#12. A Dhamma speaker

Venerable Kappa asks the Buddha how to see so as to let go of conceit and be freed. The Buddha tells him to contemplate the aggregates in terms of not-self.At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, Venerable Kappa said to the Buddha: “Sir, how does one know and see so that the mind is rid of ego, possessiveness, and conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli; and going beyond discrimination, it’s peaceful and well freed? [Read More]

Venerable Kappa asks the Buddha how to see so as to let go of conceit. The Buddha tells him to contemplate the aggregates in terms of not-self.At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Kappa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, how does one know and see so that there’s no ego, possessiveness, or underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli? [Read More]

Mahākoṭṭhita asks what an educated mendicant should focus on, and Sāriputta replies that if they focus on aggregates as impermanent, etc. they may become a stream-enterer. A stream-enterer contemplating in the same way may become a non-returner, a once-returner, and a perfected one.At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, sat down to one side, and said: “Reverend Sāriputta, what things should an educated mendicant properly attend to? [Read More]

Mahākoṭṭhita asks what an ethical mendicant should focus on, and Sāriputta replies that if they focus on aggregates as impermanent, etc. they may become a stream-enterer. A stream-enterer contemplating in the same way may become a non-returner, a once-returner, and a perfected one.At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and said: “Reverend Sāriputta, what things should an ethical mendicant properly attend to? [Read More]

The aggregates are the things that are graspable, the craving is the grasping.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you the things that are prone to being grasped, and the grasping. Listen … What are the things that are prone to being grasped? And what is the grasping? Form is something that’s prone to being grasped. The desire and greed for it is the grasping. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness is something that’s prone to being grasped. [Read More]

The aggregates are the things that fetter, the craving is the fetter.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you the things that are prone to being fettered, and the fetter. Listen … What are the things that are prone to being fettered? And what is the fetter? Form is something that’s prone to being fettered. The desire and greed for it is the fetter. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness is something that’s prone to being fettered. [Read More]

The Buddha questions the mendicants on the aggregates.At Sāvatthī. “What do you think, mendicants? Do you regard form like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’?” “Yes, sir.” “Good, mendicants! Form should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ Do you regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’? [Read More]

The Buddha questions the mendicants on the aggregates.At Sāvatthī. “What do you think, mendicants? Do you regard form like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “Good, mendicants! Form should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ Do you regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’? [Read More]

An unawakened person is bound both internally and externally to the aggregates and grows old in bondage.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, take an uneducated ordinary person who 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. [Read More]

A true Dhamma speaker teaches for letting go of the aggregates.At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha: “Sir, they speak of a ‘Dhamma speaker’. How is a Dhamma speaker defined? How is a mendicant who practices in line with the teaching defined? And how is a mendicant who has attained extinguishment in this very life defined?” “Mendicant, if a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form, they’re qualified to be called a ‘mendicant who speaks on Dhamma’. [Read More]