On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Ayojjha on the bank of the river Ganges. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, suppose that this river Ganges was carrying along a great lump of foam. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a lump of foam? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of form there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in form?
“Suppose, bhikkhus, that in the autumn, when it is raining and big rain drops are falling, a water bubble arises and bursts on the surface of the water. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a water bubble? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of feeling there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in feeling?
“Suppose, bhikkhus, that in the last month of the hot season, at high noon, a shimmering mirage appears. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a mirage? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of perception there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception?
“Suppose, bhikkhus, that a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, would take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There he would see the trunk of a large plantain tree, straight, fresh, without a fruit-bud core. He would cut it down at the root, cut off the crown, and unroll the coil. As he unrolls the coil, he would not find even softwood, let alone heartwood. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in the trunk of a plantain tree? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of volitional formations there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects them, ponders them, and carefully investigates them. As he investigates them, they appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in volitional formations?
“Suppose, bhikkhus, that a magician or a magician’s apprentice would display a magical illusion at a crossroads. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a magical illusion? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of consciousness there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in consciousness?
“Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
“Form is like a lump of foam,
Feeling like a water bubble;
Perception is like a mirage,
Volitions like a plantain trunk,
And consciousness like an illusion,
So explained the Kinsman of the Sun.
“However one may ponder it
And carefully investigate it,
It appears but hollow and void
When one views it carefully.
“With reference to this body
The One of Broad Wisdom has taught
That with the abandoning of three things
One sees this form discarded.
“When vitality, heat, and consciousness
Depart from this physical body,
Then it lies there cast away:
Food for others, without volition.
“Such is this continuum,
This illusion, beguiler of fools.
It is taught to be a murderer;
Here no substance can be found.
“A bhikkhu with energy aroused
Should look upon the aggregates thus,
Whether by day or at night,
Comprehending, ever mindful.
“He should discard all the fetters
And make a refuge for himself;
Let him fare as with head ablaze,
Yearning for the imperishable state.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Ayujjhā, on the bank of the Ganges river. There he addressed the monks:
“Monks, a large lump of foam could be carried along by the Ganges river. A person with eyesight could see it, consider it, and examine it. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, that person could determine that it was insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless1. Monks, what essence can there be in a lump of foam? Monks, in exactly the same way, a monk sees, considers, and examines any physical form – whether past, present, or future, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, one determines that it is insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence can there be in physical forms?
“Monks, when it is raining in autumn and large raindrops are falling on the water, a water-bubble might arise and vanish. A person with eyesight could see it, consider it, and examine it. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, that person could determine that it was insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence could there be in a water-bubble? Monks, in exactly the same way, a monk sees, considers, and examines any feeling – whether past, present, or future, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, one determines that it is insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence can there be in feelings?
“Monks, in the last month of summer, a wavering mirage might appear at midday. A person with eyesight could see it, consider it, and examine it. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, that person could determine that it was insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence could there be in a mirage? Monks, in exactly the same way, a monk sees, considers, and examines any perception – whether past, present, or future, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, one determines that it is insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence can there be in perceptions?
“Monks, a person who needs heartwood2, who is seeking heartwood, who is searching for heartwood might take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There he might see a large plantain tree – straight, fresh, and tall. He could cut it down at the base, cut off the crown, and peel off the leaves. While peeling off the leaves he would not even find sapwood, let alone heartwood. A person with eyesight could see it, consider it, and examine it. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, that person could determine that it was insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence could there be in a plantain tree? Monks, in exactly the same way, a monk sees, considers, and examines any mental formation – whether past, present, or future, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, one determines that it is insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence can there be in mental formations?
“Monks, an illusionist or an apprentice illusionist could display an illusion at a crossroads. A person with eyesight could see it, consider it, and examine it. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, that person could determine that it was insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence could there be in an illusion? Monks, in exactly the same way, a monk sees, considers, and examines any form of consciousness – whether past, present, or future, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing it, considering it, and examining it, one determines that it is insubstantial, hollow, and essenceless. Monks, what essence can there be in consciousness?
“Monks, when a learned disciple of the noble ones sees in this way, he becomes disenchanted with physical form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with mental formations, disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; dispassion liberates. When there is liberation, one knows, ‘Liberated.’ One understands, ‘Birth has been eliminated, the spiritual life has been completed, what was to be done has been done, there will be no further existence here.’”
This is what the Blessed One said. When this was said, the Sublime One, the Teacher, further said this:
“Form is like a lump of foam, feelings are like water-bubbles,
Perception is like a mirage, mental formations are like plantain-trees,
Consciousness is like an illusion – this is what was said by the Kinsman of the Sun.
“One who considers in this way and wisely examines,
Sees that it is insubstantial and hollow.
“Referring to this body, it was taught by the One of Abundant Wisdom,
That when three things are lost, one sees the body abandoned:
“Vitality, heat, and consciousness: When the body has lost these things,
Then it lies discarded and insentient, food for other beings.
“This is the continuity – this illusion, which deceives the foolish,
It is called a murderer, and here no essence can be found.
“Regarding these components in this way, an energetic monk
Is clearly aware and mindful, whether it is day or night.
“One should abandon all the fetters, and make a refuge for oneself,
Live as though your head is on fire – intent upon the path to the Deathless.”
