The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.3 This is My Self

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti. Vedanāya sati …pe… saññāya satisaṅkhāresu sativiññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

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

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘so attā …pe… avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ bhante …pe…

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘so attā …pe… avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

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

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

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

Tatiyaṁ.

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:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable’?”

“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:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable.’

Vedanāya sati …pe…

When feeling …

saññāya sati

perception …

saṅkhāresu sati

choices …

viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises:

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’ti.

‘The self and the cosmos are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

‘so attā …pe…

avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanā

“Is feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

‘so attā …pe…

avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“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 …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?”

‘so attā, so loko, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… 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.”

Tatiyaṁ.

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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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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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
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Last updated on July 27, 2026