{"id":"sn22.95","title":"A Lump of Foam","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn22.95","title":"A Lump of Foam","units":[{"id":"sn22.95:0","sourceIds":["sn22.95:0.1","sn22.95:0.2","sn22.95:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.95\n10. Pupphavagga\nPheṇapiṇḍūpamasutta","en":"Linked Discourses 22.95\n10. Flowers\nA Lump of Foam"}},{"id":"sn22.95:1","sourceIds":["sn22.95:1.1","sn22.95:1.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ayujjhāyaṁ viharati gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre.\nTatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:","en":"At one time the Buddha was staying near Ayodhya on the bank of the Ganges River.\nThere the Buddha addressed the mendicants:"}},{"id":"sn22.95:2","sourceIds":["sn22.95:2.1","sn22.95:2.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“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?\nEvameva 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?","en":"“Mendicants, suppose this Ganges River was carrying along a big lump of foam. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a lump of foam?\nIn the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in form?"}},{"id":"sn22.95:3","sourceIds":["sn22.95:3.1","sn22.95:3.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"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?\nEvameva 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?","en":"Suppose it was autumn, when the heavens rain heavily, and a bubble on the water forms and pops right away. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a water bubble?\nIn the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of feeling at all … examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in feeling?"}},{"id":"sn22.95:4","sourceIds":["sn22.95:4.1","sn22.95:4.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"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?\nEvameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci saññā …pe….","en":"Suppose that in the last month of summer, at noon, a shimmering mirage appears. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a mirage?\nIn the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of perception at all … examining it carefully. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception?"}},{"id":"sn22.95:5","sourceIds":["sn22.95:5.1","sn22.95:5.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"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?\nEvameva 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?","en":"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 trunk, straight and young and grown unskewed. 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 clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a banana trunk?\nIn the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of choices at all … examining them rationally. And they appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in choices?"}},{"id":"sn22.95:6","sourceIds":["sn22.95:6.1","sn22.95:6.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"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?\nEvameva 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?","en":"Suppose an illusionist or their apprentice was to demonstrate an illusion at the crossroads. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in an illusion?\nIn the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in consciousness?"}},{"id":"sn22.95:7","sourceIds":["sn22.95:7.1","sn22.95:7.2","sn22.95:7.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi … viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati.\nNibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti …pe…\nnāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.","en":"Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.\nBeing disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.\nThey understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”"}},{"id":"sn22.95:8","sourceIds":["sn22.95:8.1","sn22.95:8.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Idamavoca bhagavā.\nIdaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:","en":"That is what the Buddha said.\nThen the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:"}},{"id":"sn22.95:9","sourceIds":["sn22.95:9.1","sn22.95:9.2","sn22.95:9.3","sn22.95:9.4","sn22.95:9.5","sn22.95:9.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ,\nvedanā bubbuḷūpamā;\nMarīcikūpamā saññā,\nsaṅkhārā kadalūpamā;\nMāyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ,\ndesitādiccabandhunā.","en":"“Form is like a lump of foam;\nfeeling is like a bubble;\nperception seems like a mirage;\nchoices like a banana plant;\nand consciousness like an illusion:\nso taught the Kinsman of the Sun."}},{"id":"sn22.95:10","sourceIds":["sn22.95:10.1","sn22.95:10.2","sn22.95:10.3","sn22.95:10.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yathā yathā nijjhāyati,\nyoniso upaparikkhati;\nRittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti,\nyo naṁ passati yoniso.","en":"However you contemplate them,\nexamining them rationally,\nthey’re vacuous and hollow\nwhen you look at them closely."}},{"id":"sn22.95:11","sourceIds":["sn22.95:11.1","sn22.95:11.2","sn22.95:11.3","sn22.95:11.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha,\nbhūripaññena desitaṁ;\nPahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ,\nrūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ.","en":"Concerning this body,\nhe of vast wisdom has taught\nthat when three things are given up,\nyou’ll see this form discarded."}},{"id":"sn22.95:12","sourceIds":["sn22.95:12.1","sn22.95:12.2","sn22.95:12.3","sn22.95:12.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ,\nyadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ;\nApaviddho tadā seti,\nparabhattaṁ acetanaṁ.","en":"When vitality, warmth, and consciousness\nleave this body,\nit lies dumped there,\nfood for others, insentient."}},{"id":"sn22.95:13","sourceIds":["sn22.95:13.1","sn22.95:13.2","sn22.95:13.3","sn22.95:13.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Etādisāyaṁ santāno,\nmāyāyaṁ bālalāpinī;\nVadhako esa akkhāto,\nsāro ettha na vijjati.","en":"Such is this continuity,\nthis illusion, this lament of fools.\nIt’s said to be a killer,\nfor no core is found here."}},{"id":"sn22.95:14","sourceIds":["sn22.95:14.1","sn22.95:14.2","sn22.95:14.3","sn22.95:14.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya,\nbhikkhu āraddhavīriyo;\nDivā vā yadi vā rattiṁ,\nsampajāno paṭissato.","en":"An energetic mendicant\nshould examine the aggregates like this,\nwith situational awareness and mindfulness\nwhether by day or by night."}},{"id":"sn22.95:15","sourceIds":["sn22.95:15.1","sn22.95:15.2","sn22.95:15.3","sn22.95:15.4","sn22.95:15.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ,\nkareyya saraṇattano;\nCareyyādittasīsova,\npatthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti.\nTatiyaṁ.","en":"They should give up all fetters,\nand make a refuge for themselves.\nThey should live as though their head was on fire,\naspiring to the state that does not pass.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn22.95/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}