1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park … .

"Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling[n.153] Spk: Uninstructed (assutavā): devoid of learning, interrogation, and discrimination regarding the aggregates, elements, sense bases, conditionality, the establishments of mindfulness, etc. Worldling (puthujjana) is a "many-being," so called because of generating many diverse defilements, etc. (puthūnaṁ nānappakārānaṁ kilesādīnaṁ jananādikāraṇehi puthujjano); and also because he is included among the many people (puthūnaṁ janānaṁ antogadhattā), in number beyond reckoning, who are engaged in a low Dhamma contrary to the Dhamma of the noble ones. Or else puthu means "reckoned as separate"; the worldling is a person separated from the noble ones, who possess such qualities as virtue, learning, etc. (puthu vā ayaṁ visuṁ yeva saṅkhaṁ gato; visaṁsaṭṭho sīlasutādiguṇayuttehi ariyehi jano ti puthujjano).
This twofold etymology stems from a twofold understanding of Pali puthu: as representing either Vedic pṛthu = numerous, many; or pṛthak = separate, distinct. The BHS form pṛthagjana indicates a preference for the latter derivation, though the Pali commentators tend to take the former as primary. might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it. For what reason?

Because growth and decline is seen in this body composed of the four great elements, it is seen being taken up and laid aside. Therefore the uninstructed worldling might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it.

"But, bhikkhus, as to that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’[n.154] Cittaṁ iti pi mano iti pi viññāṇaṁ iti pi. Cp. DN I 21,21: Yaṁ … idaṁ vuccati cittan ti va mano ti va viññāṇan ti va. Spk says these are all names for the mind base (manāyatana). Normally I render both citta and mano as "mind," but since English has only two words of common usage to denote the faculty of cognition—"mind" and "consciousness"— here I am compelled to use "mentality" as a makeshift for mano. While technically the three terms have the same denotation, in the Nikāyas they are generally used in distinct contexts. As a rough generalization, viññāṇa signifies the particularizing awareness through a sense faculty (as in the standard sixfold division of viññāṇa into eye-consciousness, etc.) as well as the underlying stream of consciousness, which sustains personal continuity through a single life and threads together successive lives (emphasized at 12:38–40). Mano serves as the third door of action (along with body and speech) and as the sixth internal sense base (along with the five physical sense bases); as the mind base it coordinates the data of the other five senses and also cognizes mental phenomena (dhammā), its own special class of objects. Citta signifies mind as the centre of personal experience, as the subject of thought, volition, and emotion. It is citta that needs to be understood, trained, and liberated. For a more detailed discussion, see Hamilton, Identity and Experience, chap. 5. — the uninstructed worldling is unable to experience revulsion towards it, unable to become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it. For what reason?

Because for a long time this has been held to by him, appropriated, and grasped thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’[n.155] Spk: It is held to (ajjhosita) by being swallowed up by craving; appropriated (mamayita) by being appropriated by craving; and grasped (paramaṭṭha) by being grasped through views. "This is mine" (etaṁ mama): the grip of craving (taṇhāgāha); by this the 108 thoughts of craving are included (see AN II 212,31–213,2). "This I am" (eso ’ham asmi): the grip of conceit (mānagāha); by this the nine kinds of conceit are included (see I, n. 37). "This is my self" (eso me attā): the grip of views (diṭṭhigāha); by this the sixty-two views are included (see DN I 12–38). Therefore the uninstructed worldling is unable to experience revulsion towards it, unable to become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it.

2"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the uninstructed worldling to take as self this body composed of the four great elements rather than the mind. For what reason?

Because this body composed of the four great elements is seen standing for one year, for two years, for three, four, five, or ten years, for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years, for a hundred years, sn.ii.95 or even longer.[n.156] Because this body … is seen standing for a hundred years, or even longer. Spk: (Query:) Why does the Blessed One say this? Isn’t it true that the physical form present in the first period of life does not last through to the middle period, and the form present in the middle period does not last through to the last period?… Isn’t it true that formations break up right on the spot, stage by stage, section by section, just as sesamum seeds pop when thrown on a hot pan? (Reply:) This is true, but the body is said to endure for a long time in continuous sequence (paveṇivasena), just as a lamp is said to burn all night as a connected continuity (paveṇisambandhavasena) even though the flame ceases right where it burns without passing over to the next section of the wick.

But that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.

3sn.ii.96"Therein, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple attends closely and carefully to dependent origination itself thus: ‘When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.’

Bhikkhus, in dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant, a pleasant feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding feeling— the pleasant feeling that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as pleasant— ceases and subsides.

In dependence on a contact to be experienced as painful, a painful feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, the corresponding feeling— the painful feeling sn.ii.97 that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as painful— ceases and subsides.

In dependence on a contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the corresponding feeling— the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant— ceases and subsides.

4"Bhikkhus, just as heat is generated and fire is produced from the conjunction and friction of two fire-sticks, but with the separation and laying aside of the sticks[n.159] I read with Se and Ee nānābhāvā vinikkhepā, as against Be nānākatavinibbhogā. The simile recurs at SN36.10 (IV 215,22–25) and SN48.39 (V 212,21–24); in both places Be has the same reading as Se and Ee here. Spk: The sense base is like the lower firestick, the object is like the upper firestick, contact is like the friction of the two, and feeling is like the heat element. the resultant heat ceases and subsides;

so too, in dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant, a pleasant feeling arises. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding feeling … ceases and subsides.

in dependence on a contact to be experienced as painful …

in dependence on a contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises.
With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the corresponding feeling … ceases and subsides.

5"Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards contact, 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.’"

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.

"Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano imasmiṁ cātumahābhūtikasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. Taṁ kissa hetu?

Dissati, bhikkhave, imassa cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa ācayopi apacayopi ādānampi nikkhepanampi. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi.

Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu?

Dīgharattañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa ajjhositaṁ mamāyitaṁ parāmaṭṭhaṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ.

2Varaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano imaṁ cātumahābhūtikaṁ kāyaṁ attato upagaccheyya, na tveva cittaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu?

Dissatāyaṁ, bhikkhave, cātumahābhūtiko kāyo ekampi vassaṁ tiṭṭhamāno dvepi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tīṇipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattāripi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno pañcapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno dasapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vīsatipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tiṁsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattārīsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno paññāsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vassasatampi tiṭṭhamāno, bhiyyopi tiṭṭhamāno.

Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati.

3Tatra, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaṁyeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ‘iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhatī’ti.

Sukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhavedanā. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.

Dukkhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhavedanā. Tasseva dukkhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.

Adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ saṅghaṭṭanasamodhānā usmā jāyati tejo abhinibbattati. Tesaṁyeva dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ nānākatavinibbhogā yā tajjā usmā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhavedanā. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati … pe …

dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca …

adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.

5Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako phassepi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati; nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati, vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.