At Sāvatthi.
“An |uninstructed::uninitiated, untaught, untrained [assutavant]| ordinary person, bhikkhus, might become |disenchanted with::disinterested in, disillusioned with [nibbindati]|, |detached from::dispassionate towards [virajjati]|, and freed from this body |composed of the four great elements::The four great elements are of earth (solidity), water (cohesion), fire (temperature), and air (movement). This classification offered by the Buddha is based on how the body is experienced—as structure, fluidity, energy, and motion. It forms a basis for further insights into the nature of body and mind. [cātumahābhūtika]|. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, it is seen that this body composed of the four great elements undergoes |accumulation::e.g. growth of tissues such as muscle and fat gain, storage of energy such as fat stores, water retention [ācaya]| and |reduction::e.g. gradual loss of strength due to aging; tissue breakdown or cell death during illness; fat and muscle breakdown for energy during fasting or exercise; nails, hair, skin renewal as part of natural shedding [apacaya]|, |taking up::absorbing nutrients when eating food and drink; breathing in air [ādāna]| and |casting off::e.g. removal of solid and liquid waste during excretion; breathing out during exhalation; sweating, shedding of skin; releasing body heat to regulate temperature [nikkhepana]|. Therefore, an uninstructed ordinary person might become disenchanted with, detached from, and freed from it.
But, bhikkhus, as to that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘intellect’, or ‘consciousness’—in regard to that, the uninstructed ordinary person is not able to become disenchanted with it, not able to become detached from it, and not able to be freed from it. For what reason? Because, for a long time, bhikkhus, this has been |clung to::attached to, fixed on [ajjhosita]|, |appropriated as ‘mine’::treasured, cherished [mamāyita]|, and misapprehended by the uninstructed ordinary person as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ Therefore, the uninstructed ordinary person is not able to become disenchanted with it, not able to become detached from it, and not able to be freed from it.
It would be better, bhikkhus, 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::remaining [tiṭṭhamāna]| 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’ |appears::arises [uppajjati]| as one thing and |ceases::finishes, vanishes [nirujjhati]| as another by day and by night.
Therein, bhikkhus, a learned disciple of the Noble Ones, carefully and |wisely::properly, prudently, thoroughly, carefully [yoniso]| applies the mind to |dependent co-arising::the process of arising together from a cause, chain of causation, dependent origination [paṭiccasamuppāda]| thus: ‘When this exists, that comes to be, with the arising of this, that arises; when this does not exist, that does not come to be, with the cessation of this, that ceases. Pleasant feeling, bhikkhus arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as pleasant, the pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and |subsides completely::is fully stilled [vūpasammati]|. Painful feeling, bhikkhus, arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as painful. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as painful, the painful feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely. A neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, bhikkhus, arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely.
Just as, bhikkhus, with the rubbing together and contact of two pieces of wood, heat is produced and fire is generated, and with the separation of those same two pieces of wood, the heat that was produced from that ceases and subsides completely; similarly, bhikkhus, pleasant feeling arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as pleasant, the pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely. In the same way, bhikkhus, painful feeling arises dependent on contact to be experienced as painful … and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises dependent on contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely.
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the |learned::well-studied, instructed [sutavant]| disciple of the Noble Ones becomes |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| |form::a visible object such as a beautiful sight, a face, an expression, art, ornament, possession, status symbol, admired appearance, or enticing scenery—anything seen that can produce desire, attachment, or self-view [rūpa]|, becomes disenchanted with |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, becomes disenchanted with |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks things by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, becomes disenchanted with |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]|, becomes disenchanted with |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]|. Experiencing disenchantment, they become |detached::dispassionate [virajjati]|; through detachment, there is release. When released, there arises the knowledge: ‘Released.’
They understand: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’”