1At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Now at that time Venerable Khemaka was staying in the Jujube Tree Monastery, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

In the late afternoon those senior mendicants came out of retreat and addressed Venerable Dāsaka: “Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re alright. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.’”

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He went to Khemaka and said to him:

“Reverend Khemaka, the seniors hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re alright. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Reverend, I’m not keeping well, I’m not alright. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said,

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. Do you regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self?’”

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:

“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self.”

Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said:

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. If, as it seems, Venerable Khemaka does not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self, then he is a perfected one, with defilements ended.’”

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:

“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self, yet I am not a perfected one, with defilements ended. For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.”

Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said:

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors ask, when you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about? Is it form or apart from form? Is it feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, or apart from consciousness? When you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about?”

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:

“Enough, Reverend Dāsaka! What’s the point in running back and forth? Bring my staff, I’ll go to see the senior mendicants myself.”

Then Venerable Khemaka, leaning on a staff, went to those senior mendicants and exchanged greetings with them. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. They said to him:

“Reverend Khemaka, when you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about? Is it form or apart from form? Is it feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, or apart from consciousness? When you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about?”

“Reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form. I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, or apart from consciousness. For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.

It’s like the scent of a blue water lily, or a pink or white lotus. Would it be right to say that the scent belongs to the petals or the stalk or the pistil?”

“No, reverend.”

“Then, reverends, how should it be said?”

“It would be right to say that the scent belongs to the flower.”

“In the same way, reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form. I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, or apart from consciousness. For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.

Although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated. After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’ As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated.

Suppose there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled, so the owners give it to a launderer. The launderer kneads it thoroughly with salt, lye, and cow dung, and rinses it in clear water. Although that cloth is clean and bright, it still has a lingering scent of salt, lye, or cow dung that had not been eradicated. The launderer returns it to its owners, who store it in a chest permeated with scent. And that lingering scent would be eradicated.

In the same way, although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated. After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’ As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated.”

When he said this, the senior mendicants said to Venerable Khemaka: “We didn’t want to trouble Venerable Khemaka with our questions. But you’re capable of explaining, teaching, advocating, establishing, disclosing, analyzing, and clarifying the Buddha’s instructions in detail. And that’s just what you’ve done.”

That’s what Venerable Khemaka said. Satisfied, the senior mendicants were happy with what Venerable Khemaka said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of sixty senior mendicants and of Venerable Khemaka were freed from defilements by not grasping.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū kosambiyaṁ vihāranti ghositārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā khemako badarikārāme vihārati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho therā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā āyasmantaṁ dāsakaṁ āmantesuṁ: "ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu – kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti no abhikkamanti, paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no abhikkamo’"ti?

"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca: "therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: ‘kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ … pe … no abhikkamo’"ti?

"Na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ … pe … abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo"ti.

2Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca: "khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘Na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ … pe … abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo’"ti. "Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu – pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī’"ti?

3"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā … pe … therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: "pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī"ti?

"Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī"ti.

4Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca: "khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī’"ti. "Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu – pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. No ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati. Tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo’"ti.

5"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako … pe … therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: "pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho; no ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati, tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo"ti.

"Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo; api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī"ti.

6Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū … pe … there bhikkhū etadavoca: "khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha – pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho … pe … viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo; api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī"ti.

7"Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu – yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi, kimetaṁ asmīti vadesi? Rūpaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra rūpā asmīti vadesi, vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā asmīti vadesi. Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi. Kimetaṁ asmīti vadesī’"ti?

8"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca – therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: "yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī"ti?

"Alaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, kiṁ imāya sandhāvanikāya. Āharāvuso, daṇḍaṁ; ahameva yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkamissāmī"ti.

9Atha kho āyasmā khemako daṇḍamolubbha yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā therehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ therā bhikkhū etadavocuṁ: "yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi?

Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. Na vedanāṁ … na saññaṁ … na saṅkhāre … na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi.

Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.

10Seyyathāpi, āvuso, uppalassa vā padumassa vā puṇḍarīkassa vā gandho. Yo nu kho evaṁ vadeyya: ‘pattassa gandho’ti vā ‘vaṇṇassa gandho’ti vā ‘kiñjakkhassa gandho’ti vā sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?

"No hetaṁ, āvuso".

"Yathā kathaṁ, panāvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā"ti?

"‘Pupphassa gandho’ti kho, āvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā"ti.

"Evameva khvāhaṁ, āvuso, na rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. Na vedanāṁ … na saññaṁ … na saṅkhāre … na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.

11Kiñcāpi, āvuso, ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti: ‘yo ca pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato asmīti māno, asmīti chando, asmīti anusayo asamūhato. So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī vihārati – iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. Tassimesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino vihārato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.

12Seyyathāpi, āvuso, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ. Tamenaṁ sāmikā rajakassa anupadajjuṁ. Tamenaṁ rajako ūse vā khāre vā gomaye vā sammadditvā acche udake vikkhāleti. Kiñcāpi taṁ hoti vatthaṁ parisuddhaṁ pariyodātaṁ, atha khvassa hoti yeva anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato. Tamenaṁ rajako sāmikānaṁ deti. Tamenaṁ sāmikā gandhaparibhāvite karaṇḍake nikkhipanti. Yopissa hoti anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.

Evameva kho, āvuso, kiñcāpi ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti yeva pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato. So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī vihārati. ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. Tassa imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino vihārato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchatī"ti.

13Evaṁ vutte, therā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavocuṁ: "na kho mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ vihesāpekhā pucchimha, api cāyasmā khemako pahosi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhituṁ desetuṁ paññāpetuṁ paṭṭhapetuṁ vivarituṁ vibhajituṁ uttānīkātuṁ. Tayidaṁ āyasmatā khemakena tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhitaṁ desitaṁ paññāpitaṁ paṭṭhapitaṁ vivaritaṁ vibhajitaṁ uttānīkatan"ti.

14Idamavoca āyasmā khemako. Attamanā therā bhikkhū āyasmato khemakassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanduṁ. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsu, āyasmato khemakassa cāti.

Sattamaṁ.