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beating his breast, he falls into confusion. Thus, bhikkhu, when there is no self within, there is agitation." "But, venerable sir, might there be no agitation when there is no self within?" "There might be, bhikkhu," said the Blessed One. "Here, bhikkhu, for some, this view does not arise: 'The world is the self, that I shall be after death, eternal, stable, permanent, not subject to change, I shall stand fast just like that for eternity.' He hears the Tathāgata, or a disciple of the Tathāgata, teaching the Dhamma for the uprooting of all standpoints of views, of all assumptions, of all obsessions, of all clingings, of all latent tendencies, for the calming of all formations, for the relinquishing of all acquisitions, for the destruction of craving, for dispassion, for cessation, for Nibbāna. Then it does not occur to him: 'I shall be annihilated! I shall be destroyed! I shall cease to exist!' He does not grieve, he does not lament, he does not weep, he does not beat his breast, he does not fall into confusion. Thus, bhikkhu, when there is no self within, there is no agitation." "Monks, you should grasp that grasping which is eternal, stable, permanent, not subject to change, which would stand fast just like that for eternity. Do you see, monks, that grasping which is eternal, stable, permanent, not subject to change, which would stand fast just like that for eternity?" "No, venerable sir." "Good, monks. I too, monks, do not see that grasping which is eternal, stable, permanent, not subject to change, which would stand fast just like that for eternity. "Monks, the clinging to the doctrine of self, by clinging to which clinging to a doctrine of self, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise. Do you, monks, see that clinging to a doctrine of self, by clinging to which sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise? No, venerable sir. Good, monks. I too, monks, do not perceive that clinging to a doctrine of self, by clinging to which sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise. Monks, rely on that reliance on views, by relying on which sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise. Do you, monks, see that reliance on views, by relying on which sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise? No, venerable sir. Good, monks. I too, monks, do not perceive that reliance on views, by relying on which sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise. 244. Monks, when there is a self, would there be 'mine'? Yes, venerable sir. Monks, when there is 'mine', would there be 'my self'? Yes, venerable sir. Monks, when self and 'mine' are not truly and really found, that view-point also – 'That world is that self, that after death I shall be permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, I shall stand fast just like that for all eternity' – is this not, monks, entirely and completely a doctrine of fools? What else could it be, venerable sir? Indeed, venerable sir, it is entirely and completely a doctrine of fools. What do you think, monks? Is form permanent or impermanent? Impermanent, venerable sir. But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness? Suffering, venerable sir. But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change... subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, venerable sir.” “What do you think, monks, is feeling… perception… formations… consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, venerable sir.” “Therefore, monks, whatever form, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all form ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’— thus it should be seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever feeling… whatever perception… whatever formations… whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’— thus it should be seen as it really is with right wisdom.” 245. “Seeing thus, monks, the instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with formations, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ This, monks, is called a monk whose cross-bar is lifted, whose moat is filled, whose pillar is uprooted, who is without a bolt, who is noble, who has laid down the banner, laid down the burden, unfettered. “And how, monks, is a monk whose cross-bar is lifted? Here, monks, for a monk, ignorance…” Ignorance is abandoned, its root cut, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Thus, monks, a monk has lifted the cross-bar. And how, monks, is a monk with a broken moat? Here, monks, for a monk, the cycle of rebirth, the wandering-on in existence, is abandoned, its root cut, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Thus, monks, a monk has a broken moat. And how, monks, is a monk with the bolt drawn? Here, monks, for a monk, craving is abandoned, its root cut, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Thus, monks, a monk has the bolt drawn. And how, monks, is a monk without a cross-bar? Here, monks, for a monk, the five lower fetters are abandoned, their roots cut, made like palm stumps, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Thus, monks, a monk is without a cross-bar. And how, monks, is a monk noble, with his banner lowered, his burden laid down, unfettered? Here, monks, for a monk, the conceit "I am" is abandoned, its root cut, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Thus, monks, a monk is noble, with his banner lowered, his burden laid down, unfettered. 246. A monk whose mind is thus liberated, monks, the devas with Indra, with Brahmā, with Pajāpati, searching, do not find him, saying: "This is where the Tathāgata's consciousness is based." For what reason? I declare, monks, that the Tathāgata is untraceable even in this very life. Yet, monks, some recluses and brahmins falsely, vainly, untruthfully, groundlessly accuse me, who speaks thus, who explains thus: "The recluse Gotama is one who destroys, he teaches the annihilation, destruction, and non-existence of an existing being." As I do not, monks, as I do not speak thus, so they Those venerable ascetics and brahmins falsely, vainly, untruthfully, with what is not, accuse me: 'The ascetic Gotama is one who destroys, he proclaims the cutting off, the destruction, the annihilation of an existing being.' But I, monks, formerly and now, proclaim suffering and the cessation of suffering. There, monks, if others revile, abuse, anger, harass the Tathāgata, there, monks, the Tathāgata has no resentment, no displeasure, no disaffection of mind. There, monks, if others honor, respect, esteem, worship the Tathāgata, there, monks, the Tathāgata has no joy, no gladness, no elation of mind. There, monks, if others honor, respect, esteem, worship the Tathāgata, there, monks, the Tathāgata thinks thus: 'These honors are being paid for what was previously understood.' Therefore, monks, even if others revile you, abuse you, anger you, harass you, there, you should not have resentment, displeasure, disaffection of mind. Therefore, monks, even if others honor you, respect you, esteem you, worship you, there, you should not have joy, gladness, elation of mind. Therefore, monks, even if others honor you, respect you, esteem you, worship you, there, you should think thus: 'These honors are being paid for what was previously understood.' Therefore, monks, what is not yours, that you should abandon; that, abandoned, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. And what, monks, is not yours? Form, monks, is not yours, that you should abandon; that, abandoned, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Feeling, monks, is not yours, that you should abandon; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Perception, monks, is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Formations, monks, are not yours, abandon them; those, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Consciousness, monks, is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. What do you think, monks, if in this Jeta Grove, people were to carry away, or burn, or do as they please with the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves? Would you think: 'People are carrying us away, or burning us, or doing as they please with us'? "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Because, venerable sir, that is not our self or what belongs to our self." "Even so, monks, what is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. And what, monks, is not yours? Form, monks, is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Feeling, monks, is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness. Perception, monks, is not yours, abandon it; that, abandoned by you, will be for your long-term welfare and happiness.