The Mahānidāna Sutta of the Madhyama Āgama

(2) Original text: Ananda, pleasant feeling is indeed impermanent, a conditioned phenomenon, a dependently arisen phenomenon, a phenomenon subject to cessation, a phenomenon subject to decay, a phenomenon subject to cessation through dispassion, a phenomenon subject to cessation. Ananda, painful feeling is indeed impermanent, a conditioned phenomenon, a dependently arisen phenomenon, a phenomenon subject to cessation, a phenomenon subject to decay, a phenomenon subject to cessation through dispassion, a phenomenon subject to cessation. Ananda, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is indeed impermanent, a conditioned phenomenon, a dependently arisen phenomenon, a phenomenon subject to cessation, a phenomenon subject to decay, a phenomenon subject to cessation through dispassion, a phenomenon subject to cessation. 

Explanation: The Buddha said: Ananda, pleasant feeling is indeed an impermanent, conditioned phenomenon; it is a phenomenon that arises due to various conditions, a phenomenon that can cease, a phenomenon that decays, a phenomenon that allows one to abandon craving for such feeling, a phenomenon that will cease. Ananda, painful feeling is indeed an impermanent, conditioned phenomenon; it is a phenomenon that arises due to conditions, a phenomenon that can cease, a phenomenon that decays, a phenomenon that allows one to abandon craving (dispassion), a phenomenon that will cease. Ananda, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is indeed an impermanent, conditioned phenomenon; it is a phenomenon that arises due to conditions, a phenomenon that can cease, a phenomenon that decays, a phenomenon that allows one to abandon craving for such feeling, a phenomenon that can cease. 

Original text: If, while experiencing a pleasant feeling, one still thinks, 'This is my self,' then when that pleasant feeling ceases, one indeed should not think, 'My self has ceased.' If, while experiencing a painful feeling, one still thinks, 'This is my self,' then when that painful feeling ceases, one indeed should not think, 'My self has ceased.' If, while experiencing a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one still thinks, 'This is my self,' then when that neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling ceases, one indeed should not think, 'My self has ceased.' 

Explanation: If, while experiencing a pleasant feeling, one still considers that which experiences the pleasant feeling to be the self, then when one later sees the pleasant feeling cease, one indeed cannot again consider that the self which experiences pleasant feeling has ceased. If, while experiencing a painful feeling, one still considers that which experiences the painful feeling to be the self, then when one sees the painful feeling cease, one indeed cannot again consider that the self which experiences painful feeling has ceased. If, while experiencing a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one still considers that which experiences the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling to be the self, then when one sees the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling cease, one indeed cannot contemplate or observe that the self which experiences neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling has ceased. 

Original text: Regarding this statement, 'Feeling is my self'—one should observe within presently seen phenomena that this 'I' is impermanent, that pleasant and painful feelings both belong to the category of arisen-and-ceasing phenomena subject to destruction. Ananda, therefore, based on this, it is impossible to observe that feeling is my self. Ananda, here it is also said: 'Feeling is indeed not my self; that which does not experience feeling is my self.' To one who holds this view, it should be said thus: 'Friend, where there is absolutely nothing felt, at that place, could one still think there is an 'I'?' 'Venerable sir, indeed not.' Ananda, therefore, based on this, it is impossible to observe that feeling is indeed not my self, and that the one who does not experience feeling is my self. 

Explanation: Regarding the view that feeling is the self, one should observe within the presently contacted phenomena that this 'I' is impermanent, that pleasant feeling and painful feeling both belong to phenomena subject to arising and ceasing, phenomena subject to destruction. Ananda, therefore, based on the phenomenon of feeling being impermanent and subject to arising and ceasing, it is impossible to observe that feeling is the self. Ananda, it is further said here that feeling is indeed not the self, but rather that volitional formations and consciousness apart from feeling are the self. To one holding such an incorrect view, one should ask thus: Good friend, where there is no pleasant feeling, painful feeling, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling—that is, in the realms of form, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness—do you still consider there to be an 'I'? Ananda replied: Indeed, one should not consider form, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness to be the self. The Buddha said: Ananda, therefore, based on this reasoning, it is impossible to observe that feeling is indeed not the self, and that form, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness apart from feeling are the self.