Puṇṇama Sutta (10)
On the Five Clinging-Aggregates (upādāna-khandhā)
[182] At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāramātā, near Sāvatthī, together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus. It was the Uposatha night of the fifteenth, the full-moon night. The Blessed One, surrounded by the Saṅgha, was seated in the open air.
[183] Then a certain bhikkhu rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, and with palms joined toward the Blessed One said:
“Bhante, I wish to ask a question. If the Blessed One grants me the opportunity, I will do so.”
The Blessed One said: “Bhikkhu, sit in your own seat and ask what you wish.”
Sitting back down, the bhikkhu asked:
“Bhante, are the five upādāna-khandhas these: the clinging-aggregate of rūpa, of vedanā, of saññā, of saṅkhārā, and of viññāṇa?”
The Blessed One replied: “Yes, bhikkhu, the five upādāna-khandhas are precisely these: rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, and viññāṇa.”
The Origin of the Five Upādāna-khandhas
[184] The bhikkhu rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words and asked further:
“Bhante, what is the root cause of these five upādāna-khandhas?”
The Blessed One said: “Bhikkhu, these five upādāna-khandhas have chanda (desire) as their root.”
He then asked: “Bhante, is upādāna the same as the upādāna-khandhas? Or is upādāna something apart from the five upādāna-khandhas?”
The Blessed One replied:
“Bhikkhu, upādāna is not the same as the upādāna-khandhas, nor is it something apart from them. But the chanda-rāga (desire-and-lust) toward these five aggregates — that is upādāna.”
How Clinging to the Five Aggregates Differs
[185] The bhikkhu rejoiced again and asked further:
“Bhante, does chanda-rāga toward the five upādāna-khandhas differ?”
“Yes, bhikkhu, it differs,” said the Blessed One.
He explained:
“There is someone who thinks: ‘In the future may I have such a rūpa, such a vedanā, such a saññā, such saṅkhārā, such a viññāṇa.’ Thus, chanda-rāga toward the upādāna-khandhas differs in this way.”
Why They Are Called “Khandhas”
[186] Again the bhikkhu rejoiced and asked:
“Bhante, for what reason are they called ‘khandhas’?”
The Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhu, whatever rūpa there is — past, future, present, internal, external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — is the rūpa-khandha.
Whatever vedanā … is the vedanā-khandha. Whatever saññā … is the saññā-khandha. Whatever saṅkhārā … is the saṅkhārā-khandha. Whatever viññāṇa — past, future, present, internal or external … far or near — is the viññāṇa-khandha.
It is for this range that they are called khandhas.”
Conditions for the Five Aggregates
[187] Again the bhikkhu asked:
“Bhante, what are the conditions for the arising of the rūpa-khandha, vedanā-khandha, saññā-khandha, saṅkhārā-khandha, and viññāṇa-khandha?”
The Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhu, the four great elements (mahābhūta-rūpa) are the condition for the arising of the rūpa-khandha. Phassa (contact) is the condition for the arising of the vedanā-khandha, of the saññā-khandha, and of the saṅkhārā-khandha. Nāma-rūpa is the condition for the arising of the viññāṇa-khandha.”
How Sakkāya-diṭṭhi Arises
[188] “Bhante, how does sakkāya-diṭṭhi arise?”
The Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhu, an unlearned ordinary person (not having heard the noble ones, not skilled in their Dhamma, not instructed, not seeing true persons) regards rūpa as self, self as possessing rūpa, rūpa as in self, or self as in rūpa. Likewise with vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, and viññāṇa.
In these ways sakkāya-diṭṭhi arises.”
How Sakkāya-diṭṭhi Ceases
[189] “Bhante, how does sakkāya-diṭṭhi not arise?”
The Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhu, a noble disciple … skilled and well-instructed in the true Dhamma … does not regard rūpa as self, nor self as possessing rūpa, nor rūpa as in self, nor self as in rūpa. Likewise for vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, viññāṇa.
In such ways sakkāya-diṭṭhi does not arise.”
Benefit, Danger, and Escape from the Aggregates
[190] “Bhante, what is the benefit, the danger, and the escape in regard to rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, viññāṇa?”
The Blessed One said:
“Pleasure and joy arising dependent on rūpa — this is the benefit of rūpa. Rūpa is impermanent, dukkha, subject to change — this is its danger. The removal and abandoning of chanda-rāga for rūpa — this is the escape from rūpa.
Likewise with vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā.
Pleasure and joy dependent on viññāṇa — this is the benefit of viññāṇa. Viññāṇa is impermanent, dukkha, subject to change — this is its danger. The abandoning of chanda-rāga toward viññāṇa — this is the escape from viññāṇa.”
How One Removes “I-making” and “Mine-making”
[191] “Bhante, how does one see and know so that there is no ahaṅkāra, mamaṅkāra, nor mānānusaya with regard to this conscious body and external signs?”
The Blessed One said:
“A noble disciple sees any rūpa whatsoever — past, future, present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — as: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’
Likewise vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, and viññāṇa.
Seeing thus, knowing thus, there is no I-making, mine-making, or underlying conceit.”
How Can Non-self “Produce a Result”?
[192] A certain bhikkhu became troubled, thinking:
“It is said that rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, and viññāṇa are non-self. How then can actions performed by non-self bring results to a ‘self’?”
The Blessed One, knowing his thoughts, said to the bhikkhus:
“Bhikkhus, it is possible that some foolish person, overwhelmed by ignorance and craving, might mis-interpret the teaching in this way.
Have I not asked you repeatedly: ‘Is rūpa permanent or impermanent?’ ‘Impermanent, Bhante.’
‘And vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, viññāṇa — permanent or impermanent?’ ‘Impermanent, Bhante.’
‘What is impermanent — is that dukkha or sukha?’ ‘Dukkha, Bhante.’
‘And what is impermanent, dukkha, subject to change — is it fit to regard it as mine, as I am, as my self?’ ‘Not fit, Bhante.’
Therefore … the noble disciple who sees thus understands: ‘Birth is ended … there is no further becoming.’
End of the Puṇṇama Sutta (10)
Short Pāli Glossary (concise · intensive)
upādāna-khandha — the five aggregates as objects of clinging. chanda / chanda-rāga — desire; desire-and-lust. rūpa — material form. vedanā — feeling (pleasant, painful, neutral). saññā — perception (recognition, marking). saṅkhārā — fabrications, mental formations, volitional processes. viññāṇa — consciousness (awareness of an object). mahā-bhūta — the four great elements: earth, water, fire, wind. phassa — contact (sense-contact). nāma-rūpa — mentality-materiality. upādāna — clinging (appropriation). sakkāya-diṭṭhi — identity-view; “self-in-the-aggregates” view. ahaṅkāra — “I-making.” mamaṅkāra — “mine-making.” mānānusaya — underlying tendency to conceit. ariya-sāvaka — noble disciple. puthujjana — ordinary, untrained worldling. āsava — corruptions, taints.