SN 22.33

Natumhākasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. “Yaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ? Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Sā vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Saññā na tumhākaṁ … saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ, te pajahatha. Te vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissanti. Viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

It’s Not Yours

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, give up what’s not yours. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. And what isn’t yours? Form isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṁ imasmiṁ jetavane tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ taṁ jano hareyya vā ḍaheyya vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā kareyya. Api nu tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘amhe jano harati vā ḍahati vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karotī’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Na hi no etaṁ, bhante, attā vā attaniyaṁ vā”ti. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Sā vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Saññā na tumhākaṁ … saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ … viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha. Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissatī”ti.

Suppose a person was to carry off the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta’s Grove, or burn them, or do what they want with them. Would you think: ‘This person is carrying us off, burning us, or doing what they want with us’?” “No, sir. Why is that? Because to us that’s neither self nor belonging to self.” “In the same way, mendicants, form isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.”