At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, when what exists, by |clinging to::grasping (at), acquiring, appropriating, taking possession (of), identifying (with) [upādāya]| what, do |pleasure and pain::ease and discomfort, happiness and sorrow [sukhadukkha]| arise internally?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, and have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would clarify the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.”
“Then listen, bhikkhus, and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus responded to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:
“When there is |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there is |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, by clinging to felt experience, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there is |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]|, by clinging to perception, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there are |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, choices; mental and bodily volitional activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); kamma-producing processes [saṅkhāra]|, by clinging to intentional constructs, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there is |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]|, by clinging to consciousness, pleasure and pain arise internally.”
What do you |think::presume, suppose, imagine, conceive [maññati]|, bhikkhus, is form |permanent::stable, not in flux [nicca]| or |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent—is it |dissatisfactory::uncomfortable, unpleasant [dukkha]| or |happiness::contentment, ease, pleasant abiding [sukha]|?”
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and |subject to change::of the nature of alteration, decay [vipariṇāmadhamma]|—is it fitting to regard that as: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
“Is felt experience permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
“Is perception permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
“Are intentional constructs permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
“Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent—is it dissatisfactory or happiness?”
“Dissatisfactory, venerable sir.”
“And that which is impermanent, dissatisfactory, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the |learned::well-studied, instructed [sutavant]| disciple of the Noble Ones becomes |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| form, becomes disenchanted with felt experience, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with intentional constructs, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Experiencing disenchantment, they become |detached::dispassionate [virajjati]|; through detachment, there is release. When released, there arises the knowledge: ‘Released.’
‘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,’ one understands.”