The Buddha uses an example of grass, wood, branches, and leaves in Jeta’s grove to illustrate the nature of the five aggregates.

SN 22.33  Natumhāka sutta - Not Yours

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ? Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

“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.

Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

|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.

Saññā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

|Perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information 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.

saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ, te pajahatha. Te vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissanti.

|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.

Viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

|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.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṁ imasmiṁ jetavane tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ taṁ jano hareyya ḍaheyya yathāpaccayaṁ kareyya. Api nu tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘amhe jano harati ḍahati yathāpaccayaṁ karotī’”ti?

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?'”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Indeed not, venerable sir.”

“Taṁ kissa hetu”?

“For what reason?”

“Na hi no etaṁ, bhante, attā attaniyaṁ vā”ti.

“Because, venerable sir, this is neither our self nor what belongs to our self.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

“So too, bhikkhus, form is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.

Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

Felt experiences are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.

Saññā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

Perception is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.

saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ, te pajahatha. Te vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissanti.

intentional constructs are not yours; abandon grasping at them. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.

viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissatī”ti.

Consciousness is not yours; abandon grasping at it. Abandoning it will lead to your benefit and ease.

Last updated on December 3, 2025