SN 22.7

Upādāparitassanāsutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. “Upādāparitassanañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anupādāaparitassanañca. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti, kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

Anxiety Because of Grasping

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you how grasping leads to anxiety, and how not grasping leads to freedom from anxiety. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Kathañca, bhikkhave, upādāparitassanā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca upādāya ca paritassati.

“And how does grasping lead to anxiety? It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. But that form of theirs decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of form. Anxieties occupy their mind, born of latching on to the perishing of form, and originating in accordance with natural principles. So they become frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping.

Vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā vedanaṁ, vedanāya vā attānaṁ. Tassa sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā vedanāvipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca upādāya ca paritassati.

They regard feeling as self …

Saññaṁ attato samanupassati …pe… saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā saṅkhāre, saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ. Tassa te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti. Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā saṅkhāravipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca upādāya ca paritassati.

They regard perception as self … They regard choices as self …

Viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca upādāya ca paritassati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, upādāparitassanā hoti.

They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. But that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties occupy their mind, born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness, and originating in accordance with natural principles. So they become frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping. That’s how grasping leads to anxiety.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, anupādāaparitassanā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto, sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso apariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati.

And how does not grasping lead to freedom from anxiety? It’s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. When that form of theirs decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of form. Anxieties—born of latching on to the perishing of form and originating in accordance with natural principles—don’t occupy their mind. So they don’t become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping.

Na vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, na vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā vedanaṁ, na vedanāya vā attānaṁ. Tassa sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na vedanāvipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na vedanāvipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso apariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati.

They don’t regard feeling as self …

Na saññaṁ …pe… na saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, na attani vā saṅkhāre, na saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ. na saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; Tassa te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti. Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na saṅkhāravipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na saṅkhāravipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso apariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati.

They don’t regard perception as self … They don’t regard choices as self …

Na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ …pe… tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso apariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, anupādā aparitassanaṁ hotī”ti.

They don’t regard consciousness as self … When that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties—born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness and originating in accordance with natural principles—don’t occupy their mind. So they don’t become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping. That’s how not grasping leads to freedom from anxiety.”