Thus I have heard: Venerable Ānanda was staying at Ghoṣila Park of Kauśāmbī.
Venerable Ānanda then addressed the monks, “When Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra was a junior who had recently left home, he often discussed the profound Dharma. He would say such things as this: ‘Ānanda, something that arises is considered to be self, not something that doesn’t arise. Ānanda, how is it that something that arises is considered to be self and not something that doesn’t arise? When form arises, that gives rise to self, not when it doesn’t arise. When feeling … conception … volition … awareness arises, that gives rise to self, not when it doesn’t arise. It’s like a man who sees his own face appear when he holds a bright mirror in his hand or when he looks at his reflection in clear water. He sees it because it appears, not because it doesn’t appear. Therefore, Ānanda, when form arises, that gives rise to self, not when it doesn’t arise. When feeling … conception … volition … awareness arises, that gives rise to self, not when it doesn’t arise. How is it, Ānanda? Is form permanent, or is it impermanent?’
“I replied, ‘Impermanent.’
“He also asked, ‘Is something that’s impermanent painful?’”
“I replied, ‘It’s painful.’”
“He also asked, ‘If something is impermanent and painful, it’s subject to change. Would a noble disciple consider that to be self, different than self, or that either is present in the other?’”
“I replied, ‘No.’”
“‘In this way, is feeling … conception … volition … awareness permanent or impermanent?’”
“I replied, ‘Impermanent.’”
“‘If it’s impermanent, is that painful?’”
“I replied, ‘It’s painful.’”
“He also asked, ‘If something is impermanent and painful, then it’s subject to change. Would a noble disciple consider that to be self, different than self, or that either is present in the other?’”
“I replied, ‘No.’”
“‘Therefore, Ānanda, whether forms are past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, they are all not self, not different than self, and neither are present in the other. In this way, whether feelings … conceptions … volitions … instances of awareness are past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, they are all not self, not different than self, and neither are present in the other when they are truly known and truly observed. When they are observed in this way, a noble disciple becomes disillusioned with form, becomes free of desire for it, and is freed from it: “My births have been ended, the religious life has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I myself know that I wont be subject to a later existence.” In this way, he becomes disillusioned with feeling … conception … volition … awareness, becomes free of desire for it, and is freed from it: “My births have been ended, the religious life has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I myself know that I wont be subject to a later existence.”’”
“Monks, you should know that that Venerable was of great benefit to me. After I heard the Dharma from that Venerable, I became free of dust and defilement, and my Dharma eye was purified. To this day, I often teach the four assemblies this Dharma and not the teachings of any other ascetic or priest of another religion who has left home.”