DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45392#0071
The First Turning of the Wheel of the Law
the predispositions, and consciousness together constitute
the eternal soul, for were it so, it would not be the case
that the consciousness likewise tends towards destruction.
Or how think you, whether is form permanent or transitory ?
and whether are sensation, perception, and predispositions
and consciousness permanent or transitory? ‘They are
transitory,’ replied the Five. ‘And that which is tran-
sitory, is it evil or good? ’ ‘ It is evil,’ replied the Five.
‘ And that which is transitory, evil, and liable to change,
can it be said that ‘This is mine, this am I, this is my
eternal soul?’ ‘ Nay, verily, it cannot be so said,’ replied
the Five. ‘Then, O Bhikkhus, it must be said of all
physical form whatsoever, past or present or to be, sub-
jective or objective, far or near, high or low, that “This
is not mine, this am I not, this is not my eternal soul.” ’
And in like manner of all sensations, perceptions, predis-
positions and consciousness, it must be said, ‘These are
not mine, these am I not, these are not my eternal soul.’
And perceiving this, O Bhikkhus, the true disciple will
conceive a disgust for physical form, and for sensation,
perception, predispositions and consciousness, and so will
be divested of desire; and thereby he is freed, and
becomes aware that he is freed; and he knows that
becoming is exhausted, that he has lived the pure life,
that he has done what it behoved him do, and that he
has put off mortality for ever.”
And through this discourse the minds of the Five were
perfectly enlightened, and each of them attained to
Nibbana, so that at this time there existed five Arahats
in the world, with the Buddha himself the sixth. The
next day a young man of the name of Yasa, together with
fifty-four companions likewise attained illumination, and
thus there were sixty persons beside the Master himself,
41
the predispositions, and consciousness together constitute
the eternal soul, for were it so, it would not be the case
that the consciousness likewise tends towards destruction.
Or how think you, whether is form permanent or transitory ?
and whether are sensation, perception, and predispositions
and consciousness permanent or transitory? ‘They are
transitory,’ replied the Five. ‘And that which is tran-
sitory, is it evil or good? ’ ‘ It is evil,’ replied the Five.
‘ And that which is transitory, evil, and liable to change,
can it be said that ‘This is mine, this am I, this is my
eternal soul?’ ‘ Nay, verily, it cannot be so said,’ replied
the Five. ‘Then, O Bhikkhus, it must be said of all
physical form whatsoever, past or present or to be, sub-
jective or objective, far or near, high or low, that “This
is not mine, this am I not, this is not my eternal soul.” ’
And in like manner of all sensations, perceptions, predis-
positions and consciousness, it must be said, ‘These are
not mine, these am I not, these are not my eternal soul.’
And perceiving this, O Bhikkhus, the true disciple will
conceive a disgust for physical form, and for sensation,
perception, predispositions and consciousness, and so will
be divested of desire; and thereby he is freed, and
becomes aware that he is freed; and he knows that
becoming is exhausted, that he has lived the pure life,
that he has done what it behoved him do, and that he
has put off mortality for ever.”
And through this discourse the minds of the Five were
perfectly enlightened, and each of them attained to
Nibbana, so that at this time there existed five Arahats
in the world, with the Buddha himself the sixth. The
next day a young man of the name of Yasa, together with
fifty-four companions likewise attained illumination, and
thus there were sixty persons beside the Master himself,
41