1On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahakoṭṭhita were dwelling at Baraṇasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Mahakoṭṭhita emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Sāriputta, exchanged greetings, and said to him: "Friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to?"

"Friend Koṭṭhita, a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. [n.225] This list is found elsewhere in the Nikāyas (e.g., at MN I 435,33–35, MN I 500,3–5, AN II 128,16–18, AN IV 422,25–423,1). The eleven terms are expanded to forty at Paṭis II 238, and commented on at Vism 611–13 (Ppn 20:19–20). Spk reduces them to the three contemplations: "impermanence" and "disintegration" represent contemplation of impermanence; "empty" and "nonself," contemplation of nonself; and the others, contemplation of suffering. Vism 613 and Ps III 146,13, however, assign "as alien" (parato) to the contemplation of nonself, which seems more plausible. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. A virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. sn.iii.168 When, friend, a virtuous bhikkhu carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of stream-entry."

2"But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to?"

"Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of once-returning."

3"But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to?"

"Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a once-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of nonreturning."

4"But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to?"

"Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of arahantship."

5"But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to?"

"Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. For the arahant, friend, there is nothing further that has to be done and no repetition of what he has already done. [n.226] Natthi … arahato uttarikaraṇīyaṁ katassa vā paṭicayo. Spk does not comment on this, but Mp IV 165,3–5 (commenting on AN IV 355,24–25) explains: "There is nothing further to be done, because he has done the four tasks imposed by the Four Noble Truths (see SN56.11). And no repetition of what he has already done, for the developed path need not be developed again and the abandoned defilements need not be abandoned again." On "a pleasant dwelling in this very life," just below, see II, n. 332. sn.iii.169 However, when these things are developed and cultivated, they lead to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ vihāranti isipatane migadāye. Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami … pe … etadavoca: "sīlavatāvuso, sāriputta, bhikkhunā katame dhammā yoniso manasikātabbā"ti?

"Sīlavatāvuso, koṭṭhika, bhikkhunā pañcupādānakkhandhā aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Katame pañca? Seyyathidaṁ – rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Sīlavatāvuso, koṭṭhika, bhikkhunā ime pañcupādānakkhandhā aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati yaṁ sīlavā bhikkhu ime pañcupādānakkhandhe aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi karonto sotāpattiphalaṁ sacchikareyyā"ti.

2"Sotāpannena panāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhunā katame dhammā yoniso manasi kātabbā"ti?

"Sotāpannenapi kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, bhikkhunā ime pañcupādānakkhandhā aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati yaṁ sotāpanno bhikkhu ime pañcupādānakkhandhe aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi karonto sakadāgāmiphalaṁ sacchikareyyā"ti.

3"Sakadāgāminā panāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhunā katame dhammā yoniso manasi kātabbā"ti?

"Sakadāgāmināpi kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, bhikkhunā ime pañcupādānakkhandhā aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati yaṁ sakadāgāmī bhikkhu ime pañcupādānakkhandhe aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi karonto anāgāmiphalaṁ sacchikareyyā"ti.

4"Anāgāminā panāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhunā katame dhammā yoniso manasi kātabbā"ti?

"Anāgāmināpi kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, bhikkhunā ime pañcupādānakkhandhā aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati yaṁ anāgāmī bhikkhu ime pañcupādānakkhandhe aniccato … pe … anattato yoniso manasi karonto arahattaṁ sacchikareyyā"ti.

5"Arahatā panāvuso sāriputta, katame dhammā yoniso manasi kātabbā"ti?

"Arahatāpi kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, ime pañcupādānakkhandhe aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato yoniso manasi kātabbā. Natthi, khvāvuso, arahato uttari karaṇīyaṁ katassa vā paticayo; api ca ime dhammā bhāvitā bahulīkatā diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārāya ceva saṁvattanti satisampajaññāya cā"ti.

Dasamaṁ.