...should study and contemplate this sutra seriously.
SN 22.95
PTS: S iii 140
CDB i 951
Phena Sutta: Foam
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1999–2011
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Ayojjhans
on the banks of the Ganges River. There he addressed the monks:
“Monks, suppose that a large glob of foam were floating down this
Ganges River, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe
it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing
it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void,
without substance: for what substance would there be in a glob of
foam? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately
examines any form that is past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him
— seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it
would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance
would there be in form?
“Now suppose that in the autumn — when it’s raining in fat,
heavy drops — a water bubble were to appear & disappear on the
water, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it,
& appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it,
& appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void,
without substance: for what substance would there be in a water
bubble? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately
examines any feeling that is past, future, or present; internal or
external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him
— seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it
would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance
would there be in feeling?
“Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage
were shimmering, and a man with good eyesight were to see it,
observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear
empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be
in a mirage? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &
appropriately examines any perception that is past, future, or
present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or
sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, &
appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without
substance: for what substance would there be in perception?
“Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of
heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a
sharp ax. There he would see a large banana tree: straight, young,
of enormous height. He would cut it at the root and, having cut it
at the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he
would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he
wouldn’t even find sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a man
with good eyesight would see it, observe it, & appropriately
examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately
examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for
what substance would there be in a banana tree? In the same way, a
monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any fabrications
that are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or
subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing them,
observing them, & appropriately examining them — they would
appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would
there be in fabrications?
“Now suppose that a magician or magician’s apprentice were to
display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good
eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine
it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining
it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what
substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk
sees, observes, & appropriately examines any consciousness that
is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or
subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it,
observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear
empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be
in consciousness?
“Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones
grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling,
disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications,
disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows
dispassionate. Through dispassion, he’s released. With release
there’s the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is
ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing
further for this world.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One
Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:
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. 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.[1] 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.
Note
1. See SN 22.85.