1At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

“Sir, is there any form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever? Is there any feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever?”

“Mendicant, there is no form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. There’s no feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.”

2Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt under his fingernail, addressed that mendicant:

“There’s not even this much of any form that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found. But since there isn’t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found.

3There’s not even this much of any feeling …

4perception … choices …

5consciousness that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found. But since there isn’t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found.

6What do you think, mendicant? 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.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci rūpaṁ yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci vedanā yā vedanā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci saññā … pe … keci saṅkhārā, ye saṅkhārā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī"ti?

"Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kiñci rūpaṁ, yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kāci vedanā … kāci saññā … keci saṅkhārā … pe … kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī"ti.

2Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

"ettakampi kho, bhikkhu, rūpaṁ natthi niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Ettakañcepi, bhikkhu, rūpaṁ abhavissa niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ, nayidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakampi rūpaṁ natthi niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya".

3Ettakāpi kho, bhikkhu, vedanā natthi niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Ettakā cepi, bhikkhu, vedanā abhavissa niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā, na yidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakāpi vedanā natthi niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

4Ettakāpi kho, bhikkhu, saññā natthi … pe … ettakāpi kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā natthi niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti. Ettakā cepi, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā abhavissaṁsu niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā, na yidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakāpi saṅkhārā natthi niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

5Ettakampi kho, bhikkhu, viññāṇaṁ natthi niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Ettakampi kho, bhikkhu, viññāṇaṁ abhavissa niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ, na yidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakampi viññāṇaṁ natthi niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

6Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, bhikkhu, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante" … pe …

"tasmātiha … pe … evaṁ passaṁ … pe … nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī"ti.

Pañcamaṁ.