(1) Hot Embers

At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, form is hot embers,227 feeling is hot embers, perception is hot embers, volitional formations are hot embers, consciousness is hot embers. Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form … revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate…. He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(2) Impermanent (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is impermanent. And what is impermanent? [178] Form is impermanent; you should abandon desire for it. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations
… Consciousness is impermanent; you should abandon desire for it. Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is impermanent.”
(3) Impermanent (2)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon lust for whatever is impermanent.” … (Complete as in the preceding sutta, with “lust” instead of “desire.”)
(4) Impermanent (3)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is impermanent.”…
(Complete as in §137, with “desire and lust” instead of “desire.”)
(5) Suffering (1)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is suffering.” …
(6) Suffering (2)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon lust for whatever is suffering.” …
(7) Suffering (3)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is suffering.”…
(8) Nonself (1)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is nonself.” … [179]
(9) Nonself (2)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon lust for whatever is nonself.” …
(10) Nonself (3)
… “Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is nonself.”…
(11) Engrossed in Revulsion
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, for a clansman who has gone forth out of faith, this is what accords with the Dhamma: he should dwell engrossed in revulsion towards form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness.228 One who dwells engrossed in revulsion towards form … towards consciousness, fully understands form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. One who fully understands form
… consciousness is freed from form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. He is freed from birth, aging, and death; freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; freed from suffering, I say.”
(12) Contemplating Impermanence
At Sāvatthī.229 “Bhikkhus, for a clansman who has gone forth out of faith, this is what accords with the Dhamma: he should dwell contemplating impermanence in form … (as above) … [180] he is freed from suffering, I say.”
(13) Contemplating Suffering
… “he should dwell contemplating suffering in form … he is freed from suffering, I say.”
(14) Contemplating Nonself
… “he should dwell contemplating nonself in form … he is freed from suffering, I say.”
VIEWS
(1) Internally
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, do pleasure and pain arise internally?”230 [181]
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, pleasure and pain arise internally.
“What do you think, bhikkhus, is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, venerable sir.”
“But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could pleasure and pain arise internally?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness permanent or impermanent?… But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could pleasure and pain arise internally?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(2) This Is Mine
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what,231 does one regard things thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form,
[182] one regards things thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, one regards things thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’
“What do you think, bhikkhus, is form … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”…
“But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could one regard anything thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(3) The Self
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view as this arise: ‘That which is the self is the world; having passed away, that I shall be—permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change’?”232
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, such a view as this arises: ‘That which is the self is the world; having passed away, that I shall be—permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change.’ When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, such a view as this [183] arises: ‘That which is the self is the world … not subject to change.’
“What do you think, bhikkhus, is form … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”…
“But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could such a view as that arise?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(4) It Might Not Be For Me
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view as this arise: ‘I might not be, and it might not be for me; I will not be, [and] it will not be for me’?”233
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, such a view as this arises: ‘I might not be, and it might not be for me; I will not be, [and] it will not be for me.’ When there is feeling … perception …
volitional formations … [184] consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, such a view as this arises: ‘I might not be … and it will not be for me.’
“What do you think, bhikkhus, is form … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”…
“But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could such a view as that arise?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(5) Wrong View
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does wrong view arise?”234
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, wrong view arises. When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, wrong view arises.
“What do you think, bhikkhus, is form … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” [185]
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”…
“But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could wrong view arise.”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(6) Identity View
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does identity view arise?”235
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, identity view arises. When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, identity view arises.”…
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(7) View of Self
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does view of self arise?”236
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, view of self arises. [186] When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, view of self arises.”…
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
(8) Adherence (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, do the fetters, adherences, and shackles arise?”237
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, by adhering to form, the fetters, adherences, and shackles arise. When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, the fetters, adherences, and shackles arise.”…
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’” [187]
(9) Adherence (2)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, do the fetters, adherences, shackles, and holding arise?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….” (Complete as above.)
(10) Ananda
At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”238
“What do you think, Ānanda, is form permanent or impermanent?” - “Impermanent, venerable sir.” - “Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?” - “Suffering, venerable sir.” - “Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” - “No, venerable sir.”
“Is feeling permanent or impermanent?… Is perception permanent or impermanent?… Are volitional formations permanent or impermanent?… Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?” - “Impermanent, venerable sir.” - “Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?” - “Suffering, venerable sir.” - “Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change
fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” - “No, venerable sir.”
“Therefore, Ānanda, any kind of form whatsoever, whether past, future, or present…. [188]
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
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