Saṃyukta Āgama, Volume 1 (24)

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. At that time, the World-Honored One addressed Rāhula: "Bhikkhu, how should one know, how should one see, regarding this body of consciousness and all external phenomena, so that there is no view of self and what belongs to self, and so that the fetters of conceit do not bind?" Rāhula said to the Buddha: "The World-Honored One is the master of the Dharma, the guide, the protector. Excellent! The World-Honored One should expound this meaning for the bhikkhus. Having heard it from the Buddha, the bhikkhus will accept, uphold, and practice it."

The Buddha told Rāhula: "Listen well, listen well, and carefully consider it. I will explain it to you." Rāhula replied to the Buddha: "Yes, I am listening respectfully." The Buddha told Rāhula: "One should observe all forms, whether past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or subtle; beautiful or ugly; far or near. All these are not self, not different from self, and do not exist within each other. Thus, with equal wisdom, one observes them as they truly are.

"Similarly, regarding feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness—whether past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or subtle; beautiful or ugly; far or near—all these are not self, not different from self, and do not exist within each other. Thus, with equal wisdom, one observes them as they truly are.

"Bhikkhu, knowing thus, seeing thus, regarding this body of consciousness and all external phenomena, there is no view of self and what belongs to self, and the fetters of conceit do not bind. Rāhula, for a bhikkhu who thus sees that in this body of consciousness and all external phenomena there is no self, no view of what belongs to self, and no binding by the fetters of conceit, he transcends doubt, abandons all signs, attains tranquility and liberation. This is called a bhikkhu who has cut off craving, removed all fetters, attained right liberation without interval, and reached the end of suffering." At that time, Rāhula, having heard what the Buddha said, joyfully practiced accordingly.

Explanation: The World-Honored One said to the Venerable Rāhula: How should a bhikkhu know and see that within the aggregate-body composed of the seven consciousnesses and all external phenomena, there is no self and nothing belonging to self, so that he is not bound by the fetters of the view of self, the view of what belongs to self, and conceit? Rāhula said to the Buddha: You, World-Honored One, are the master of the Dharma, the leader and guide of beings, the protector of beings. Therefore, you should expound this meaning for the bhikkhus. After hearing your teaching, the bhikkhus will accept, uphold, and practice it.

Why is the Buddha the master of the Dharma? The master of the Dharma means the owner of the Dharma. The Buddha has fully realized all dharmas, possesses all dharmas, and is thus the master of the Buddha-Dharma. All dharmas flow from the Buddha's own mind; there is not a single dharma he does not know, not a single dharma he has not realized. He is fully liberated regarding the Dharma, therefore he is called the master of the Dharma. The view of self and conceit are two fetters that firmly bind sentient beings, causing them to sink in birth and death, unable to attain liberation. Because there is the view of self, conceit arises. The view of self also includes the view of what belongs to self.

The Buddha told Rāhula: To cut off the binding of the fetters of the view of self and conceit, one must observe the aggregate of form, including forms of the past, future, and present; forms internal to the body and external to the body. These dharmas include the coarse and the subtle, the beautiful and the ugly, those far from the present and those near to the present. All these forms are not self, not what belongs to self, and self and what belongs to self do not exist within each other. Only this is equal wisdom, only this is observation as it truly is.

Similarly, regarding feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness—including those of the past, future, and present; feelings, etc., pertaining to the internal body and the external body; including coarse feelings, etc., subtle feelings, etc., wholesome feelings, etc., unwholesome feelings, etc., feelings, etc., far from the present and near to the present—all these are not self, not what belongs to self, and self and what belongs to self do not exist within each other. Observing thus is the observation of equal wisdom, the observation as it truly is.

The Buddha said: A bhikkhu should thus know and thus see that this body of seven consciousnesses and all external phenomena are not self, not what belongs to self, and are not bound by the fetters of conceit. Rāhula, one who realizes that the aggregates of body and mind have no self and nothing belonging to self, who has no binding by the fetters of conceit, transcends doubt, abandons the doubt that the aggregates constitute a self, inwardly abandons all signs of the aggregates, and attains mental tranquility and liberation. Such a bhikkhu can cut off craving, remove all afflictive fetters, abide in right mindfulness moment by moment, reach the end of the suffering of birth and death, and ultimately attain liberation.