SN 22.59. The Characteristic of the Absence of a Self

The Buddha was once staying in the deer park at The Place of Seers near Varanasi. There he addressed the group of five mendicants: “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

The Buddha then said: “Mendicants, form is without a self. If form were one’s self, you could control it, thinking, ‘My form won’t be like this; it will be like that!’ and it would not result in affliction. ‍But because form is without a self, you can’t control it, and it results in affliction.

Sensation is without a self. If sensation were one’s self, you could control it, thinking, ‘My sensation won’t be like this; it will be like that!’ and it would not result in affliction. But because sensation is without a self, you can’t control it, and it results in affliction.

Perception is without a self. If perception were one’s self, you could control it, thinking, ‘My perception won’t be like this; it will be like that!’ and it would not result in affliction. But because perception is without a self, you can’t control it, and it results in affliction.

Will is without a self. If will were one’s self, you could control it, thinking, ‘My will won’t be like this; it will be like that!’ and it would not result in affliction. But because will is without a self, you can’t control it, and it results in affliction.

Consciousness is without a self. If consciousness were one’s self, you could control it, thinking, ‘My consciousness won’t be like this; it will be like that!’ and it would not result in affliction. But because consciousness is without a self, you can’t control it, and it results in affliction.

What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

“But what is temporary, is that pleasant or suffering?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is temporary, suffering, and of the nature to change, is it right to regard that as, ‘it’s me, it’s mine, it’s my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Is sensation permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

“But what is temporary, is that pleasant or suffering?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is temporary, suffering, and of the nature to change, is it right to regard that as, ‘it’s me, it’s mine, it’s my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Is perception permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

“But what is temporary, is that pleasant or suffering?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is temporary, suffering, and of the nature to change, is it right to regard that as, ‘it’s me, it’s mine, it’s my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Is will permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

“But what is temporary, is that pleasant or suffering?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is temporary, suffering, and of the nature to change, is it right to regard that as, ‘it’s me, it’s mine, it’s my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“Is consciousness permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

“But what is temporary, is that pleasant or suffering?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is temporary, suffering, and of the nature to change, is it right to regard that as, ‘it’s me, it’s mine, it’s my self’?”

“No, sir.”

“For that reason, mendicants, whatever kinds of form there may be—whether past, present, or future; here or elsewhere; internal or external; coarse or subtle; lowly or sublime—by correctly understanding them in line with reality, you should regard all form as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Whatever kinds of sensation there may be—whether past, present, or future; here or elsewhere; internal or external; coarse or subtle; lowly or sublime—by correctly understanding them in line with reality, you should regard all sensation as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Whatever kinds of perception there may be—whether past, present, or future; here or elsewhere; internal or external; coarse or subtle; lowly or sublime—by correctly understanding them in line with reality, you should regard all perception as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Whatever kinds of will there may be—whether past, present, or future; here or elsewhere; internal or external; coarse or subtle; lowly or sublime—by correctly understanding them in line with reality, you should regard all will as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Whatever kinds of consciousness there may be—whether past, present, or future; here or elsewhere; internal or external; coarse or subtle; lowly or sublime—by correctly understanding them in line with reality, you should regard all consciousness as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Mendicants, as a learned noble disciple, when you see this, you get disillusioned with form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness. Being disillusioned, you lose desire. By losing desire, the mind gets liberated. When it is liberated, you will know it. You will understand that the holy life is finished, that the work is done, that rebirth has ended, so there won’t be another life.”

That is what the Buddha said. The five mendicants were pleased and enjoyed the Buddha’s words. And while this talk was given, by no longer taking anything up, the minds of those five mendicants were liberated from the defilements.