"The craving that makes for further becoming accompanied by
passion & delight, relishing now here & now there i.e.,
craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for
non-becoming: This, friend Visakha, is the origination of
self-identification described by the Blessed One."
"'The cessation of self-identification, the cessation of
self-identification,' it is said, lady. Which cessation of
self-identification is described by the Blessed One?"
"The remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation,
relinquishment, release, & letting go of that very craving:
This, friend Visakha, is the cessation of self-identification
described by the Blessed One."
"'The way of practice leading to the cessation of
self-identification, the way of practice leading to the cessation
of self-identification,' it is said, lady. Which way of practice
leading to the cessation of self-identification is described by the
Blessed One?"
"Precisely this noble eightfold path right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration: This, friend Visakha, is the way
of practice leading to the cessation of self-identification
described by the Blessed One."
"Is it the case, lady, that clinging is the same thing as the five
clinging-aggregates or is it something separate?"
"Friend Visakha, neither is clinging the same thing as the five
clinging-aggregates, nor is it something separate. Whatever desire
& passion there is with regard to the five clinging-aggregates,
that is the clinging there."
"But, lady, how does self-identification come about?"
"There is the case, friend Visakha, where an uninstructed,
run-of-the-mill person who has no regard for noble ones, is not
well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for
men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma
assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing
form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form.
"He assumes feeling to be the self...
"He assumes perception to be the self...
"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self...
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing
consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in
consciousness. This is how self-identification comes about."
"But, lady, how does self-identification not come about?"
