Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta

 

One day, the Awakened One was residing in Ayojjhā,[2] on the Ganges’ riverbank.

There, he addressed the monks:

 

1. Form #

 

“Imagine a big mass of foam floated [3] down the river Gaṅga.

Then, an observant person would see it, meditate upon it and wisely contemplate it. [4]

 

And it would appear to be insubstantial, illusory and hollow.[5]

 

For what substance could there be in a mass of foam?[6]

 

In the same way, that form,

Whether it is past, present of future… far or near, [7]

A meditator sees it, meditates upon it and wisely contemplates it

as insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in form?

 

2. Felt Experience #

 

Imagine that in the fall, when the rains are battering down on a body of water,

water bubbles would appear and disappear.[8]

 

Then, an observant person would see it, meditate upon it and wisely contemplate it.

And it would appear to be insubstantial, illusory and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in water bubbles?

 

In the same way, seekers, those felt experiences,

whether past, present of future… far or near,

That meditator sees them, meditates upon them and wisely contemplates them

as insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in felt experiences?

 

3. Perceptions #

 

Imagine that, in the last month of the summer season, in the middle of the day, a mirage appeared and shimmered on the horizon.[9]

Then, an observant person would see it, meditate upon it and wisely contemplate it.

 

And it would appear to be insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in a mirage?

 

In the same way, seekers, those perceptions,

whether past, present or future… far or near

That meditator sees them, meditates upon them and wisely contemplates them

As insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in perceptions?

 

4. Mental Activities #

Imagine someone wanted heartwood, was seeking for heartwood, was making their way, on a quest for heartwood, and would take a sharp blade and go into the jungle.[10]

Then, they would see a big banana tree trunk that was straight, fresh and not crooked.[11]

 

They would cut off its roots; Cut off its top; And peel its layers.[12]

 

Once they peeled its layers, they would never encounter any sapwood, let alone heartwood![13]

Then, an observant person would see it, meditate upon it and wisely contemplate it.

And it would appear to be insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in banana tree trunk?

 

In the same way, seekers, those mental activities,

whether past, present or future… far or near

That meditator sees them, meditates upon them and wisely contemplates them

as insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in mental activities?

 

5. Consciousness #

Imagine an illusionist was performing an illusion at a busy fair.[14]

Then, an observant person would see it, meditate upon it and wisely contemplate it.

 

And it would appear to be insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in an illusion?

 

In the same way, seekers, that consciousness,

whether past, present or future… far or near

That meditator sees it, meditates upon it and wisely contemplates it

 

as insubstantial, illusory, and hollow.

 

For what substance could there be in consciousness?

 

6. Liberation #

Seeing in this way, seekers, an experienced student of the awakened ones disengages from forms,[15]

disengages from felt experiences,

disengages from perceptions,

disengages from mental activities,

disengages from consciousness.

 

Disengaged, they become unagitated,

Unagitated, they are liberated.

 

In this liberation, there comes the knowledge:

“This is liberation.

The spiritual life is lived,

Done is what had to be done,

There is no more conceit here.”[16]

 

This is what the Awakened One said.

This being said the well-gone added:

 

Form is like a clump of foam,

Sensations are like water bubbles;

Like a mirage are perceptions,

Mental activities are like a banana tree trunk;

Consciousness like an illusion,

explained the kinsman of the sun.[17]

 

One meditates upon these and wisely contemplates them;

As insubstantial and illusory, only then, one sees them wisely.[18]

 

Regarding this body, the wise one explained;

When three things are given up, form meets its end.

Without vitality, heat and consciousness, that body is bereft of life.

Discarded, it is lies there, food for others, rubbed of intention.[19]

 

Such is this process, an illusion, the mutterings of fools;

It is called a murderer, within it, no heartwood is to be found;

Thus, should one treat these fabrics,

During the day and during the night,

the dedicated seeker remembers this,

with presence of mind.[20]

 

All fetters should be given up,

A refuge unto oneself should be made;

Practicing like one’s head was ablaze,

Aspiring for the undying state.[21]

 

 

[1] Variant: Pheṇapiṇḍūpamasutta → pheṇam (pts1ed) 

[2] ayujjhāyaṁ

[3] mahantaṁ pheṇapiṇḍaṁ āvaheyya.

[4] Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya.

[5] rittakaññeva[5] khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva[5] khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya.

[6] Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, pheṇapiṇḍe sāro? 

[7] Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe…

yaṁ dūre santike vā

[8] saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante udakeudakapubbuḷaṁ uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca.

[9] gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ṭhite majjhanhike kāle marīcikā phandati.

[10] puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno tiṇhaṁ kuṭhāriṁ ādāya vanaṁ paviseyya.

[11] kadalikkhandhaṁ ujuṁ navaṁ akukkukajātaṁ

[12] agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujeyya.

[13] So tassa pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujanto pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṁ.

[14] māyākāro vā māyākārantevāsī vā catumahāpathe māyaṁ vidaṁseyya.

[15] Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati,

[16] vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi …viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”. 

[17] “Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ, vedanā bubbuḷūpamā;[17] 

Marīcikūpamā saññā, saṅkhārā kadalūpamā; 

Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ, desitādiccabandhunā. 

[18] Yathā yathā nijjhāyati, yoniso upaparikkhati; 

Rittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti, yo naṁ passati yoniso. 

[19] Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha, bhūripaññena desitaṁ; 

Pahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ, rūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ.[19] 

Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ, yadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ; 

Apaviddho tadā seti,[19] parabhattaṁ acetanaṁ. 

[20] Etādisāyaṁ santāno, māyāyaṁ bālalāpinī; 

Vadhako esa akkhāto, sāro ettha na vijjati. 

Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya, bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo; 

Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ, sampajāno paṭissato. 

[21] Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ, kareyya saraṇattano; 

Careyyādittasīsova, patthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti.