At Sāvatthi.
“Whatever, bhikkhus, is not yours, abandon [grasping at] it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your |benefit::good, welfare [hitāya]| and |ease::comfort, contentment [sukhāya]|. And what, bhikkhus, is not yours? |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, is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
|Felt experiences::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
|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]| is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
|intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, choices; mental and bodily volitional activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); kamma-producing processes; fourth of the five aggregates [saṅkhāra]| are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
|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; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]| is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
Suppose, bhikkhus, whatever grass, wood, branches, and leaves there are in this Jeta’s Grove, people might take it away, burn it, or use it as they wish. Would it occur to you thus: ‘People are taking us away, burning us, or using us as they wish?’”
“Indeed not, venerable sir.”
“For what reason?”
“Because, venerable sir, this is neither our self nor what belongs to our self.”
“So too, bhikkhus, form is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
Felt experiences are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
Perception is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
intentional constructs are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.
Consciousness is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.