Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saṃyutta
10. Puppha Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
22. Kindred Sayings on Elements
10. On Flowers
Sutta 97
Nakha-Sikh'Opama Suttaṃ
Tip of the Nail[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then a certain brother came to the Exalted One,
saluted him
and sat down at one side.
So seated, that brother thus addressed the Exalted One:
"Pray, lord, is there any body
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast?
Pray, lord, is there any feeling
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast?
Pray, lord, is there any perception
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast?
Pray, lord, is there any activities
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast?
Pray, lord, is there any consciousness
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast?"
■
"No, brother, there is no material form
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast.
There is no feeling
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast.
There is no perception
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast.
There are no activities
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast.
There is no consciousness
that is permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast."
■
Then the Exalted One took up a pinch of dust on the tip of his nail and said to that brother:
"Even thus much material form, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it will stand fast.
If even thus much material form, brother,
were permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
then the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
would not be set forth.|| ||
But inasmuch as even thus much material form, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
therefore the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
is set forth.
■
If even thus much feeling, brother,
were permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
then the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
would not be set forth.|| ||
But inasmuch as even thus much feeling, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
therefore the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
is set forth.
■
If even thus much perception, brother,
were permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
then the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
would not be set forth.|| ||
But inasmuch as even thus much perception, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
therefore the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
is set forth.
■
If even thus much of the activities, brother,
were permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
then the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
would not be set forth.|| ||
But inasmuch as even thus much of the activities, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
therefore the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
is set forth.
■
If even thus much consciousness, brother,
were permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
then the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
would not be set forth.|| ||
But inasmuch as even thus much consciousness, brother,
is not permanent,
stable,
by nature lasting,
unchanging,
like unto the eternal,
so that thus it would stand fast,
therefore the living of the holy life
for the utter destruction of suffering
is set forth.
■
Now as to this, what think you, brother?|| ||
Is body permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is feeling permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is perception permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are the activities permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
"Therefore, brethren, every body whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every body should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every feeling whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every feeling should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every perception whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every perception should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every activity whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every activity should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every consciousness whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every consciousness should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
§
[117] Wherefore, brethren, he who thus sees
conceives disgust at body,
at feeling,
at perception,
at the activities,
at consciousness.
Being disgusted
he is repelled by them;
by that repulsion he is released;
by that release he is set free;
knowledge arises:
in the freed man is the freed thing,
and he knows:
"Destroyed is rebirth;
lived is the righteous life;
done is the task;
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter."
