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Go for a while along it. Having gone for a while along it, you will see a chasm, a precipice. Go for a while along it. Having gone for a while along it, you will see a level, delightful ground.'" ” ”Tissa, this simile was made by me for the understanding of the meaning. And this is the meaning here: ‘A person unskilled in the path,’ Tissa, is a designation for the ordinary person. ‘A person skilled in the path,’ Tissa, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘A fork in the road,’ Tissa, is a designation for doubt. ‘The left path,’ Tissa, is a designation for the eightfold wrong path, namely, wrong view… …wrong concentration. ‘The right path,’ Tissa, is a designation for the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, right view… …right concentration. ‘A dense thicket,’ Tissa, is a designation for ignorance. ‘A great deep swamp,’ Tissa, is a designation for sensual pleasures. ‘A pit, a chasm,’ Tissa, is a designation for anger and despair. ‘An even, pleasant ground,’ Tissa, is a designation for Nibbāna. Rejoice, Tissa, rejoice, Tissa! With my admonition, with my support, with my instruction.” This is what the Blessed One said. The Venerable Tissa, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Second. 3. The Yamaka Sutta 85. At one time, the Venerable Sāriputta was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, a wicked view had arisen in a monk named Yamaka, as follows: ”I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a monk whose defilements are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death.” Many monks heard that a wicked view had arisen in a monk named Yamaka, as follows: ”I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a monk whose defilements are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death.” Then Now those bhikkhus approached where Venerable Yamaka was. Having approached, they exchanged greetings with Venerable Yamaka. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said this to Venerable Yamaka: "Is it true, friend Yamaka, that such a pernicious view has arisen in you – 'I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'?" "Indeed, friend, I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way – 'a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'." "Do not speak thus, friend Yamaka, do not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not speak thus – 'a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'." Even though he was spoken to thus by those bhikkhus, Venerable Yamaka stubbornly, tenaciously, and firmly adhered to that pernicious view and declared it – "I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death." When those bhikkhus were unable to dissuade Venerable Yamaka from that pernicious view, then those bhikkhus rose from their seats and approached where Venerable Sāriputta was. Having approached, they said this to Venerable Sāriputta – "Friend Sāriputta, such a pernicious view has arisen in a bhikkhu named Yamaka – 'I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, with the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'. It would be good if Venerable Sāriputta would approach bhikkhu Yamaka out of compassion." Venerable Sāriputta consented by his silence. Then Venerable... Then Sariputta, having risen from seclusion in the evening, approached the venerable Yamaka; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Yamaka… Seated to one side, the venerable Sariputta said this to the venerable Yamaka: "Is it true, friend Yamaka, that such a wicked view has arisen in you – 'I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a monk whose taints are destroyed, upon the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'?" "Yes, friend, I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a monk whose taints are destroyed, upon the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death." "What do you think, friend Yamaka, is form permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, friend." "Is feeling permanent… perception… mental formations… consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, friend." "Therefore… seeing thus… one understands there is no more for this state of being." "What do you think, friend Yamaka, do you regard form as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "Do you regard feeling as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "Perception… mental formations… consciousness as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "What do you think, friend Yamaka, do you regard the Tathagata as being in form?" "No, friend." "Do you regard the Tathagata as being apart from form?" "No, friend." "In feeling… apart from feeling… in perception… apart from perception… in mental formations… apart from mental formations… in consciousness as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "Apart from consciousness as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "What do you think, friend Yamaka, do you regard form… feeling… perception… mental formations… consciousness as the Tathagata?" "No, friend." "What do you think, friend Yamaka, is this the formless one… the feelingless one…" ... as one without perception... ... as one without volitional formations... ... as one without consciousness does you perceive the Tathāgata?" "No, friend." "And here, friend Yamaka, when the Tathāgata is not found as a true reality, as a stable reality, even in this very life, is it fitting for you to make that declaration: 'I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in such a way that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, upon the breaking up of the body, is annihilated, perishes, and does not exist after death'?" "Indeed, friend Sāriputta, that was formerly a wicked view of mine, held by one who did not understand; but now, having heard this Dhamma discourse from Venerable Sāriputta, that wicked view is abandoned, and the Dhamma is fully understood by me." "If, friend Yamaka, they were to ask you thus: 'That bhikkhu, friend Yamaka, who is an Arahant, whose taints are destroyed, what becomes of him after the breaking up of the body, after death?' Being asked thus, friend Yamaka, how would you answer?" "If, friend, they were to ask me thus: 'That bhikkhu, friend Yamaka, who is an Arahant, whose taints are destroyed, what becomes of him after the breaking up of the body, after death?' Being asked thus, friend, I would answer thus: 'Form, friend, is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is ceased, it has gone to its end. Feeling... Perception... Volitional formations... Consciousness is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is ceased, it has gone to its end.' Being asked thus, friend, I would answer thus." "Excellent, excellent, friend Yamaka! Therefore, friend Yamaka, I will make a simile for you for a greater understanding of this very meaning. Just as, friend Yamaka, a householder or a householder's son might be rich, of great wealth, of great possessions; and he is well-guarded. Then some man might arise who wishes him harm, who wishes him ill, who wishes him no security, who wishes to take his life. He would think thus: 'This householder or householder's son is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions; and he is well-guarded... is well-off; it is not easy to deprive him of life by force. What if I should deprive him of life by approaching him?’ So he approaches that householder or householder's son and says thus: ‘I would attend upon you, sir.’ Then that householder or householder's son allows him to attend. He attends, rising early, going to rest late, doing whatever is asked, acting agreeably, speaking pleasantly. That householder or householder's son would trust him as a friend; would trust him as a companion; and would place confidence in him. When, friend, that man thinks thus: ‘This householder or householder's son is confident in me,’ then, finding him alone, he deprives him of life with a sharp weapon. ‘What do you think, friend Yamaka, when that man approaches that householder or householder's son and says thus: ‘I would attend upon you, sir,’ even then he is a murderer. But he did not know him, being a murderer, as ‘my murderer.’ When he attends, rising early, going to rest late, doing whatever is asked, acting agreeably, speaking pleasantly, even then he is a murderer. But he did not know him, being a murderer, as ‘my murderer.’ When, finding him alone, he deprives him of life with a sharp weapon, even then he is a murderer. But he did not know him, being a murderer, as ‘my murderer.’’ ‘So it is, friend.’ ‘Even so, friend, the untaught ordinary person, not seeing the noble ones, unskilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, undisciplined in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not seeing the true men, unskilled in the Dhamma of the true men, undisciplined in the Dhamma of the true men, regards form as self, or self as possessing form; or form as in self, or self as in form. Feeling… perception… volitional formations… consciousness he regards as self, or self as possessing consciousness; or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness.’ ‘He is impermanent Form, as 'form is impermanent',