The Buddha teaches Rāhula to contemplate perceptions of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas as impermanent, suffering, and not-self—not fit to be regarded as “mine, I am this, my self”—until disenchantment, fading of desire, and liberation arise.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpasaññā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“saddasaññā …pe… gandhasaññā … rasasaññā … phoṭṭhabbasaññā … dhammasaññā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasaññāyapi nibbindati …pe… saddasaññāyapi nibbindati … gandhasaññāyapi nibbindati … rasasaññāyapi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbasaññāyapi nibbindati … dhammasaññāyapi nibbindati …pe… pajānātī”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,
“What do you think, Rāhula?
rūpasaññā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is perception of sights permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“saddasaññā …pe…
“… perception of sounds …
gandhasaññā …
perception of smells …
rasasaññā …
perception of tastes …
phoṭṭhabbasaññā …
perception of touches …
dhammasaññā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is perception of ideas permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasaññāyapi nibbindati …pe… saddasaññāyapi nibbindati … gandhasaññāyapi nibbindati … rasasaññāyapi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbasaññāyapi nibbindati … dhammasaññāyapi nibbindati …pe…
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the perception of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. …”
pajānātī”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026