The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.18 A Realized One Neither Still Exists Nor No Longer Exists

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

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

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti …pe….

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

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi 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: ‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhasamudayepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhanirodhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti. Aṭṭhārasamaṁ.

Sotāpattivaggo.

Aṭṭhārasaveyyākaraṇaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Tassuddānaṁ

Vātaṁ etaṁ mama,
so attā no ca me siyā;
Natthi karoto hetu ca,
mahādiṭṭhena aṭṭhamaṁ.

Sassato loko ca,
Asassato ca antavā ca;
Anantavā ca taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti,
Aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti ca.

Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti,
Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti;
Neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti.

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:

‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’?”

“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:

‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti …pe….

‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’ …

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

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

‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“That which is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind: is that 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:

‘neva hoti, na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhasamudayepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhanirodhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti

“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation,

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

Aṭṭhārasamaṁ.

Sotāpattivaggo.

Aṭṭhārasaveyyākaraṇaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Tassuddānaṁ

Vātaṁ etaṁ mama,

so attā no ca me siyā;

Natthi karoto hetu ca,

mahādiṭṭhena aṭṭhamaṁ.

Sassato loko ca,

Asassato ca antavā ca;

Anantavā ca taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti,

Aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti ca.

Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti,

Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti;

Neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti.

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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Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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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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Last updated on July 27, 2026