On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambi in Ghosita’s Park.
Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Kosambi for alms. When he had walked for alms in Kosambi and had returned from the alms round, after his meal he set his lodging in order himself, took his bowl and robe, and without informing his personal attendants, without taking leave of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha, he set out on tour alone, without a companion.
Then, not long after the Blessed One had departed, a certain bhikkhu approached the Venerable Ānanda and told him: “Friend Ānanda, the Blessed One has set his lodging in order himself, taken his bowl and robe, and without informing his personal attendants, without taking leave of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha, he has set out on tour alone, without a companion.”
“Friend, whenever the Blessed One sets out like that he wishes to dwell alone. On such an occasion the Blessed One should not be followed by anyone.”
Then the Blessed One, wandering by stages, arrived at Parileyyaka. There at Parileyyaka the Blessed One dwelt at the foot of an auspicious sal tree.
Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, they sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Ānanda: “Friend Ānanda, it has been a long time since we heard a Dhamma talk in the presence of the Blessed One. We should like to hear such a talk, friend Ānanda.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda together with those bhikkhus approached the Blessed One at Parileyyaka, at the foot of the auspicious sal tree. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened those bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk. Now on that occasion a reflection arose in the mind of a certain bhikkhu thus: “How should one know, how should one see, for the immediate destruction of the taints to occur?”
The Blessed One, having known with his own mind the reflection in that bhikkhu’s mind, addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, this Dhamma has been taught by me discriminately. The four establishments of mindfulness have been taught by me discriminately. The four right strivings … The four bases for spiritual power … The five spiritual faculties … The five powers … The seven factors of enlightenment … The Noble Eightfold Path has been taught by me discriminately. Bhikkhus, in regard to the Dhamma that has been thus taught by me discriminately, a reflection arose in the mind of a certain bhikkhu thus: ‘How should one know, how should one see, for the immediate destruction of the taints to occur?’
“And how, bhikkhus, should one know, how should one see, for the immediate destruction of the taints to occur? Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling, who is not a seer of the noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who is not a seer of superior persons and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self. That regarding, bhikkhus, is a formation. That formation—what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born and produced? When the uninstructed worldling is contacted by a feeling born of ignorance-contact, craving arises: thence that formation is born.
“Thus, bhikkhus, that formation is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that craving is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that feeling is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that ignorance is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.
“He may not regard form as self, but he regards self as possessing form. That regarding is a formation … all as above … When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.
“He may not regard form as self or self as possessing form, but he regards form as in self. That regarding is a formation….
“He may not regard form as self or self as possessing form or form as in self, but he regards self as in form. That regarding is a formation….
“He may not regard form as self … or self as in form, but he regards feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self … self as in consciousness. That regarding is a formation…. When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.
“He may not regard form as self … … or self as in consciousness, but he holds such a view as this: ‘That which is the self is the world; having passed away, that I shall be—permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change.’ That eternalist view is a formation…. When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.
“He may not regard form as self … or hold such an eternalist view, but he holds such a view as this: ‘I might not be, and it might not be for me; I will not be, and it will not be for me.’ That annihilationist view is a formation….
“He may not regard form as self … or hold such an annihilationist view, but he is perplexed, doubtful, indecisive in regard to the true Dhamma. That perplexity, doubtfulness, indecisive-ness in regard to the true Dhamma is a formation. That formation—what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born and produced? When the uninstructed worldling is contacted by a feeling born of ignorance-contact, craving arises: thence that formation is born.
“So that formation, bhikkhus, is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that craving is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that feeling is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that ignorance is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.”