Udayin

I HEAR TELL:

Once upon a time, Bhante Ananda and Bhante Udayin were revisiting Kosambi in Ghosita Park. At this time Bhante Udayin, emerging from solitary meditation towards evening, went to visit Ananda, and after exchanging greetings, asked him:

"In many diverse ways, Ananda, The Bhagava has defined, explained, and expounded upon body as being not-self; is it possible also to define, explain and expound upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination?"

It is, friend. Because of contact of eye and visible object eye-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for eye-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out eye-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

Because of contact of ear and sound ear-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for ear-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out ear-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

Because of contact of nose and scents scent-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for scent-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out scent-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

Because of contact of tongue and savours taste-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for taste-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out taste-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

Because of contact of body and touch tactile-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for tactile-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out tactile-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

Because of contact of mind and ideas mental-consciousness appears, is this how you see it?

Yes, friend.

If the basis for mental-consciousness were to end, were to become completely extinct in every way; would one be able to point out mental-consciousness?

No, friend.

This is the way, friend, the Bhagava has defined, explained and expounded upon consciousness as being not-self such as to make it simple, clear and open to examination.

§

In the same way as a woodsman, friend, in need of heart-wood, should take his sharp axe and setting out to find heart-wood, meandering around looking for heart-wood, should come upon a great plaintain trunk young, growing straight and tall, of a great height, and he cuts it down at the root, cuts it off at the crown and peels off the outer bark: not only would he find no heart-wood, he would find no center-wood at all!

In the same way, friend, a beggar can find no self or thing belonging to self in the realm of the senses. So seeing he is detached. Detached he trembles not. Untrembling he has freed himself and he knows: "Left behind is birth, done is duty's doing, lived is the best of lives, there is no more it'n'n'at'n for me!"