SN 22.85. With Yamaka

Venerable Sariputta was once staying in Jeta’s grove, Anathapindika’s park at Savatthi. At that time a mendicant named Yamaka had the following harmful belief: “As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death.”

Numerous mendicants heard that Venerable Yamaka had this harmful belief. They went to Venerable Yamaka and exchanged greetings with him. After a polite greeting and exchange they sat down to a side. They then asked: “Venerable Yamaka, is it true that you have this harmful belief: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death’?”

“Indeed, venerable ones, that is how I understand the Buddha’s teaching.”

“Don’t say that, Venerable Yamaka! Don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent him. The Buddha would not say that a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death.” But even though Venerable Yamaka had been spoken to by those mendicants, he obstinately clung to his harmful belief and insisted on expressing it.

When those mendicants were unable to dissuade Venerable Yamaka from that harmful belief, they got up from their seats and went to Venerable Sariputta. They said to him: “Venerable Sariputta, the mendicant Yamaka has the following harmful belief: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death.’ It would be good if you went to him out of compassion.” Venerable Sariputta consented by staying silent.

In the evening Venerable Sariputta got out of seclusion, went to Venerable Yamaka, and exchanged greetings with him. After a polite greeting and exchange he sat down to a side. He then asked: “Venerable Yamaka, is it true that you have this harmful view: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death’?”

“I do, venerable.”

“What do you think, Venerable Yamaka? Is form permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

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

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is suffering, temporary, 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.”

“Are sensation, perception, will, and consciousness permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary, sir.”

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

“Suffering, sir.”

“But what is suffering, temporary, 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, Venerable Yamaka, 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, perception, will, and 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 sensation, perception, will, and consciousness as, ‘it’s not me, it’s not mine, it’s no self of mine’.

Venerable Yamaka, 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 is no hereafter.

What do you think, Venerable Yamaka? Do you regard a truthfinder to be form?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to be sensation, perception, will, or consciousness?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to be a part of form?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to exist outside of form?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to be a part of sensation, perception, will, or consciousness?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to exist outside of sensation, perception, will, or consciousness?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to be form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness?”

“No, venerable.”

“Do you regard a truthfinder to be someone who has no form, sensation, perception, will, or consciousness?”

“No, venerable.”

“But, Venerable Yamaka, since you can’t find a truthfinder to actually or really exist even while alive, was it right for you to say: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, a mendicant who has no more defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body falls apart and no longer exists after death’?”

“Venerable Sariputta, I held that harmful belief formerly, when I was ignorant. But now that I have heard the teaching explained by you, I abandoned that harmful belief and apprehended the teaching.”

“Then how would you answer if you were asked what has become of an enlightened, undefiled mendicant when their body fell apart, after death?”

“Venerable, if I were asked that, I would answer: ‘Form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness are temporary. What is temporary is suffering. What is suffering has ceased, has passed away.’”

“Very good, Venerable Yamaka! Now then, I will give you a simile to make the meaning even more clear. Imagine there was a rich householder or householder’s son who had a lot of money and wealth. Some man wanted to harm, ruin, and endanger him, and take his life. But he had a bodyguard. The man thought: ‘That rich householder or householder’s son has much wealth and property, but he is protected by a bodyguard. It won’t be easy to take his life. Let me first get close to him, and then I’ll take his life.’ So he approached the householder or householder’s son and said: ‘I will serve you, sir.’ Then the householder or householder’s son appointed him as his servant. The man served him, doing whatever he was asked, rising up before him and retiring after him. He did nice things for him and spoke kind words to him. The householder or householder’s son considered him a good friend and trusted him. But when the man realized he was trusted, as soon as the householder or householder’s son was alone, he took his life with a sharp knife!

What do you think, Venerable Yamaka? When the man approached the householder or householder’s son and said, ‘I will serve you, sir,’ wasn’t he a murderer already then, even though the householder or householder’s son did not recognize him as his murderer? And when the man served him, did whatever he was asked, and did nice things and spoke kind words, wasn’t he a murderer already then, even though the householder or householder’s son did not recognize him as his murderer? And when the man took the householder’s or householder’s son’s life with a sharp knife when he was alone, wasn’t he a murderer then, even though the householder or householder’s son did not recognize him as his murderer?”

“He was, venerable.”

“Likewise, as an unlearned ordinary person—who has not seen the worthy people, the noble ones, and is unversed and untrained in their teachings—you regard form, sensation, perception, will, or consciousness to be, to be owned by, to be part of, or to contain a self. You do not understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are temporary—in line with reality: to be temporary. You do not understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are suffering—in line with reality: to be suffering. You do not understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are without a self—in line with reality: to be without a self. You do not understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are created—in line with reality: to be created. You do not understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are murderers—in line with reality: to be murderers.

You are attracted towards form, take it up, and assume it to be your self. You are attracted towards sensation, perception, will, and consciousness, take them up, and assume them to be your self. Those five taken up aspects of existence, being attracted to and taken up, will lead to your long-lasting harm and suffering.

But as a learned noble disciple—who has seen the worthy people, the noble ones, and is well-versed and trained in their teachings—you do not regard form, sensation, perception, will, or consciousness to be, to be owned by, to be part of, or to contain a self. You understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are temporary—in line with reality: to be temporary. You understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are suffering—in line with reality: to be suffering. You understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are without a self—in line with reality: to be without a self. You understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are created—in line with reality: to be created. You understand form, sensation, perception, will, and consciousness—which are murderers—in line with reality: to be murderers.

You are not attracted towards form, take it up, and assume it to be your self. You are not attracted towards sensation, perception, will, and consciousness, take them up, and assume them to be your self. Those five taken up aspects of existence, not being attracted to and taken up, will lead to your long-lasting well-being and happiness.”

“Venerable Sariputta, this is what it’s like for those who have such compassionate and altruistic spiritual companions to advise and instruct them. Now I have heard the teaching explained by you, by no longer taking anything up, my mind is liberated from the defilements.”