—based on form, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable—regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’, or ‘I’m equal’, or ‘I’m worse’. What is that but a failure to see truly? Based on feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable, they regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’, or ‘I’m equal’, or ‘I’m worse’. What is that but a failure to see truly?

Ye ca kho keci, soṇa, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aniccena rūpena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa dassanā? Aniccāya vedanāya … aniccāya saññāya … aniccehi saṅkhārehi … aniccena viññāṇena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; ‘sadisohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; ‘hīnohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; kimaññatra yathābhūtassa dassanā?

There are ascetics and brahmins who—based on form, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable—don’t regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’, or ‘I’m equal’, or ‘I’m worse’. What is that but seeing truly? Based on feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable, they don’t regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’, or ‘I’m equal’, or ‘I’m worse’. What is that but seeing truly?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, soṇa, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

What do you think, Soṇa? Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Vedanā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” … “saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Tasmātiha, soṇa, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

“So, Soṇa, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Yā kāci vedanā … yā kāci saññā … ye keci saṅkhārā … yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

You should truly see any kind of feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Evaṁ passaṁ, soṇa, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”

Sattamaṁ.