The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.17 A Realized One Both Still Exists and No Longer Exists

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe… niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

Sattarasamaṁ.

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:

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’?” …

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

Sattarasamaṁ.

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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026