The Aggregates of Perception and Mental Formations as the True Significance of Self and Non-Self

Saṃyuktāgama, Volume Five, Original Text: "How is perception regarded as the self? It refers to the sixfold body of perception—perception born of eye-contact, perception born of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact. Regarding each of these sixfold bodies of perception as the self is called 'perception is the self'. How is perception regarded as different from the self? It is to regard form as the self, and perception as what belongs to the self; to regard consciousness as the self, and perception as what belongs to the self. This is called 'perception is different from the self'.

"How is perception seen as within the self? It is to regard form as the self, with perception abiding within it; to regard feeling, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self, with perception abiding within them. How is the self seen as within perception? It is to regard form as the self, abiding within perception, pervading its four limbs. This is called 'the self within perception'.

"How are volitional formations regarded as the self? It refers to the sixfold body of volition—volition born of eye-contact, volition born of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact. Regarding each of these sixfold bodies of volition as the self is called 'volitional formations are the self'. How are volitional formations regarded as different from the self? It is to regard form as the self, and volitional formations as what belongs to the self; to regard feeling, perception, and consciousness as the self, and volitional formations as what belongs to the self. This is called 'volitional formations are different from the self'.

"How is the self seen as containing volitional formations? It is to regard form as the self, with volitional formations abiding within it; to regard feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self, with volitional formations abiding within them. This is called 'the self containing volitional formations'. How is the self seen as within volitional formations? It is to regard form as the self, abiding within volitional formations, pervading its four limbs; to regard feeling, perception, and consciousness as the self, abiding within volitional formations, pervading its four limbs. This is called 'the self within volitional formations'.

Explanation: How is the perception aggregate regarded as the self? The perception aggregate is the sixfold body of perception: the eye faculty contacts a visible object, giving rise to eye-consciousness, and eye-consciousness has perception; the ear faculty contacts a sound, giving rise to ear-consciousness, and ear-consciousness has perception; the nose faculty contacts an odor, giving rise to nose-consciousness, and nose-consciousness has perception; the tongue faculty contacts a taste, giving rise to tongue-consciousness, and tongue-consciousness has perception; the mind faculty contacts a mental object, giving rise to mind-consciousness, and mind-consciousness has perception. The mental faculty regards each of these six perceptions as the self, believing that the self (the mental faculty) is perception. This is called 'perception is the self' (the mental faculty).

How is perception seen as different from the self? This means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, then the perception aggregate is what belongs to the self; if the mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, volitional formations aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, it will regard the perception aggregate as what belongs to the self. This is called 'perception is different from the self'.

What is seeing perception within the self (the mental faculty)? It means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, and perception abides within the form aggregate; the mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, volitional formations aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, and perception abides within the feeling aggregate, volitional formations aggregate, and consciousness aggregate. Perception is what belongs to the self.

What is the self within perception? It means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, the form aggregate abides within perception, the self abides within perception, and perception pervades the four limbs and the entire body. The mental faculty regards the feeling, volitional formations, and consciousness aggregates as the self, the feeling, volitional formations, and consciousness aggregates abide within perception, the self abides within perception, and the self pervades the entire body. This is called 'the self within perception'.

How are volitional formations regarded as the self? The volitional formations aggregate is the sixfold body of volition: the eye faculty contacts a visible object, giving rise to eye-consciousness, and eye-consciousness has volition; the ear faculty contacts a sound, giving rise to ear-consciousness, and ear-consciousness has volition; the nose faculty contacts an odor, giving rise to nose-consciousness, and nose-consciousness has volition; the tongue faculty contacts a taste, giving rise to tongue-consciousness, and tongue-consciousness has volition; the mind faculty contacts a mental object, giving rise to mind-consciousness, and mind-consciousness has volition. The mental faculty regards each of these six volitions as the self, believing that the self (the mental faculty) is volition. This is called 'volitional formations are the self' (the mental faculty).

How are volitional formations seen as different from the self? This means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, then the volitional formations aggregate is what belongs to the self; if the mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, it will regard the volitional formations aggregate as what belongs to the self. This is called 'volitional formations are different from the self'.

What is seeing volitional formations within the self (the mental faculty)? It means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, and volitional formations abide within the form aggregate; the mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, and volitional formations abide within the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate. Volitional formations are what belongs to the self.

What is the self within volitional formations? It means the mental faculty regards the form aggregate as the self, the form aggregate abides within volitional formations, the self abides within volitional formations, and volitional formations pervade the four limbs and the entire body. The mental faculty regards the feeling, perception, and consciousness aggregates as the self, the feeling, perception, and consciousness aggregates abide within volitional formations, the self abides within volitional formations, and the self pervades the entire body. This is called 'the self within volitional formations'.