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Discussion on 'It is so' 304. Does the past exist? It certainly exists, it certainly does not exist. Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? It should not be said thus... Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? Yes, it is so. The meaning of 'exists' is 'does not exist', the meaning of 'does not exist' is 'exists', the state of existing is the state of not existing, the state of not existing is the state of existing, 'exists' or 'does not exist', 'does not exist' or 'exists' are these the same in meaning, equal, of equal nature, born of that? It should not be said thus... Does the future exist? It certainly exists, it certainly does not exist. Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? It should not be said thus... Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? Yes, it is so. The meaning of 'exists' is 'does not exist', the meaning of 'does not exist' is 'exists', the state of existing is the state of not existing, the state of not existing is the state of existing, 'exists' or 'does not exist', 'does not exist' or 'exists' are these the same in meaning, equal, of equal nature, born of that? It should not be said thus... Does the present exist? It certainly exists, it certainly does not exist. Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? It should not be said thus... Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? Yes, it is so. The meaning of 'exists' is 'does not exist'... are these the same in meaning, equal, of equal nature, born of that? It should not be said thus... 305. Does the past certainly exist, certainly not exist? Yes, it is so. In what way does it exist, in what way does it not exist? The past as past certainly exists, the past as future certainly does not exist, the past as present certainly does not exist. Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? It should not be said thus... Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? Yes, it is so. The meaning of 'exists' is 'does not exist', the meaning of 'does not exist' is 'exists', the state of existing is the state of not existing, the state of not existing is the state of existing, 'exists' or 'does not exist', 'does not exist' or 'exists' are these the same in meaning, equal, of equal nature, born of that? It should not be said thus... Does the future certainly exist, certainly not exist? Yes, it is so. In what way does it exist, in what way does it not exist? The future as future certainly exists, the future as past certainly does not exist, the future as present certainly does not exist. Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? It should not be said thus... Does it thus exist, does it thus not exist? Yes, it is so. The meaning of 'exists' is 'does not exist', the meaning of 'does not exist'... Is it established, not established… (and so on)… Are they born in the same, equal division? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is the present established, or not established? Yes, it is. How is it established, how is it not established? The present as the present is established. The present as the past is not established. The present as the future is not established. Is it established so, or not established so? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is it established so, or not established so? Yes, it is. Is it established, not established… (and so on)… Are they born in the same, equal division? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Should it not be said: “The past is established, or not established; The future is established, or not established; The present is established, or not established”? Yes, it is. Is the past as the future established? Is the past as the present established? Is the future as the past established? Is the future as the present established? Is the present as the past established? Is the present as the future established? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Therefore, the past is established, or not established; The future is established, or not established; The present is established, or not established. 306. Is form established? It is established, or not established. Is it established so, or not established so? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is it established so, or not established so? Yes, it is. Is it established as not established, not established as established, existence as non-existence, non-existence as existence, is it 'is' or 'is not', or 'is not' or 'is'— are these all born in the same, equal division? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is feeling… perception… formations… consciousness established? It is established, or not established. Is it established so, or not established so? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is it established so, or not established so? Yes, it is. Is it established, not established… (and so on)… Are they born in the same, equal division? It should not be said so… (and so on)… Is form established, or not established? Yes, it is. How is it established, how is it not established? Form as form is established. Form as feeling is not established… (and so on)… Form as perception is not established… (and so on)… Form as formations is not established… (and so on)… Form… Consciousness is, or is not. Is it, or is it not? It should not be said thus... Is it, or is it not? Yes. Is it meaningful, or meaningless... Does it arise in equal, similar parts? It should not be said thus... Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness is, or is not? Yes. What is it, what is it not? Consciousness as consciousness exists. Consciousness as form does not exist... Consciousness as feeling does not exist... Consciousness as perception does not exist... Consciousness as formations does not exist. Is it, or is it not? It should not be said thus... Is it, or is it not? Yes. Is it meaningful, or meaningless... Does it arise in equal, similar parts? It should not be said thus... It should not be said: "Form is, or is not;" "Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness is, or is not?" Yes. Form as feeling exists... Form as perception exists... Form as formations exists... Form as consciousness exists... Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness as form exists... Consciousness as feeling exists... Consciousness as perception exists... Consciousness as formations exists? It should not be said thus... Therefore, form is, or is not; Feeling... perception... formations... consciousness is, or is not. The discourse on "is or is not" is concluded. Its summary – Apprehension, decline, the holy life in its entirety; Full understanding, abandoning sensual desire, the doctrine of "all things exist," sense bases; Past and future, the beautiful aspect, all phenomena, foundations of mindfulness. Is, or is not. First Chapter The Great Chapter.