--- title: "Linked Discourses III: The Aggregates · Saṁyutta Nikāya · Khandhavagga" author: "The Buddha" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 16 of 44 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-samyutta-nikaya-3/16/ cite: "The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Linked Discourses III: The Aggregates · Saṁyutta Nikāya · Khandhavagga, section 16. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-samyutta-nikaya-3/16/" --- # Linked Discourses III: The Aggregates · Saṁyutta Nikāya · Khandhavagga *The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato* Form, feeling, perception, choices and consciousness: the five aggregates, and the teaching of not-self. > Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). > English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines. ## 16. Flowers · SN 22.101–22.102 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-samyutta-nikaya-3/16/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-samyutta-nikaya-3/16/#p-N [¶0] SN 22.101 · The Adze > Pali: SN 22.101 · Vāsijaṭasutta [¶1] At Sāvatthī. > Pali: Sāvatthinidānaṁ. [¶2] “Mendicants, I say that the ending of defilements is for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know or see. For one who knows and sees what? ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’ The ending of the defilements is for one who knows and sees this. > Pali: “Jānato ahaṁ, bhikkhave, passato āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi, no ajānato no apassato. Kiñca, bhikkhave, jānato kiṁ passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti? ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti— evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, jānato evaṁ passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti. [¶3] When a mendicant is not committed to development, they might wish: ‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’ Even so, their mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping. Why is that? You should say: ‘It’s because they’re undeveloped.’ Undeveloped in what? Undeveloped in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. > Pali: Bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Abhāvitattā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa abhāvitattā? Abhāvitattā catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, abhāvitattā catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, abhāvitattā catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, abhāvitattā pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, abhāvitattā pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, abhāvitattā sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, abhāvitattā ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa. [¶4] Suppose there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs. But she had not properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated. That chicken might wish: ‘If only my chicks could break out of the eggshell with their claws and beak and hatch safely!’ But they can’t break out and hatch safely. Why is that? Because that chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs has not properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā. Tānassu kukkuṭiyā na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni. Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti, atha kho abhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi pana, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā; tāni kukkuṭiyā na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni. [¶5] In the same way, when a mendicant is not committed to development, they might wish: ‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’ Even so, their mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping. Why is that? You should say: ‘It’s because they’re undeveloped.’ Undeveloped in what? Undeveloped in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. > Pali: Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Abhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa abhāvitattā? Abhāvitattā catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ …pe… aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa. [¶6] When a mendicant is committed to development, they might not wish: ‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’ Even so, their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping. Why is that? You should say: ‘It’s because they are developed.’ Developed in what? Developed in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. > Pali: Bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa bhāvitattā? Bhāvitattā catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, bhāvitattā catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, bhāvitattā catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, bhāvitattā pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, bhāvitattā pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, bhāvitattā sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, bhāvitattā ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa. [¶7] Suppose there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs. And she properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated. That chicken might not wish: ‘If only my chicks could break out of the eggshell with their claws and beak and hatch safely!’ But still they can break out and hatch safely. Why is that? Because that chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā. Tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni. Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti, atha kho bhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi pana, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā; tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni. [¶8] In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development, they might not wish: ‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’ Even so, their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping. Why is that? You should say: ‘It’s because they are developed.’ Developed in what? Developed in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. > Pali: Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa bhāvitattā? Bhāvitattā catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ …pe… bhāvitattā ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa. [¶9] Suppose a mason or their apprentice sees the marks of his fingers and thumb on the handle of his adze. They don’t know how much of the handle was worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, palagaṇḍassa vā palagaṇḍantevāsissa vā vāsijaṭe dissanteva aṅgulipadāni dissati aṅguṭṭhapadaṁ. No ca khvassa evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ vata me ajja vāsijaṭassa khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti. Atha khvassa khīṇe khīṇantveva ñāṇaṁ hoti. [¶10] In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development, they don’t know how much of the defilements were worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away. Suppose there was a sea-faring ship bound together with ropes. For six months they deteriorated in the water. Then in the cold season it was hauled up on dry land, where the ropes were weathered by wind and sun. When the monsoon clouds soaked it with rain, the ropes would readily collapse and rot away. In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development their fetters readily collapse and rot away.” > Pali: Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ vata me ajja āsavānaṁ khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti, atha khvassa khīṇe khīṇantveva ñāṇaṁ hoti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sāmuddikāya nāvāya vettabandhanabaddhāya vassamāsāni udake pariyādāya hemantikena thalaṁ ukkhittāya vātātapaparetāni vettabandhanāni. Tāni pāvusakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhāni appakasireneva paṭippassambhanti pūtikāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti pūtikāni bhavantī”ti. [¶11] > Pali: Navamaṁ. [¶12] SN 22.102 · The Perception of Impermanence > Pali: SN 22.102 · Aniccasaññāsutta [¶13] At Sāvatthī. > Pali: Sāvatthinidānaṁ. [¶14] “Mendicants, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: “Aniccasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶15] In the autumn, a farmer ploughing with a large plough shears through all the root networks. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye kassako mahānaṅgalena kasanto sabbāni mūlasantānakāni sampadālento kasati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶16] A reed-cutter, having cut the reeds, grabs them at the top and shakes them down, shakes them about, and flails them about. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pabbajalāyako pabbajaṁ lāyitvā agge gahetvā odhunāti niddhunāti nicchoṭeti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶17] When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni tattha ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶18] The rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak, slope to the peak, and meet at the peak, so the peak is said to be the topmost of them all. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶19] Of all kinds of fragrant root, spikenard is said to be the best. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci mūlagandhā kāḷānusārigandho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶20] Of all kinds of fragrant heartwood, red sandalwood is said to be the best. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci sāragandhā, lohitacandanaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶21] Of all kinds of fragrant flower, jasmine is said to be the best. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci pupphagandhā, vassikaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶22] All lesser kings are vassals of a wheel-turning monarch, so the wheel-turning monarch is said to be the foremost of them all. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci kuṭṭarājāno, sabbete rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti, rājā tesaṁ cakkavatti aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶23] The radiance of all the stars is not worth a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance, so the moon’s radiance is said to be the best of them all. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā, sabbā tā candimappabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candappabhā tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶24] In the autumn, the heavens are sunny and cloudless. And as the sun is rising to the firmament, having dispelled all the darkness of space, it shines and glows and dazzles. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’. > Pali: Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nataṁ abbhussakkamāno, sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocate ca; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. [¶25] And how is the perception of impermanence developed and cultivated so that … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’? ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’ > Pali: Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā kathaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati? ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti— [¶26] That’s how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so that it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. That’s how it eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.” > Pali: evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā evaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanatī”ti. [¶27] > Pali: Dasamaṁ. [¶28] > Pali: Pupphavaggo pañcamo. [¶29] > Pali: Tassuddānaṁ [¶30] > Pali: Nadī pupphañca pheṇañca, gomayañca nakhāsikhaṁ; Suddhikaṁ dve ca gaddulā, vāsījaṭaṁ aniccatāti. [¶31] > Pali: Majjhimapaṇṇāsako samatto. [¶32] > Pali: Tassa majjhimapaṇṇāsakassa vagguddānaṁ [¶33] > Pali: Upayo arahanto ca, khajjanī therasavhayaṁ; Pupphavaggena paṇṇāsa, dutiyo tena vuccatīti.