Samyutta Nikaya: Khandhasamyutta (III-1)
1: The twenty types of identity view are explained more fully in the commentary Spk:
a. form as self: considering them as indistinguishable, just as the flam eof an oil lamp and its color are indistinguishable.
b. self as possessing form: the formless (mind or mental factors) as a self that possesses form, as a tree possesses a shadow.
c. form as in self: taking the formless (mind) as a self in which form is situated, as the scent is in a flower.
d. self as in form: taking the formless (mind) as a self situated in form, as a jewel is in a casket.
2: A critical section begings in the last two long paragraphs. If the path to a higher rebirth were possible amidst unwholesome states, then the Budha would not praise (and we assume urge) the abandoning of such states. And if wholesome states were likely to lead to a lower rebirth, nor then would the Buddha praise nor urge their abandonment.
In wholesome states one dwells happily in this very life and a favorable rebirth can be expected.
3: Postulates the first four khandhas as the ‘home’ of consciousness.
There is a good list of attachments and identity views in regards to eac khandha: “The desire, lust, and craving, the engagement and clinging, the mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding the ____ element.”
5: Brings in “the origin and passing away of” each khandha, as “understanding things as they really are.”
After that it staples the khandhas into the 12 links, as taking delight in a khandha is clinging—thus then existence, birth, aging-and-death.
The origin of the khandha is this delight in the khandha—while not seeking that delight is the passing away of the khandha.
9: Each of the khandhas is impermanent in past, present, and future.
10: Each of the khandhas is suffering in past, present, and future.
12: Revulsion follows the seeing of the khandhas as impermanent. This is aprofound inward turning away from conditioned existence that comes with the higher stages of insight.
13-14: The same template as #12, but suffering ‘suffering’ and ‘non-self’ for ‘impermanent’.
15: This brings up the Three Marks as being the same: what is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is nonself.
20: Brings up the question of that which arises from non-self must therefore be non-self. Monotheism has addressed this by postulating an eternal deity—for only from that which is atman can that possessing atman arise. Thus it seems that the presence of a soul (or some other such essence) implies the necessary presence of an infinite or eternal creator, which did not arise out of anything. If there creator were to arise from something, then it is arising from something which is atman and is not itself atman, but contains it.
So to see all conditioned things as nonself removes any essential-aspect deity; there could be no arising of atman anywhere at any time.
22: The ‘person’ as ‘carrier of the burden’ is the Pudgalavadin School—there is the pudgala. However, the ‘person’ is no more an essence than each of the khandhas are essences. ‘Person’ is a mental construct, not an essential entity.
37: Each of the khandhas is identified with arising, vanishing, and persisting (with change.) Thus the khandhas are kept firmly in the realm of interdependent transformation.
38: Adds the three times (past, present, future) to the three conditions (as in #37). Thus each khandha is understood in nine aspects.
39: Another clarification on ‘revulsion’: usually taken to refer to an advanced level of insight. It seems to me that nibbida doesn’t have a suitable English equivalent that is not fraught with potential objections. Other renderings from a Pali-English dictionary are “aversion”, “disgust”, or “weariness.”
43: This one emphasizes that it is possible to be quenched in regards to one or another of the khandhas—it doesn’t have to be all of them.
44: Nice pithy exposition about the wrong view of identity view, which arises in the twenty manifestations, four for each of the khandhas:
x as self
self as possessing x
x as in self
self as in x
By not taking on these twenty views, one leads to the cessation of identity view.
45: Each khandha is seen in six ways:
x is impermanent
x is suffering
x is nonself
x is not mine
x I am not
x is not my self.
46: The six ways of #45 are added to the three times (past, future, present.)
47: First the twenty identity views are enumerated.
This appears to then effect the rebirth—the five faculties which are the regular physical senses (no mind). The mind is one of ignorance.
The vacuous “I” gives rise to “I am this”—the first differentiation of self from other. (Psychologists say this happens at around six months.) Then come the views: “I will/will not be”, “I will be eternal/annihilated” and so forth.
But with the abandonment of the vacuous “I”—the rest ceases then.
50: This sutta employes the 4-statement inquiry that is used for the Four Noble Truths:
Form -> its origina -> its cessation -> the way leading to its cessation
51 – 52: With the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust; with the destruction of lust comes the destruction of delight…this seems to imply no only mutual dependence but also a co-nascence.
53: Consciousness is here seen as being dependent on the previous four aggregates. Each of the aggregates acts almost as a nutriment; consciousness stands “engaged with” one or another of the aggregates.
It then goes on to say that the arising, persistence, passing away, and rebirth of consciousness cannot be known apart from the other four aggregates.
If the lust for any of the four elemental aggregates is cut off, then there is no basis for consciousness and thus no basis for rebirth. Nongenerative consciousness does not generate kamma and, hence, no rebirth.
54: The first four aggregates are identified as “the four stations of consciousness.”
56: The 4-statement inquiry is called the “four phrases” or, literally, the “four turnings.”
Then the four phrases are applied to each aggregate.
“Contact” gives rise to feeling, perception, and volitional formations, each of which has the sixfold division of the senses.
“Nutriment” gives rise to form.
But it is “name and form” that gives rise to consciousness—which seems to tie in well with the assigning of consciousness as being an aggregate of the other four aggregates.
57: Adds to the four phases three more stages: gratification, danger, escape.
gratification: the pleasure and joy that arise from dependence on x.
danger: that x is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change.
escape: the removal and abandonment of desire and lust for x.
Essentially the sutta is the same template as #56, but with the extra three stages inserted after the identification of the Noble Eightfold Path as the way leading to cessation.
58: The distinction between Tathagata and arahant. The Tathagata is the re-discoverer of the path, the knower and teacher of the path. The arahant follows this path and possesses it at liberation.
59: The Buddha’s second sermon, spoken to the group of five ascetics. The khandhas are explained as anatta:
1. If something is self (atta) then you must have some control over it—but you don’t, and it isn’t self.
2. That which is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is not fit to be regarded as self.
These formulae are applied to each of the five khandhas in turn. another important teaching here is the list of aspects of each khandha:
past, future, present
internal or external
gross or subtle
inferior of superior
far or near
Regarding that which is suffering as self:
If self (atman) is seen as suffering or containing suffering or contained by suffering, then we have something eternal and separate (atman) which is suffering. Thus full liberation, liberation from suffering, is not possible.
If we have taken refuge, we have stated our explicity trust that full cessation, liberation, is possible—and thus have explicityly rejected any notion that that which is suffering could be in any way self.
60: Each of the khandhas brings pleasure, but each also brings suffering. The pleasure causes us to be captivated and this causes defilement. The suffering causes revulsion and this purifies us of defilement.
61: Mini-Fire Sermon with only the khandhas.
62: Important but sublte point: there is no mixing of the three tenses of was, will be, or is.
63: Mara is here the personficiation of clinging—it binds us to Mara, while non-clinging frees us.
64: Here conceiving a khandha binds us to Mara (conceiving = as a self.)
65: Seeking delight—as binding (template from #63 on.)
76: There’s a good line in here which makes clear that deities are not the be-all and end-all, but that the arahants have it best of all.
Then the final verse: “The enlightened are supreme in the world.”
78: More on devas and their misunderstandings—that they are not eternal. Top of 914 to the end of the paragraph. The following verse helps make this even clearer.
This can go into the Oghataranasutta commentary.
79: We are ‘devoured’ by the khandhas—either past, future, or present.
Dismantles, abandons, scatters, extinguish: all references to karma.
Once liberation has happened, all of the khandhas have been dismantled, abandoned, etc: no more accumulation of karma.
80: There is here some big stuff!
1. A visit by Brahma Sahampati, who acts in his accustomed role as the Buddha’s advisor and encourager.
2. “…performed such a feat of spiritual power…” here we have another of those moments in which the radiant sambhogakaya makes an appearance. It doesn’t say what the feat is—but obviously it’s a whopper given the way in which the monks arrive timidly.
3. Two types of meditation are brought up. The first is vipassana—that is, the four foundations of mindfulness, and “signless concentration” which appears to be samatha. But in “signless” I detect a whiff of zazen.
81: This takes place during the time of the quarrel at Kosambi that threatened to cause schism. See Nanamoli Life of the Buddha pgs. 109-119 for a full description.
The monk who has the question: The Buddha knows he has a question because he has read the bhikkhu’s mind!
37 aids to enlightenment: seven sets of training factors
4 establishments of mindfulness
4 right strivings
4 bases for spiritual power
5 spiritual faculties
5 powers
7 factors of enlightenment
8 Noble Eightfold Path
These are explored in depth in the Mahavagga section in Volume II.
Both eternalism and annihilationism are defined quite nicely.
If this sutta’s ellipses were all fleshed out, this would approach book length.
82: This one reads rather like a grand summary of the khandha samyutta.
83: This neatly addresses the tendency we have to cling to our ‘self’ notions—such as our own creations, or our own opinions.
84: The “forked road” simile is here very useful. We need the teacher to show us the right way, to encourage us to find it and stay on it.
85: Yamaka has become stuck in an annihilationist view. However, it’s a bit different: unenlightened beings have a lasting self which transmigrates; arahants have no such lasting self and thus utterly perish at death.
I am touched her by the precision, care, and thoroughness of Sariputta’s teaching. Surely the Buddha himself could not have taught Yamaka more beautifully.
86: A great danger is to view the Tathagata as possessing self.
There’s an important extra phrase here: “Do you regard the Tathagata as apart from x?” So we can also ask:
x is not self
self does not possess x
x is not in self
self is not in x
The Tathagata is not apart from x
Nor is the Tathagata all five khandhas taken together.
I’m not sure if I agree with Bhikkhu Bodhi’s notes regarding that the Tathagata is not apprehended in this very life: that is, that the term ‘Tathagata’ refers to a compound of imperament formations. I see it as having much more of a transcendental impact. Cf Sangharakshita Three Jewels, Survey, and The Ideal of Human Enlightenment. It seems to me that the Mahayana really has a better handle on this entire issue.
87: The “Dhamma-Body” doctrine is here revealed: although the Theravada may distinguish only two bodies rather than three, nonetheless the connection is clear. The phrase “Dhammakaya” appears in the commentary.
This sutta is discussed by Sangharakshita in “Survey”, pg. 279.
Sangharakshita makes exactly the point that I had discussed under #86: how we interpret such a phrase as Dhammakaya rather depends on taking a more literalist or liberalist point of view.
90: I think that the venerable Channa is an archetype of many practitioners when he says: “OK, so the aggregates are impermanent and nonself. But this knowledge doesn’t seem to change me—my mind is every bit as much of a mess as it has always been. The mind keeps turning back on itself saying ‘but who is my self/’”
92: Rahula learns the 15-step meditation.
94: “A proponent of the Dhamma does not dispute with anyone in the world”—that is to say, the Dhamma is not a philosophical system which is argued and proven by disputation.
Dialectic, however, is a different matter—there is discussion and mutual learning.
The wise agree that the khandhas are not permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change. The wise agree that they are impermanent, subject to change.
“world-phenomenon”—the khandhas. This ties in well with the notion of ‘world’ as our conditioned existence.
The commentary points to three usages here of “world”:
1. World of beings—I do not dispute with the world.
2. World-phenomenon—the world of formations.
3. Geographic world—“The Tathagata was born in the world.”
95: In this “simile” sutta the Buddha approaches the prajnaparamita. Bhikkhu Bodhi refers to “Madhyamika” which is probably about the furthest a Theravadin is willing to go in regards to the prajnaparamita.
Metaphor of the mirage in perception—and the bubble—this is the Diamon sutra.
The banana (plaintain) tree makes a great metaphor for insubstantiality.
96: Here the metaphor is that of the richest, most luxurious life possible—but it all passes, changes, no matter what. We cannot make them eternal.
97: Another metaphoric treatment.
98: Now no metaphor. The bhikkhu says is there is any permanent khandha. The Buddha’s reply: no.
99 – 100: A strong metaphor here. We are tied to our conceptions of a ‘self’ in the khandhas, as a dog is tied to a leash tied to a post.
101: All the wishes in the world will not bring us liberation. We must practise—as the hen must sit on her eggs.
If the hen doesn’t sit on her eggs, they won’t hatch whether or not she wants them to. If the hen sits properly on her eggs, they’ll hatch—whether or not she wants them to.
As we work on something, we may not notice its growth and development on a day-by-day basis, but at some point or another indeed we will see that it has developed.
As we continue to work on our defilements, they weaken and rot. Then they will finally collapse when they are sufficiently weakened.
102: Impermanence as the root perception—the knowledge of impermanence eliminates the conceit of the separate self.
103: “Identify” is here identified as lodging in the khandhas. They are placed in a context that identifies them with the Four Noble Truths—they are the truth of suffering.
104: This makes the connection all the clearer.
109: The “stream-enterer” is one who understands the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape in the case of the khandhas.
110: The arahant has the same characteristics as #109, but uses that knwoeldge to eradicate all defilements.
111-112: The abandonment of desire in regards to the khandhas is made abundantly clear:
abandon: lust, engagement and clinging, underlying tendencies, desire, mental standpoints, craving, and adherences.
These are abandoned in regard to each khandha.
113: Ignorance is lack of knowledge of the four stages of each khandha (i.e., the Four Noble Truths pattern.)
114: “True knowledge” is understanding them. (This is the Theravada view of prajña.)
117: Powerful metaphors here:
bound by bondage to x
bound by inner and outer bondage
does not see the near shore and the far shore
grows old in bondage
dies in bondage
in bondage goes from this world to the other world
118 – 119: The 15-step meditation on the khandhas.
122: Sariputta gives a meditation subject on the five khandhas:
impermanent
suffering
disease
tumor
dart
misery
affliction
alien
distintegrating
empty
nonself
126: The Buddha gives a meditation subject:
x is subject to arising
x is subject to vanishing
x is subject to arising and vanishing
(This would combine well with the 15-step meditation, making it into a 30-step meditation. This one comes first, then the other.)
127 – 135: each of these contrasts ignorance with “true knowledge” in regards to the khandhas.
136: The khandhas as hot embers—don’t hold them.
137 – 145: These are various meditation formulate, abandoning:
desire impermanent
lust for whatever is suffering
desire and lust non-self
146 – 149: Another set of formulae:
dwell engrossed in revulsion towards x
contemplate impermanence of x
contemplate suffering in x
contemplate nonself in x
151: Without clinging to x, we can’t think: x is mine, I am x, x is myself.
150 – 158: the many non-conducive views that can arise when we cling to the khandhas and invest them with the notion of self:
150: pleasure and pain arise internally
151: x is mine, I am x, x is my self
152: eternalism
153: annihilationism
154: wrong view
155: identity view
156: view of self
157: fetters, adherences, shackles arise
158: fetters, adherences, shackles, holding arise
159: a fine summation of the entire samyutta.