The Buddha teaches on this is my self, applying the analysis of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—to insight and release.

SN 22.152 This is My Self

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti. Vedanāya …pe… saññāyasaṅkhāresu …pe… viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘so attā so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Evaṁ passaṁ …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable’?”

Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable.’

Vedanāya …pe…

When feeling …

saññāya

perception …

saṅkhāresu …pe…

choices …

viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would the view arise:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Vedanā

“Is feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would the view arise:

‘so attā so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Evaṁ passaṁ …pe…

“Seeing this …

nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.

They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026