五陰譬喻經

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha came to visit the land of Mị Thắng.

As he was crossing the river, he saw a great mass of foam gathering and drifting along with the current. He then said to the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, this great mass of foam gathering and drifting along with the river's current — should a man possessing a pair of discerning eyes observe and examine it, he would know that this mass of foam is impermanent, is void, is unreal, and dissolves with great swiftness. Why is this so?

Because this foam has no solidity. So too, bhikkhus, with respect to all form that we behold in the past, the future, and the present, within or without, gross or subtle, good or evil, far or near — if the bhikkhus examine it with care, they will see that form is impermanent, is void and unreal, is a sickness, is a fetter, is a boil, is a fabrication; it is unreal, it is not lasting, it is suffering, it is emptiness, it is non-self, and it dissolves with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the nature of form is without stability.

"Bhikkhus, again it is like the rain that produces bubbles upon the water, these bubbles arising and ceasing, arising and ceasing. Should a man possessing a pair of discerning eyes observe and examine them, he would know that these water-bubbles are impermanent, are void, are unreal, and dissolve with great swiftness. Why is this so?

Because these water-bubbles have no solidity. So too, bhikkhus, with respect to all of our feelings of suffering in the past, the future, and the present, within or without, gross or subtle, good or evil, far or near — if the bhikkhus examine it with care, they will see that this suffering is impermanent, is void and unreal, is a sickness, is a fetter, is a fabrication, is a boil; it is unreal, it is not lasting, it is suffering, it is emptiness, it is non-self, and it dissolves with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the nature of feeling is without stability.

"Bhikkhus, again it is like the sweltering heat of summer, the rays of the sun at the height of noon. Should a man possessing a pair of discerning eyes observe and examine it, he would know that this heat is impermanent, is void, is unreal, and dissolves with great swiftness. Why is this so?

Because this heat has no solidity. So too, bhikkhus, with respect to all of our perceptions in the past, the future, and the present, within or without, gross or subtle, good or evil, far or near — if the bhikkhus examine and reflect with care, they will see that our perception is impermanent, is void and unreal, is defilement, is a fetter, is a boil, is a fabrication; it is unreal, it is not lasting, it is suffering, it is emptiness, it is non-self, and it dissolves with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the nature of perception is without stability.

"Bhikkhus, again it is like a man who goes into the forest in search of good timber. Seeing a large, fine, perfectly straight plantain tree, he cuts it down, lops off the crown and the leaves, and strips away the bark layer upon layer in search of good wood — yet he can find no firm, solid core to the tree anywhere. Should a man possessing a pair of discerning eyes observe and examine it, he would know that this plantain tree is impermanent, is void, is unreal, and dissolves with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the plantain tree has nothing stable about it at all. So too, bhikkhus, with respect to all of our volitional formations in the past, the future, and the present, within or without, gross or subtle, good or evil, far or near — if the bhikkhus examine and reflect with care, they will see that our volitional formations are impermanent, are void and unreal, are defilement, are a fetter, are a boil, are a fabrication; they are unreal, they are not lasting, they are suffering, they are emptiness, they are non-self, and they dissolve with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the nature of volitional formations is without stability.

"Bhikkhus, again it is like a magician and his disciples who, at a crossroads, perform feats of magic for the multitude to behold, conjuring many illusory scenes — herds of elephants marching, herds of horses galloping, and the like. Should a man possessing a pair of discerning eyes observe and examine them, he would know that these illusions are impermanent, are void, are unreal, and, being without substance, dissolve with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because these illusions have no stability. So too, bhikkhus, with respect to all of our consciousness in the past, the future, and the present, within or without, gross or subtle, good or evil, far or near — if the bhikkhus examine and reflect with care, they will see that this consciousness is impermanent, is void and unreal, is defilement, is a fetter, is a boil, is a fabrication; it is unreal, it is not lasting, it is suffering, it is emptiness, it is non-self, and it dissolves with great swiftness.

Why is this so? Because the nature of consciousness is without stability."

Thereupon the Buddha spoke the following verse (rendered in prose):

Form is like foam that scatters and gathers; feeling arises and ceases like water-bubbles; perception is like the heat of summer; volitional formations are hollow like the trunk of the plantain tree; consciousness is like a magician's illusions — thus speak the Buddhas. Examine and contemplate these essential teachings with care. Truly all is emptiness; behold that all things are impermanent, that all the aggregates are thus.

The greatly wise ones declare: When one has severed oneself from the three matters, one knows that this body is of no worth at all. This bodily life is warm and breathing now; in the instant of death it is cast off, and the corpse lies upon the earth like grass and trees that know nothing. Beholding the body in such a way, why yet cling to illusory longings of greed and delusion?

Why let the heart be troubled and unquiet, when nothing here is stable at all? Knowing that the five aggregates are thus, let the bhikkhus be diligent; day and night let them, by their own awakening, contemplate the right knowledge, take up and practice the path of cessation, and pursue the supreme bliss of peace.

Thereupon the Buddha spoke the following verse (rendered in the lục-bát meter):

Form is like foam that joins and parts,

feeling like bubbles that fade then rise once more,

perception like summer's heat, formless and bare,

volitional formations like the plantain's hollow trunk,

consciousness an illusion, empty and void —

thus speak the Buddhas, without the slightest error.

Take up this guiding teaching and reflect,

in still, deep meditation ponder it clearly.

Truly the myriad things are impermanent,

their nature emptiness, sparing nothing at all;

the five aggregates — void, yet present — all of one hue.

Those of true knowledge have long since declared:

Cast off the three matters and see at once,

the ravaged body lying there — is it worth even a coin?

Now brimming with vibrant life,

in but a moment it passes into eternity,

a withered corpse beneath the earth in the grave,

unknowing and unfeeling, like dry grass and faded trees.

Gazing upon the body so cruelly forsaken,

why still bear the deluded dreams of folly and greed?

The serenity of the soul is lost;

in this life what is there that endures?

The five aggregates, illusory from of old —

let the fourfold assembly of the Zen gate be ever diligent,

day and night contemplating in mind and spirit,

self-awakened, the right knowledge ever near the heart,

taking up and practicing the great path of Nirvāṇa,

rejoicing in the bliss and gladness of the meditative realm.

Thus did the Buddha teach, and the bhikkhus, having heard, were filled with boundless joy.

The Sutra of the Simile of the Five Aggregates.