“Form is like a glob of foam;
feeling, a bubble;
perception, a mirage;
fabrications, a banana tree;
consciousness, a magic trick—
this has been taught
by the Kinsman of the Sun.1
However you observe them,
appropriately examine them,
they’re empty, void
to whoever sees them
appropriately.
Beginning with the body
as taught by the One
with profound discernment:
When abandoned by three things
—life, warmth, & consciousness—
form is rejected, cast aside.
When bereft of these
it lies thrown away,
senseless,
a meal for others.
That’s the way it goes:
It’s a magic trick,
an idiot’s babbling.
It’s said to be
a murderer.2
No substance here
is found.
Thus a monk, persistence aroused,
should view the aggregates
by day & by night,
mindful,
alert;
should discard all fetters;
should make himself
his own refuge;
should live as if
his head were on fire—
in hopes of the state
with no falling away.”
Notes
1. An epithet of the Buddha.
2. See SN 22:85.
Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN22_95.html