The Buddha teaches Rāhula how to know and see the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—so that there is no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit internally or externally.

SN 18.21 Tendency

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Atha kho āyasmā rāhulo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti?

“Yaṁ kiñci, rāhula, rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati. kāci vedanā …pe… kāci saññāye keci saṅkhārāyaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati.

Evaṁ kho, rāhula, jānato evaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā rāhulo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Rāhula went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti?

“Sir, how does one know and see so that there’s no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs?”

“Yaṁ kiñci, rāhula, rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati.

“Rāhula, one truly sees any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

kāci vedanā …pe…

One truly sees any kind of feeling …

kāci saññā

perception …

ye keci saṅkhārā

choices …

yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati.

consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Evaṁ kho, rāhula, jānato evaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti.

That’s how to know and see so that there’s no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026