The Suitable Way for Attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment) (Third Discourse)

Monks, I will teach you the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak…

And what, Monks, is the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment)?

Here, a Monk sees the eye as non-self, he sees forms as non-self, he sees eye-consciousness as non-self, he sees eye-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the ear as non-self, he sees sounds as non-self, he sees ear-consciousness as non-self, he sees ear-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the nose as non-self, he sees odors as non-self, he sees nose-consciousness as non-self, he sees nose-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant

He sees the tongue as non-self, he sees flavors as non-self, he sees tongue-consciousness as non-self, he sees tongue-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the body as non-self, he sees physical objects as non-self, he sees body-consciousness as non-self, he sees body-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with body-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

He sees the mind as non-self, he sees mental objects as non-self, he sees mind-consciousness as non-self, he sees mind-contact as non-self, he sees as non-self whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.

This, Monks, is the way that is suitable for attaining Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

(Reference: SN 35.149)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how The Six Internal Sense Bases, The Six External Sense Bases, and contact through these sense bases create the consciousness or awareness of discontent feelings and these feelings are not the self (i.e. non-self).

For example, the eye comes in contact with a form and the mind becomes aware of this through the mind or consciousness. Whatever discontent feelings that arise as a result of this contact is not the self.

This can be said of all The Six Internal Sense Bases and The Six External Sense Bases. Whether it is the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind, these are all not the self. All forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects are also not the self.

The discontent feelings such as pleasant feelings, painful feelings, or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant that arise in the mind through contact through The Six Sense Bases are not the self.

The mind needs to be trained to eliminate the discontent feelings associated with contact through The Six Sense Bases to move the mind towards Enlightenment.

Understanding The Universal Truth of Non-self, a Practitioner can then train the mind to no longer hold on or welcome discontent feelings into the mind based on impermanent conditions.

Detailed explanation on The Universal Truth of Non-self is available in Chapter 4 of this same book series found in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).