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they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. To them, those teachings, not examined for their meaning with wisdom, do not bring conviction. They learn the Dhamma for the sake of criticizing, and for the sake of escaping criticism. And the purpose for which they learn the Dhamma, they do not experience that purpose. Those teachings, badly grasped by them, lead to their harm and suffering for a long time. For what reason? Because of the bad grasping of the teachings, bhikkhus. Just as, bhikkhus, a man desirous of a water-snake, seeking a water-snake, searching for a water-snake, might see a large water-snake. He might grasp it by its coils or by its tail. That water-snake, turning back, might bite him on his hand or arm or on some other limb. He might on that account meet death or suffering like death. For what reason? Because of the bad grasping of the water-snake, bhikkhus. In the same way, bhikkhus, some foolish men here learn the Dhamma – discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, 'thus-saids', birth stories, wonderful phenomena, and question-and-answer. Having learned that Dhamma, they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. To them, those teachings, not examined for their meaning with wisdom, do not bring conviction. They learn the Dhamma for the sake of criticizing, and for the sake of escaping criticism. And the purpose for which they learn the Dhamma, they do not experience that purpose. Those teachings, badly grasped by them, lead to their harm and suffering for a long time. For what reason? Because of the bad grasping of the teachings, bhikkhus. 239. But here, bhikkhus, some young men of good family learn the Dhamma – discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions sutta, geyya, veyyākaraṇa, gātha, udāna, itivuttaka, jātaka, abbhutadhamma, vedalla. Having learned that Dhamma, they examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. To them, those teachings, examined for their meaning with wisdom, are agreeable to insight. They do not learn the Dhamma for the sake of finding fault, nor for the sake of escaping criticism. And they experience the purpose for which they learned the Dhamma. To them, those teachings, well-grasped, lead to welfare and happiness for a long time. For what reason? Because the teachings are well-grasped, bhikkhus. Just as, bhikkhus, a man in search of a snake, seeking a snake, looking for a snake, might see a large snake. He would seize it firmly with a forked stick. Having seized it firmly with a forked stick, he would grasp it well by the neck. Even if that snake, bhikkhus, were to coil around that man's hand or arm or any other limb with its body, he would not on that account come to death or suffering like death. For what reason? Because the snake is well-grasped, bhikkhus. In the same way, bhikkhus, some young men of good family learn the Dhamma— sutta, geyya, veyyākaraṇa, gātha, udāna, itivuttaka, jātaka, abbhutadhamma, vedalla. Having learned that Dhamma, they examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. To them, those teachings, examined for their meaning with wisdom, are agreeable to insight. They do not learn the Dhamma for the sake of finding fault, nor for the sake of escaping criticism. And they experience the purpose for which they learned the Dhamma. To them, those teachings, well-grasped, lead to benefit, welfare, and happiness for a long time. For what reason? Because the teachings are well-grasped, bhikkhus. Therefore, bhikkhus, that of what I have spoken you might understand the meaning, and thus you should bear it in mind. And of what I have spoken you do not understand the meaning, I am to be questioned by you about it, or those bhikkhus who are skilled. 240. “Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma as a raft, for crossing over, not for grasping. Listen to that, pay careful attention, I will speak.” “Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Just as, monks, a man on a journey. He might see a great expanse of water, the near shore perilous and fearful, the far shore safe and free from fear; and there is no boat for crossing, no bridge for going from this side to the other. It occurs to him thus: ‘This is a great expanse of water, the near shore perilous and fearful, the far shore safe and free from fear; and there is no boat for crossing, no bridge for going from this side to the other. What if I were to gather grass, wood, branches, and leaves, and bind them into a raft, and relying on that raft, striving with my hands and feet, safely cross over to the other shore?’ Then, monks, that man having gathered grass, wood, branches, and leaves, and bound them into a raft, relying on that raft, striving with his hands and feet, safely crosses over to the other shore. To that man, having crossed over, having reached the other shore, it occurs thus: ‘This raft has been of great help to me; relying on this raft, striving with my hands and feet, I have safely crossed over. What if I were to place this raft on my head or carry it on my shoulder and go wherever I wish?’ What do you think, monks, would that man, acting thus, be doing what is proper with regard to that raft?” “No, Bhante.” “How then, monks, would that man be doing what is proper with regard to that raft? Here, monks, to that man, And for one who has crossed over, who has reached the other shore, it would be thus: 'This raft has been very helpful to me; relying on this raft, striving with my hands and feet, I have safely crossed to the other shore. What if I were to lift this raft onto dry land, or sink it in the water, and then go on my way as I please?' Doing thus, monks, that person would be doing what is proper with regard to that raft. Even so, monks, the Dhamma taught by me is like a raft, for crossing over, not for holding on to. The Dhamma taught to you, monks, is like a raft; by those who understand, even the teachings should be given up, how much more so non-teachings. 241. "Monks, there are these six standpoints of views. Which six? Here, monks, an uninstructed ordinary person, who is not a seer of the noble ones, not skilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not trained in the Dhamma of the noble ones; who is not a seer of the true persons, not skilled in the Dhamma of the true persons, not trained in the Dhamma of the true persons, regards form as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' He regards feeling as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' He regards perception as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' He regards mental formations as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' And whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and explored by the mind, that too he regards as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' And whatever standpoint of view there is: 'The world is the self, after death I shall be permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, I shall remain the same for all eternity' – that too he regards as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' But, monks, a well-instructed noble disciple, who is a seer of the noble ones, skilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, well-trained in the Dhamma of the noble ones; who is a seer of the true persons, skilled in the Dhamma of the true persons, well-trained in the Dhamma of the true persons, he regards form as: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' He regards feeling as: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' perception: 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self' he perceives. formations: 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self' he perceives. Whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind: even that: 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self' he perceives. Whatever view-point there is: 'The world is the self, after death I shall be permanent, stable, eternal, of a nature not to change, I shall stand fast just like that for all eternity' – even that: 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self' he perceives. Perceiving thus, when there is nothing, he does not tremble. 242. When this was said, a certain monk said to the Blessed One: "Is it possible, Venerable Sir, that there is trembling when there is nothing external?" "It is possible, monk," the Blessed One said. "Here, monk, it occurs to some: 'Alas, I had it, alas, I do not have it; alas, I might have it, alas, I do not obtain it.' He grieves, he is distressed, he laments, he beats his breast, he cries out, he falls into confusion. Thus, monk, there is trembling when there is nothing external." "But is it possible, Venerable Sir, that there is no trembling when there is nothing external?" "It is possible, monk," the Blessed One said. "Here, monk, it does not occur to some: 'Alas, I had it, alas, I do not have it; alas, I might have it, alas, I do not obtain it.' He does not grieve, he is not distressed, he does not lament, he does not beat his breast, he does not cry out, he does not fall into confusion. Thus, monk, there is no trembling when there is nothing external." "Is it possible, Venerable Sir, that there is trembling when there is nothing internal?" "It is possible, monk," the Blessed One said. "Here, monk, some hold such a view: 'The world is the self, after death I shall be permanent, stable, eternal, of a nature not to change, I shall stand fast just like that for all eternity.' He hears from a Tathāgata or a disciple of a Tathāgata about the uprooting of all such viewpoints... for the uprooting of latent tendencies of clinging to views, for the calming of all formations, for the relinquishing of all acquisitions, for the destruction of craving, for dispassion, for cessation, for Nibbāna, while the Dhamma is being taught. Then it occurs to him: 'I shall be annihilated! I shall be destroyed! I shall cease to exist!' He grieves, he lamours, he weeps,