The Word of the Buddha Views and Discussions about the Ego
The Word of the BuddhaIV. The Path that Leads to the Extinction of Suffering
Therein, Ānanda, he who says: ‘Feeling is my self,’ should be spoken to thus: ‘Friend, there are these three feelings—pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Of these three feelings, which do you perceive as self?’ Whenever, Ānanda, one feels a pleasant feeling—at that time, one does not feel a painful feeling, nor does one feel a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; at that time, one feels only a pleasant feeling. Whenever, Ānanda, one feels a painful feeling—at that time, one does not feel a pleasant feeling, nor does one feel a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; at that time, one feels only a painful feeling. Whenever, Ānanda, one feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling—at that time, one does not feel a pleasant feeling, nor does one feel a painful feeling; at that time, one feels only a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
Pleasant feeling, Ānanda, is impermanent, constructed, dependently arisen, naturally wearing away, subject to disintegration, subject to fading away, having the nature to end. Painful feeling, Ānanda, is impermanent, constructed, dependently arisen, naturally wearing away, subject to disintegration, subject to fading away, having the nature to end. Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, Ānanda, is impermanent, constructed, dependently arisen, naturally wearing away, subject to disintegration, subject to fading away, having the nature to end. For one feeling a pleasant feeling, the thought occurs: ‘This is my self.’ With the cessation of that very pleasant feeling, the thought occurs: ‘My self has vanished.’ For one feeling a painful feeling, the thought occurs: ‘This is my self.’ With the cessation of that very painful feeling, the thought occurs: ‘My self has vanished.’ For one feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, the thought occurs: ‘This is my self.’ With the cessation of that very neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, the thought occurs: ‘My self has vanished.’ Thus, he who says: ‘Feeling is my self,’ perceives as self something that, in this very life, is impermanent, a mixture of pleasure and pain, and subject to arising and passing away. Therefore, Ānanda, it is not suitable to perceive: ‘Feeling is my self.’
If anyone says, ‘Mental objects are self,’ that is not tenable. The arising and passing away of mental objects can be discerned. Since their arising and passing away can be discerned, one would have to conclude, ‘My self arises and passes away.’ Therefore, it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Mental objects are self.’ Thus the mind is not-self, and mental objects are not-self. If anyone says, ‘Mind-consciousness is self,’ that is not tenable. The arising and passing away of mind-consciousness can be discerned. Since its arising and passing away can be discerned, one would have to conclude, ‘My self arises and passes away.’ Therefore, it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Mind-consciousness is self.’ Thus the mind is not-self, mental objects are not-self, and mind-consciousness is not-self. If anyone says, ‘Mind-contact is self,’ that is not tenable. The arising and passing away of mind-contact can be discerned. Since its arising and passing away can be discerned, one would have to conclude, ‘My self arises and passes away.’ Therefore, it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Mind-contact is self.’ Thus the mind is not-self, mental objects are not-self, mind-consciousness is not-self, and mind-contact is not-self. If anyone says, ‘Felt experience is self,’ that is not tenable. The arising and passing away of felt experience can be discerned. Since its arising and passing away can be discerned, one would have to conclude, ‘My self arises and passes away.’ Therefore, it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Felt experience is self.’ Thus the mind is not-self, mental objects are not-self, mind-consciousness is not-self, mind-contact is not-self, and felt experience is not-self. If anyone says, ‘Craving is self,’ that is not tenable. The arising and passing away of craving can be discerned. Since its arising and passing away can be discerned, one would have to conclude, ‘My self arises and passes away.’ Therefore, it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Craving is self.’ Thus the mind is not-self, mental objects are not-self, mind-consciousness is not-self, mind-contact is not-self, felt experience is not-self, and craving is not-self.
It would be better for an uninstructed ordinary person to take as self this body composed of the four great elements rather than the mind. For what reason? Because this body composed of the four great elements is seen persisting for one year, for two years, persisting for three, four, five, or ten years, for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years, persisting for a hundred years, or even longer.
But that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘intellect’, or ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night. Just as a monkey wandering through a forest grabs hold of one branch, lets go of it and grabs another, then lets that go and grabs yet another; so too, that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘intellect’, or ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.
Last updated on October 20, 2026