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- Samyutta Nikaya XXII.93
- Nadi Sutta
- The River
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, suppose there were a river, flowing down from the mountains, going far,
its current swift, carrying everything with it, and -- holding on to both banks -- kasa
grasses, kusa grasses, reeds, birana grasses, & trees were growing. Then a man swept
away by the current would grab hold of the kasa grasses, but they would tear away, and so
from that cause he would come to disaster. He would grab hold of the kusa grasses...the
reeds...the birana grasses...the trees, but they would tear away, and so from that cause
he would come to disaster.
"In the same way, there is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person
-- who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma;
who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma
-- assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in
the self, or the self as in form. That form tears away from him, and so from that cause he
would come to disaster.
"He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling, or feeling
as in the self, or the self as in feeling. That feeling tears away from him, and so from
that cause he would come to disaster.
"He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing perception, or
perception as in the self, or the self as in perception. That perception tears away from
him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.
"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self, or the self as possessing
fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self as in fabrications. Those
fabrications tear away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness,
or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. That consciousness tears
away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.
"Now, monks, what do you think: Is form constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord."
"Is feeling constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord."
"Is perception constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord."
"Are fabrications constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord."
"Is consciousness constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, lord."
"Thus, monks, whatever form is past, future, or present; internal or external;
blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all form is to be seen as it actually
is with right discernment: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'
"Whatever feeling...Whatever perception...Whatever fabrications...
"Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant
or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all consciousness is to be seen as it actually
is with right discernment: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'
"Seeing thus, the well-instructed noble disciple grows disenchanted with form,
disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications,
disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. Through dispassion,
he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth
is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this
world.'"