1At Sāvatthī.

“Suppose, mendicants, there was a mountain river that flowed swiftly, going far, carrying all before it. If wild sugarcane, kusa grass, reeds, vetiver, or trees grew on either bank, they’d overhang the river. And if a person who was being swept along by the current grabbed the wild sugarcane, kusa grass, reeds, vetiver, or trees, it’d break off, and they’d come to ruin because of that.

In the same way, an uneducated ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen good persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the good persons.

They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. But their form breaks off, and they come to ruin because of that. They regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. But their consciousness breaks off, and they come to ruin because of that.

What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“So you should truly see … Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadī pabbateyyā ohārinī dūraṅgamā sīghasotā. Tassā ubhosu tīresu kāsā cepi jātā assu, te naṁ ajjholambeyyuṁ; kusā cepi jātā assu, te naṁ ajjholambeyyuṁ; pabbajā cepi jātā assu, te naṁ ajjholambeyyuṁ; bīraṇā cepi jātā assu, te naṁ ajjholambeyyuṁ; rukkhā cepi jātā assu, te naṁ ajjholambeyyuṁ. Tassā puriso sotena vuyhamāno kāse cepi gaṇheyya, te palujjeyyuṁ. So tatonidānaṁ anayabyasanaṁ āpajjeyya. Kuse cepi gaṇheyya, pabbaje cepi gaṇheyya, bīraṇe cepi gaṇheyya, rukkhe cepi gaṇheyya, te palujjeyyuṁ. So tatonidānaṁ anayabyasanaṁ āpajjeyya.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ palujjati. So tatonidānaṁ anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati. vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ palujjati. So tatonidānaṁ anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti? "Aniccaṁ, bhante". … pe … "Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti? "Aniccaṁ, bhante". "Tasmātiha … pe … evaṁ passaṁ … pe … nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.