The Buddha teaches on the five aggregates regarding ways of regarding, showing how they are to be understood for liberation from suffering.

SN 22.47 Ways of Regarding

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā anekavihitaṁ attānaṁ samanupassamānā samanupassanti, sabbete pañcupādānakkhandhe samanupassanti, etesaṁ aññataraṁ.

Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto

rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ attānaṁ; attani rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ attānaṁ. Vedanaṁsaññaṁsaṅkhāreviññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ attānaṁ; attani viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ attānaṁ.

Iti ayañceva samanupassanā ‘asmī’ti cassa avigataṁ hoti. ‘Asmī’ti kho pana, bhikkhave, avigate pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ avakkanti hoti cakkhundriyassa sotindriyassa ghānindriyassa jivhindriyassa kāyindriyassa. Atthi, bhikkhave, mano, atthi dhammā, atthi avijjādhātu. Avijjāsamphassajena, bhikkhave, vedayitena phuṭṭhassa assutavato puthujjanassa ‘asmī’tipissa hoti; ‘ayamahamasmī’tipissa hoti; ‘bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘na bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘rūpī bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘arūpī bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘saññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘asaññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti; ‘nevasaññīnāsaññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti.

Tiṭṭhanteva kho, bhikkhave, tattheva pañcindriyāni. Athettha sutavato ariyasāvakassa avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati. Tassa avijjāvirāgā vijjuppādā ‘asmī’tipissa na hoti; ‘ayamahamasmī’tipissa na hoti; ‘bhavissan’ti‘na bhavissan’tirūpīarūpīsaññīasaññī‘nevasaññīnāsaññī bhavissan’tipissa na hotī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā anekavihitaṁ attānaṁ samanupassamānā samanupassanti, sabbete pañcupādānakkhandhe samanupassanti, etesaṁ aññataraṁ.

“Mendicants, whatever ascetics and brahmins regard various kinds of things as self, all regard the five grasping aggregates, or one of them.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto

It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.

rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ attānaṁ; attani rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ attānaṁ.

They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

Vedanaṁ

They regard feeling …

saññaṁ

perception …

saṅkhāre

choices …

viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ attānaṁ; attani viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ attānaṁ.

consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

Iti ayañceva samanupassanā ‘asmī’ti cassa avigataṁ hoti.

So they’re not rid of this way of regarding things, and the conceit ‘I am’.

‘Asmī’ti kho pana, bhikkhave, avigate pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ avakkanti hoti

As long as they’re not rid of the conceit ‘I am’, the five faculties are conceived—

cakkhundriyassa sotindriyassa ghānindriyassa jivhindriyassa kāyindriyassa.

the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.

Atthi, bhikkhave, mano, atthi dhammā, atthi avijjādhātu.

The mind, ideas, and the element of ignorance are all present.

Avijjāsamphassajena, bhikkhave, vedayitena phuṭṭhassa assutavato puthujjanassa ‘asmī’tipissa hoti;

Struck by feelings born of contact with ignorance, an unlearned ordinary person thinks ‘I am’,

‘ayamahamasmī’tipissa hoti;

‘I am this’,

‘bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will be’,

‘na bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will not be’,

‘rūpī bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will have form’,

‘arūpī bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will be formless’,

‘saññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will be percipient’,

‘asaññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti;

‘I will not be percipient’,

‘nevasaññīnāsaññī bhavissan’tipissa hoti.

‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient’.

Tiṭṭhanteva kho, bhikkhave, tattheva pañcindriyāni.

The five faculties stay right where they are.

Athettha sutavato ariyasāvakassa avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.

But a learned noble disciple gives up ignorance about them and gives rise to knowledge.

Tassa avijjāvirāgā vijjuppādā ‘asmī’tipissa na hoti;

With the fading away of ignorance and the arising of knowledge, they don’t think ‘I am’,

‘ayamahamasmī’tipissa na hoti;

‘I am this’,

‘bhavissan’ti

‘I will be’,

‘na bhavissan’ti

‘I will not be’,

rūpī

‘I will have form’,

arūpī

‘I will be formless’,

saññī

‘I will be percipient’,

asaññī

‘I will be non-percipient’,

‘nevasaññīnāsaññī bhavissan’tipissa na hotī”ti.

‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient’.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Formless

Formless

A meditative domain that transcends all perception of material form, progressing through the bases of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These states represent refined levels of collectedness beyond attachment to physical phenomena.

Also known as: immaterial, surpassing forms
Pāli: arūpa
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Tame

Tame

The quality of a mind that has been trained and disciplined, no longer wild or controlled by passions. Like a tamed thoroughbred, it is pliable, responsive, and fit for work.

Also known as: trained, mastered, subdued
Pāli: danta, dama
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Last updated on July 27, 2026