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- Samyutta Nikaya XXII.95
- Phena Sutta
- Foam
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Ayojjhans
on the banks of the Ganges River. There he addressed the monks:
"Monks, suppose that a large glob of foam were floating down this Ganges River, and a
man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him
-- seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty,
void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a glob of foam? In the same
way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any form that is past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him
-- seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty,
void, without substance: for what substance would there be in form?
"Now suppose that in the autumn -- when it's raining in fat,
heavy drops -- a water bubble were to appear & disappear on the water, and a man with
good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him -- seeing
it, observing it, & appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without
substance: for what substance would there be in a water bubble? In the same way, a monk
sees, observes, & appropriately examines any feeling that is past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him -- seeing
it, observing it, & appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without
substance: for what substance would there be in feeling?
"Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a
mirage were shimmering, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, &
appropriately examine it. To him -- seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining
it -- it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in
a mirage? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any
perception that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle;
common or sublime; far or near. To him -- seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would
there be in perception?
"Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of
heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a sharp ax. There he would
see a large banana tree: straight, young, of enormous height. He would cut it at the root
and, having cut it at the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he
would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he wouldn't even find
sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a man with good eyesight would see it, observe
it, & appropriately examine it. To him -- seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would
there be in a banana tree? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately
examines any fabrications that are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant
or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him -- seeing them, observing them, &
appropriately examining them -- they would appear empty, void, without substance: for what
substance would there be in fabrications?
"Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were
to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good eyesight were to see
it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him -- seeing it, observing it, &
appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what
substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &
appropriately examines any consciousness that is past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him -- seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it -- it would appear empty, void, without
substance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?
"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's released. With release there's the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is
ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this
world.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher,
said further:
Form is like a glob of foam;
feeling, a bubble;
perception, a mirage;
fabrications, a banana tree;
consciousness, a magic trick --
this has been taught
by the Kinsman of the Sun.
However you observe them,
appropriately examine them,
they're empty, void
to whoever sees them
appropriately.
Beginning with the body
as taught by the One
with profound discernment:
when abandoned by three things
-- life, warmth, & consciousness --
form is rejected, cast aside.
When bereft of these
it lies thrown away,
senseless,
a meal for others.
That's the way it goes:
it's a magic trick,
an idiot's babbling.
It's said to be
a murderer.[1]
No substance here
is found.
Thus a monk, persistence aroused,
should view the aggregates
by day & by night,
mindful,
alert;
should discard all fetters;
should make himself
his own refuge;
should live as if
his head were on fire --
in hopes of the state
with no falling away.
Note
1
. See SN XXII.85. [Go
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