SN 22-34 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Aggregates – Khandhavaggasaṁyutta > SN 22 Connected Discourses on the Aggregates – Khandhasaṁyutta > SN 22.95 A Lump of Foam

Linked Discourses 22.95 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.95

10. Flowers – 10. Pupphavagga

SN 22.95 A Lump of Foam – Pheṇapiṇḍūpamasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Ayojjhā on the bank of the Ganges river.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ayujjhāyaṁ viharati gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, suppose this Ganges river was carrying along a big lump of foam. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it, examining it carefully. And it would appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a lump of foam?

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ gaṅgā nadī mahantaṁ pheṇapiṇḍaṁ āvaheyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, pheṇapiṇḍe sāro?

In the same way, a bhikkhu sees and contemplates any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; near or far—examining it carefully. And it appears to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in form?

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, rūpe sāro?

Suppose it was the time of autumn, when the rain was falling heavily, and a bubble on the water forms and pops right away. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it, examining it carefully. And it would appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a water bubble?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante udake udakapubbuḷaṁ uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, udakapubbuḷe sāro?

In the same way, a bhikkhu sees and contemplates any kind of feeling at all … examining it carefully. And it appears to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in feeling?

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci vedanā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… yā dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, vedanāya sāro?

Suppose that in the last month of summer, at noon, a shimmering mirage appears. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it, examining it carefully. And it would appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a mirage?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ṭhite majjhanhike kāle marīcikā phandati. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya …pe… kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, marīcikāya sāro?

In the same way, a bhikkhu sees and contemplates any kind of perception at all … examining it carefully. And it appears to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception?

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci saññā …pe….

Suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. Wandering in search of heartwood, they’d take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There they’d see a big banana tree, straight and young and grown free of defects. They’d cut it down at the base, cut off the top, and unroll the coiled sheaths. But they wouldn’t even find sapwood, much less heartwood. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it, examining it carefully. And it would appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a banana tree?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno tiṇhaṁ kuṭhāriṁ ādāya vanaṁ paviseyya. So tattha passeyya mahantaṁ kadalikkhandhaṁ ujuṁ navaṁ akukkukajātaṁ. Tamenaṁ mūle chindeyya; mūle chetvā agge chindeyya, agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujeyya. So tassa pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujanto pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṁ. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, kadalikkhandhe sāro?

In the same way, a bhikkhu sees and contemplates any kind of saṅkhāra at all … examining them carefully. And they appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in saṅkhāra?

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci saṅkhārā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… ye dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, saṅkhāresu sāro?

Suppose a magician or their apprentice was to perform a magic trick at the crossroads. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it, examining it carefully. And it would appear to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a magic trick?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, māyākāro vā māyākārantevāsī vā catumahāpathe māyaṁ vidaṁseyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, māyāya sāro?

In the same way, a bhikkhu sees and contemplates any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; near or far—examining it carefully. And it appears to them as completely void, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in consciousness?

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā, taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe sāro?

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, saṅkhāra, and consciousness.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi … 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 …pe…

They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’”

nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“Form is like a lump of foam;

“Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ,

feeling is like a bubble;

vedanā bubbuḷūpamā;

perception seems like a mirage;

Marīcikūpamā saññā,

saṅkhāra like a banana tree;

saṅkhārā kadalūpamā;

and consciousness like a magic trick:

Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ,

so taught the Kinsman of the Sun.

desitādiccabandhunā.

However you contemplate them,

Yathā yathā nijjhāyati,

examining them carefully,

yoniso upaparikkhati;

they’re void and hollow

Rittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti,

when you look at them closely.

yo naṁ passati yoniso.

Concerning this body,

Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha,

he of vast wisdom has taught

bhūripaññena desitaṁ;

that when three things are given up,

Pahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ,

you’ll see this form discarded.

rūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ.

Vitality, warmth, and consciousness:

Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ,

when they leave the body,

yadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ;

it lies there tossed aside,

Apaviddho tadā seti,

food for others, mindless.

parabhattaṁ acetanaṁ.

Such is this process,

Etādisāyaṁ santāno,

this illusion, cooed over by fools.

māyāyaṁ bālalāpinī;

It’s said to be a killer,

Vadhako esa akkhāto,

for no substance is found here.

sāro ettha na vijjati.

An energetic bhikkhu

Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya,

should examine the aggregates like this,

bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo;

with situational awareness and mindfulness

Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ,

whether by day or by night.

sampajāno paṭissato.

They should give up all fetters,

Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ,

and make a refuge for themselves.

kareyya saraṇattano;

They should live as though their head was on fire,

Careyyādittasīsova,

aspiring to the imperishable state.”

patthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti.