Buddhism

The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

8

Once I moved to Cold Mountain, everything was at rest.
No more useless, mixed-up thinking.
In idleness, I write my poems on stone walls,
accepting whatever happens like an untied boat.

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

7

My mind is like an autumn moon
glowing purely in a clear blue abyss.
Nothing compares to it.
What could I possibly say?

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I think that Buddhists are much more tolerant than envious people on other subLemmy. Don't be misled by the fact that the topic comes from a satanic forum, as it mainly concerns issues of sexuality and spiritual confusion in this area.

cross-postowane z: https://lemmy.world/post/20274211

I thought that Satanists would be more tolerant of my thoughts, which is why I'm posting this here. It may correspond with Satanism through the acceptance and discussion of the lifestyle that was practiced in Sodom and Gomorrah. Although I do not claim to be describing anything controversial. Maybe it don't going to vanish from here. ** UCS = Used Condom Syndrome **

** This topic is dedicated to more liberated individuals. ;) Probably many actively dating, attractive women encounter this phenomenon/problem.** It is a form of emotional burnout, non-professional, related to dating, that I have observed in myself. Although I refer to the opposite sex, this entry reveals a male homosexual perspective on the issue. You are a larger audience, and in fact, we are interacting with the same sex (for clarification). This phenomenon does not necessarily have to pertain to those who are attracted to men, but for stereotypical reasons, it is more often the group of androsexuals that complains UCS. Women tend to complain more than men (in general), and the sexual strategy of men provides more factors that can trigger UCS in women. At least, I see the logic in this.

** Important: The issues regarding gays in this article pertain only to male gays, due to the specificity of the topic and the linguistic translation from the original language of this text.**

**In this entry, I would like to invite discussants to reflect on the described phenomenon and engage in constructive dialogue to broaden horizons regarding the issue at hand. If anyone has read or is interested in similar topics, I encourage you to share articles/sources to spread useful information. I also encourage the dissemination of this entry among those who may be interested in the topic; the goal is to gather as many thoughts as possible, which will be helpful in the future—this is mainly what it’s about. **

If we consider what burnout is, some of you may come to a similar conclusion—it is emotional burnout related to work. After all, in professional work, we primarily utilize emotional intelligence according to the current mainstream view. Building social and sexual relationships is also a certain kind of "work," but the capital gained is somewhat more metaphysical. When dating, we essentially work solely on emotions.

If in romantic pursuits we derive fewer positive emotions than we invest in developing relationships, a "gap" appears that needs to be patched (if someone is more specific, it concerns obtaining endorphins and other endogenous stimulators of the central nervous system and others). We compensate for such emotional deficits, whether to heal emotional wounds or by falling into psychological pathologies: depression, neurosis, addictions, obsessions…

Burned-out individuals (with UCS) probably temporarily become disillusioned with sexual life (just like I sometimes do). They experience humiliation and neglect this area—an area that is part of the basic needs of every human being, as we are created for social life, including sexual life. Primatologists believe that sex serves not only a reproductive role for humans but is also socially important—should anyone want to deny that.

Even seemingly more attractive individuals may derive less positive emotional energy from dating. You have a limited number of partners with a similar aesthetic. You take care of your body, your appearance, your clothing—then a guy shows up, even 10 years older, with a different body, and after a preliminary introduction, he primarily asks what excites you the most; he encourages your favorite positions and sexual behaviors. After the first ejaculation, the guy claims he has no more time because work/responsibilities are pressing. It turns out you are just a one-time thing. You feel like a used condom. Women probably do this too, but I don’t know for obvious reasons.

Then, little by little, UCS arises—you become a one-time sexual pleasure, and then the other party turns the next person into a prostitute. One such date for most people shouldn’t result in UCS (unless it was a truly terrible date), but negative emotions, wasted engagement, and disappointment accumulate in the brain's folds. Emotional deficits arise—burnout.

In this UCS, I’m not just talking about the drain of energy through unsatisfying intercourse. After all, on dating sites, you have to fend off: old geezers (who might also insult you in comments or gossip about you), people who don’t realize that they repel you, fat people, chain smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts. There are photo scammers, demanding one more, another one. Then you have your phone filled with pictures of every body part because someone supposedly finds that exciting. Some of the solicited photos are definitely circulating on 4Chans, 8Chans, and various NSFW sections…

Some are just annoying (they make you their therapist, psychologist, and you don’t know when they’ll stop, and one day they’ll get to the point of asking for a date). Many, if not most, guys don’t know what they want, and the most dangerous ones are the hunting hackers, rapists, sadists, who instill fear and uncertainty in those aware of the threats. Cyber stress related to online dating also adds to the bag of today’s worries and concerns.

You have to defend yourself against parasites of sexual satisfaction or other forms of satisfaction. After all, all of this takes an awful lot of time and emotionally drains you, because replying to many people is practically a job. It can also be consuming, and sometimes you can lose track of time. Skilled scammers and trolls know how to ensnare a person in discussion. I’m not saying that such writing only impoverishes and ruins life, but it shouldn’t require so much effort. About 5-8 years ago, there wasn’t as much pathology on dating sites. Now, it’s also unclear how many accounts are real and how many are bots—the theory of the empty internet comes into play.

Men are often born actors, hiding their flaws and showcasing their strengths—not all, but there is a certain tendency; ask mothers how wonderful your fathers were before they met your mothers, and what happened afterward (my dad also had abs, and then a Shrek-like belly). There’s also this issue—among gay men, in my opinion, it’s minimal because usually, most take care of themselves and like to be honest. We are generally more expressive than heterosexuals.

In a sea of inconveniences, the problem arises of not falling into the other extreme. SKZB – searching for a prince charming. You have to accept certain flaws that you see from the very beginning, because otherwise, you’ll end up going on dates once a month or every six months. We live on the margins of society. We have increased tendencies to develop flaws. Almost all the gay men I know are a bit odd and slightly disturbed—you can’t escape that. Plus, there aren’t many of us.

Hence, there is a need for good dating strategies to make this process more balanced. Gay men also often date for the purpose of seeking friendly companionship because it’s harder for us to be friends with heterosexuals. That’s just life.

We don’t have it like heterosexuals. For example, I feel increasingly uncomfortable year by year regarding the absence of the entire life sphere called: home and family. Friends at parties mainly focus on flirting and looking for spouses. A gay man talking to a heterosexual feels like a different species. In fact, if I started to introduce heterosexuals to what our world looks like, they might experience such a cultural shock that it would be enough for them to turn around and stop talking to me. You know, media propaganda and colorful activism are not real life. In a group, you don’t have to be just gay to hear insults about yourself.

Even living in "enclaves" of gay people (cities with a higher concentration of gay individuals), it’s hard to find someone nice—often they are already "taken" and living in monogamous relationships (people who don’t like to be alone). Open relationships usually look for quick hookups—probably understandable—plus two for one…

I’ve had about three more persistent/serious relationship proposals in my life, but those were in the heat of the moment for those individuals. Such things can’t be taken seriously (it mainly concerned distance, lifestyle, and the level of acquaintance ending after one or a few dates). Do you think that over time it doesn’t raise doubts? Our doubts are traitors. Memories also carry their weight.

Organized people know that without knowledge, we can’t do much today, which is why this thread was created. Let’s share knowledge about online dating. It would be especially nice if women could weigh in on the topic, as we have a common target group, and gay men probably don’t know much about it and there are few of them/us. I might repay you in the future with other posts that will help you understand men and how to deal with them, because a guy knows more about guys.

Share your observations on how to prevent UCS What conversation/screening strategies do you use? Above all, how do you recognize fake accounts and dangerous individuals?

I’m not looking for the basics, but rather more advanced advice.

For example, I’ve noticed that usually, if I’ve been chatting with someone for over a week before we start meeting, the further relationship is more likely to develop; they tend to be more interesting partners. The guy is often more interested in me, but usually, I have to initiate the next meeting or maintain contact.

Now I will continue with my observations for the sake of discussion. Not only about UCS, but that’s like the main theme—really, everything can influence it (sexology is not exact):

»Sharing a bed with a partner usually reduces the effect of UCS. I don’t usually feel like a whore afterward. »A few days of intimacy are worth the time spent. At least for me. :D »(Men) Be prepared for the fact that your partner may not always be able to excite you, even if you initially think otherwise. Even initial arousal can quickly fade. Then, forcing such intimacy can further trigger UCS. »Younger doesn’t mean better. On the other hand, don’t focus on chronological age, but rather on biological age and emotional maturity. Many people lie about their age. You can also lie a little for comfort and privacy reasons, but not excessively—maybe 1-2 years. Remember that you’re not going to bed with age brackets, but with a partner. XD

»Taking someone’s guy/male gay virginity is not something nice. Some guys like to deflower and treat such sex as a rarity. In my opinion, it’s a bit like leading a nervous boy by his penis. Even arranging a first date with such a guy will be technically difficult—more chatting, more flirting, and a higher chance that he’ll get scared and ghost you. He can behave in various ways. Then, if you don’t like him, you might have a problem because he will most likely fall in love. Unless that’s what you’re counting on. The upside is that you can do whatever you want with such a guy as long as he doesn’t run away. XD

»After taking painkillers, you might have weaker sexual experiences. If something hurts, be honest—consider rescheduling the encounter.

»Take a look at an atlas of erogenous zones—you’ll be surprised, there’s a lot of it.

»(Mainly for men) don’t forget that after the gym or other sports, your muscles are temporarily larger and swollen—you’ll definitely bring joy to the bedroom with that. For clarity, significantly larger—noticeable if someone hasn’t noticed the difference.

»If your partner isn’t very active in bed, he’s doing something wrong—he’s not trying, so it’s worth suggesting to him directly and without beating around the bush—tell him straight where to touch, faster, slower, deeper, change positions... Not everyone has the same skills or experience, and you need to learn from each other. I think a maximum of 3 tips per encounter (that’s how I feel numerically) is the limit, so the partner doesn’t feel overwhelmed or dominated. He might just think he’s no good and not suitable for sex. The problem is that if one person is trying hard in bed and the other isn’t, the trying party will feel less loved, you know what I mean.

»Young men should be careful of young intelligent women. I’m not describing my experiences here… This is of course less related to dating—but it’s somewhat a consequence. I also know of a situation where one gay guy "ran over" a friend. Love, love, and suddenly we break up—thanks for keeping me for a few years, buddy. Relationships need to be developed in stages and not too quickly. The phenomenon of "running over" someone is interesting because the victims of such relationships are often heterosexual men (at least from my surroundings), and they should have experiences related to UCS. You could call it a breakup and the breakup syndrome, but after a short relationship, we can rather talk about UCS—if the relationship lasted a few months and consisted of several dates. In that case, the affected person should feel less pain from the breakup, humiliation, emotional drain, and overall something like burnout.

»If you weren’t satisfied with your partner’s mobility in bed the first time, as trust develops (after overcoming stress), so does their boldness and possibly their engagement. It’s not necessarily a lack of bedroom talent. Courage/boldness isn’t about the absence of fear, but more about overcoming it—it’s more of a fight-or-flight response. Unless someone assimilates new experiences through more sophisticated, rarer mental mechanisms, the process of overcoming environmental stress occurs continuously and always—even during sleep. If you’re someone new in the environment, you represent quite a significant stressor.

»Are you tired of seeing pictures of another guy’s "penis"? Haven’t you checked his equipment? Are you too embarrassed to ask? That could be a traumatizing mistake. Sometimes you might be surprised by what people have in their underwear. It’s also information about your partner’s sexual health. Think about the fact that he will want you to take him in your mouth. Will you quickly try to dodge or offend his intimate area? Some things can’t be unseen. Besides, men derive pleasure from showing off their genitals; we like our tents. I don’t know if everyone will agree with me on this, but since there are plenty of them online and you don’t have to ask for these pictures, a certain rush of endorphins comes from such showing off. XD

»Easily offended people, a terrible group that preys on others' guilt. I don’t reconnect with such individuals. Sometimes someone misunderstands something, but that’s why you need to be precise and linguistically resilient—adapt to the listener's level.

»I basically described this in the paragraph above—language barriers also exist among natives. We don’t always know what the recipient’s brain will do with our message. You particularly need to be careful about what men have to convey because, statistically speaking, we are less developed linguistically and interpersonally.

»Pranksters. They are everywhere. They waste their own and others' time. What more is there to add? Trolls do the same, but I’m not a youth linguist. In my opinion, monkeys should be jumping in trees in the jungle, not playing around on Tinder and Grindr. :p When the first absurdities appear in conversations, it’s a good moment to cut off contact, or is the guy just being silly?

Write what you think about UCS and how you think one should date to avoid being taken advantage of. How do you communicate, select, and test???

I tried to treat this topic fairly seriously (with a bit of humor). I used a few scientific expressions, but don’t hold me accountable for a scientific style, as this is a casual essay written in my free time. I wrote more about what’s on my mind. Please treat this as an exchange of views and ask your friends what they think. ;)

The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

6

Lute and books should fill your life,
what can fame and money provide?
Abandon your carriage and follow the wisdom of your wife.
A humble cart is pulled by devoted children.
Wind blows over barley drying on the ground,
water floods from the pond stocked with fish.
I often think of wrens
that live peacefully on just one branch.

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

5

Go ahead! Make fun of the way to Cold Mountain,
where there’s not a trace of horse or cart.
It’s hard to remember valley switchbacks
below layer upon layer of so many peaks.
Dew weeps on a thousand kinds of grasses,
winds sing through the pine.
Lost now on my path,
Shadow, tell me, which way should I go?

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

4

If you want to attain a peaceful life,
settle down at Cold Mountain.
Subtle breezes blow through mysterious pine.
Listen closely, the sound is really good.
Beneath it, someone with graying hair
reads the Yellow Emperor and Laozi without ceasing.
After ten years, I can never return—
I’ve even forgotten the way I came.

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

3

Amidst cliffs I have made my home.
The paths of birds are beyond human tracing.
What is there beside my garden?
White clouds embracing dark stone.
How many years have I lived in this place,
watching the many changes of winter and spring?
Let me say to those with cauldrons and chimes—
there’s no merit in your worthless reputation!

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

2

No matter how high you climb Cold Mountain road,
the way to Cold Mountain never ends.
The long valley is stacked with boulders,
its shoreline wet with lush grass.
Slippery moss, regardless of rain,
pine trees singing, even without wind.
Who can go beyond the entangled world
to sit with me in the midst of white clouds?

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The Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

Translation: Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt

Part One: Original Poems, Circa Late Sixth to Early Seventh Century

1

You ask the way to Cold Mountain,
but the road does not go through.
In summer, the ice is not yet melted,
the morning sun remains hidden in mist.
How can you get here, like I did?
Our minds are not the same.
When your mind becomes like mine,
you will get here, too.

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I have a few of these I'll post in here :)

I'm really nervous about making next steps. There's not really anything near me in English for Buddhism and I would really like someone to be a guide or a pen pal.

1. I enjoy games, is bluffing such as in poker forbidden? I don't gamble.

2. Where do I start?

3. I don't understand meditation. Maybe I'm not doing it correctly?

4. Where does the Buddhist code vs religion start. For example I was told you could for example be a Christian/Muslim/Jew/Tao/Hindu/exct and Buddhist.

5. Why do you personally feel this religion is real? Is there something that made you drawn to it?

I'd like to go to a see a service. For example Catholics have church services usually on Sundays. Is there anything like that online for Buddhist teachings? There isn't much near me.

IN BUDDHISM, it is said that love and compassion are made out of one substance, which is called "understanding." If you understand, you can love. But if understanding is not there, it is impossible for you to accept and love someone. Why did he act that way? Why did he say those things? You should look deeply into these questions, and then you will see the causes of what you are dealing with.

With this understanding, you stop blaming and criticizing. Your compassion is born of your understanding of the situation.

176

Training for Happiness

LITTLE BY LITTLE you must train yourself for life, for happiness. You probably received a college degree that you spent years working for, and you thought that happiness would be possible after you got it. But that was not true, because after getting the degree and finding a job, you continued to suffer. You have to realize that happiness is not something you find at the end of the road. You have to understand that it is here, now.

I36

Feed Your Love, Not Your Suffering

NOTHING CAN survive without food, not even suffer-ing. No animal or plant can survive without food. In order for our love to survive, we have to feed it. If we don't feed it, or we feed it the wrong kind of nutrients, our love will die. In a short time, our love can turn into hate. Our suffering, our depression also needs food to survive. If our depression refuses to go away, it's because we keep feeding it daily. We can look deeply into the source of nutrition that is feeding our suffering.

Here is an essay I've written about immortality. I am aware that God is not a buddhist concept, but I believe you will find many aspects of this essay that are strikingly similar to concepts in buddhism. Either link below is fine, they are both the same content.

https://yourconstruct2.blogspot.com/

or

https://www.jamiiforums.com/threads/you-are-god-a-philosophical-essay-on-the-nature-of-existence-reality-and-immortality.1964828/

I I 5

Be a Happy Formation

THE "I" IS MADE up of the body and mind (namarupa in Sanskrit). The physical form is body, and all the other elements (skandhas) are mind. When we look deeply into these five elements, we do not see any absolute, permanent identity. They are impermanent. If you practice in such a way that harmony is established in the realm of the five elements, then joy, peace, and happiness will be possi-ble. Through breathing, through bringing your mind back to your body, through the method of deep looking, you will reestablish harmony and peace in the realm of the five elements. You will become a happy formation, pleasing to encounter, and you will be able to bring happiness to the living beings around you.

III

Taking Care of the Future

THE FUTURE IS being made out of the present, so the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment. This is logical and clear. Spending a lot of time speculating and worrying about the future is totally useless. We can only take care of our future by taking care of the present moment, because the future is made out of only one substance: the present. Only if you are anchored in the present can you prepare well for the future.

106

Worrying

YES, THERE IS tremendous suffering all over the world, but knowing this need not paralyze us. If we practice mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful sitting, and working in mindfulness, we try our best to help, and we can have peace in our heart. Worrying does not accomplish anything. Even if you worry twenty times more, it will not change the situation of the world. In fact, your anxiety will only make things worse. Even though things are not as we would like, we can still be content, knowing we are trying our best and will continue to do so. If we don't know how to breathe, smile, and live every moment of our life deeply, we will never be able to help anyone.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14284855

A Discourse on The Full-Moon Night

On a full moon night with the Sangha at Sāvatthi, the Buddha answers a series of ten questions on the aggregates.

At one time, the Blessed One was residing in Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, in Migāra's mother's mansion, with a large assembly of bhikkhus. On that occasion, the Blessed One was sitting in the open air, surrounded by the bhikkhu assembly, on the full moon night of the Uposatha (observance day) of the fifteenth.

Then, a certain bhikkhu rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms towards the Blessed One, and said:

"Venerable sir, I would ask the Blessed One about a certain matter, if the Blessed One would grant me the opportunity for my question to be answered?"

"Then, bhikkhu, sit down on your own seat and ask whatever you wish."

"Very well, venerable sir," the bhikkhu replied, having assented to the Blessed One’s response. He sat down on his own seat and asked the Blessed One:

"Are these, venerable sir, the five aggregates subject to clinging, namely: form aggregate subject to clinging, feeling aggregate subject to clinging, perception aggregate subject to clinging, volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, and consciousness aggregate subject to clinging?"

"These, bhikkhu, are indeed the five aggregates subject to clinging; namely: form aggregate subject to clinging, feeling aggregate subject to clinging, perception aggregate subject to clinging, volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, and consciousness aggregate subject to clinging."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu, pleased and appreciative of what the Blessed One had said, asked another question:

"What, venerable sir, is the root of these five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"Bhikkhus, these five aggregates subject to clinging have desire as their root".

"Venerable sir, is that very clinging the same as these five aggregates subject to clinging, or is it something apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"Bhikkhu, that very clinging is neither the same as these five aggregates subject to clinging nor is it something apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging; but whatever desire and lust is therein, that is the clinging therein."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"Is it possible, venerable sir, for there to be moderation in desire and lust within these five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"It is possible, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said:

"Here, bhikkhu, someone thinks: 'May I be of such form in the future, may I have such feeling in the future, may I have such perception in the future, may I have such volitional formations in the future, may I have such consciousness in the future.' Thus, bhikkhu, there can be moderation in desire and lust within these five aggregates subject to clinging."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How far, venerable sir, does the term 'aggregates' apply?"

"Whatever form, bhikkhu, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the form aggregate. Whatever feeling, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the feeling aggregate. Whatever perception, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the perception aggregate. Whatever volitional formations, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the volitional formations aggregate. Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the consciousness aggregate. Thus far, bhikkhu, the term 'aggregates' applies."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the volitional formations aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate?"

"The four great elements, bhikkhu, are the cause, the four great elements are the condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the volitional formations aggregate. Name-and-form is the cause, name-and-form is the condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How does self-view arise?"

"Here, bhikkhu, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or self as in form; regards feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or self as in feeling; regards perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or self as in perception; regards volitional formations as self, or self as possessing volitional formations, or volitional formations as in the self, or self as in volitional formations; regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or self as in consciousness. This is how self-view arises, bhikkhu."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How does self-view not arise?"

"Here, bhikkhu, a learned noble disciple, who has regard for noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true men and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or self as in form; does not regard feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or self as in feeling; does not regard perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or self as in perception; does not regard volitional formations as self, or self as possessing volitional formations, or volitional formations as in the self, or self as in volitional formations; does not regard consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or self as in consciousness. This is how self-view does not arise, bhikkhu."

"What is the gratification, what is the danger, and what is the escape in the case of form; what is the gratification, what is the danger, and what is the escape in the case of feeling ... perception ... volitional formations ... consciousness?"

"The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on form, bhikkhu, that is the gratification in form. That form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in form. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for form, that is the escape from form. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on feeling, that is the gratification in feeling. That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in feeling. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for feeling, that is the escape from feeling. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on perception, that is the gratification in perception. That perception is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in perception. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for perception, that is the escape from perception. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on volitional formations, that is the gratification in volitional formations. That volitional formations are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in volitional formations. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for volitional formations, that is the escape from volitional formations. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on consciousness, that is the gratification in consciousness. That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in consciousness. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for consciousness, that is the escape from consciousness."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu, pleased and appreciative of what the Blessed One had said, asked another question:

"How, venerable sir, for one who knows and sees, in this very life, with regard to this consciousness-containing body and all external signs, is there no I-making, mine-making, and underlying tendency to conceit?"

"Whatever form, bhikkhu, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all form: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever feeling, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all feeling: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever perception, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all perception: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever volitional formations, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all volitional formations: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. This is how, bhikkhu, for one who knows and sees, in this very life, with regard to this consciousness-containing body and all external signs, there is no I-making, mine-making, and underlying tendency to conceit."

At that time, it occurred to a certain bhikkhu:

"So it seems, indeed, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, volitional formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self; how then do actions performed by a not-self affect oneself?"

Then, the Blessed One, knowing with his mind the thought in that bhikkhu's mind, addressed the bhikkhus:

"There is this possibility, bhikkhus, that someone, being ignorant (misapprehending true reality), under the sway of craving, might thus misinterpret the teaching: 'So it seems, indeed, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, volitional formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self. How then do actions performed by a not-self affect oneself?' You should be trained in this way, bhikkhus, regarding these matters.

What do you think, bhikkhus, is form permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, venerable sir."

"Is feeling ... perception ... volitional formations ... consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, venerable sir."

"And is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"

"Suffering, venerable sir."

"And is it fitting to regard what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"

"It is not fitting, venerable sir."

Therefore, in this way, bhikkhus, one understands: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' with regard to all forms, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations, and consciousness, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing these aggregates in this way, one becomes disenchanted with form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Through disenchantment, one becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, one is liberated. With liberation, there comes the knowledge that one is liberated, and one understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.'

These are the ten questions posed by the bhikkhu:

Two concern the aggregates—

Asking if they are the same or distinct,

And about designation along with cause.

Two more relate to identity,

With one each on the themes of gratification,

And the consciousness-containing body.

---

The Buddha taught the most on the four noble truths. This teaching shares a series of common questions he was asked on the topic. Reflecting and investigating into the five aggregates to understand them, to see their origin, passing away and cessation is how one cultivates wisdom to operate with ease in the world and in harmony in one's personal and professional relationships.

Related Teachings:

Teachings on Living Beings and the Five Aggregates - A series of teachings on what makes a living being a living being and the five aggregates.

A lump of foam (SN 22.95) - The Buddha gives a series of similes for the aggregates: physical form is like foam, feeling is like a bubble, perception is like a mirage, choices are like a coreless tree, and consciousness is like an illusion.

I meditate. vipassana. big fan.