With SoṇaSoṇasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Then the householder Soṇa went up to the Buddha …Atha kho soṇo gahapatiputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… The Buddha said to him:ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho soṇaṁ gahapatiputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Soṇa, there are ascetics and brahmins who—based on form, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable—regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’,“Ye hi keci, soṇa, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aniccena rūpena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; or ‘I’m equal’,‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; or ‘I’m worse’.‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; What is that but a failure to see truly?kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā? Based on feeling …Aniccāya vedanāya dukkhāya vipariṇāmadhammāya ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; perception …Aniccāya saññāya … choices …aniccehi saṅkhārehi dukkhehi vipariṇāmadhammehi ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; consciousness, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable, they regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’,Aniccena viññāṇena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; or ‘I’m equal’,‘sadisohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; or ‘I’m worse’.‘hīnohamasmī’ti vā samanupassanti; What is that but a failure to see truly?kimaññatra yathābhūtassa adassanā?

There are ascetics and brahmins who—based on form, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable—don’t regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’,Ye ca kho keci, soṇa, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aniccena rūpena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; or ‘I’m equal’,‘sadisohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; or ‘I’m worse’.‘hīnohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; What is that but seeing truly?kimaññatra yathābhūtassa dassanā? Based on feeling …Aniccāya vedanāya … perception …aniccāya saññāya … choices …aniccehi saṅkhārehi … consciousness, which is impermanent, suffering, and perishable, they don’t regard themselves thus: ‘I’m better’,aniccena viññāṇena dukkhena vipariṇāmadhammena ‘seyyohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; or ‘I’m equal’,‘sadisohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; or ‘I’m worse’.‘hīnohamasmī’tipi na samanupassanti; What is that but seeing truly?kimaññatra yathābhūtassa dassanā?

What do you think, Soṇa?Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, soṇa, Is form permanent or impermanent?”rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Is feeling …“Vedanā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? perception …“saññā … choices …saṅkhārā … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“So, Soṇa, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: <em>all</em> form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’“Tasmātiha, soṇa, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

You should truly see any kind of feeling …Yā kāci vedanā … perception …yā kāci saññā … choices …ye keci saṅkhārā … consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: <em>all</em> consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.Evaṁ passaṁ, soṇa, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.