The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and is healthy after death’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.96 The Self is Neither Happy Nor Suffering

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti. Vedanāya satisaññāya satisaṅkhāresu sativiññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

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

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ. kāci vedanā kāci saññāye keci saṅkhārāyaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā vā, oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

Catutthapeyyālo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Purimagamane aṭṭhārasa veyyākaraṇā,
Dutiyagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni;
Tatiyagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni,
Catutthagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni.

Diṭṭhisaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

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:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and is healthy 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:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and healthy after death.’

Vedanāya sati

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:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and is healthy after death.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form 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, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Vedanā

“Is feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

consciousness 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, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

“So you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

kāci vedanā

You should truly see any kind of feeling …

kāci saññā

perception …

ye keci saṅkhārā

choices …

yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ bahiddhā vā, oḷārikaṁ sukhumaṁ hīnaṁ paṇītaṁ yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.

consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

Catutthapeyyālo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Purimagamane aṭṭhārasa veyyākaraṇā,

Dutiyagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni;

Tatiyagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni,

Catutthagamane chabbīsaṁ vitthāretabbāni.

Diṭṭhisaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on views are complete.

Topics & 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 →
Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026