True DhammaLibrary · Community
SN 22.33PTS SN 3.331 min read

It’s Not Yours

Natumhākasutta

Let go of what is not yours: the five aggregates. You wouldn’t be upset if someone took the grass and sticks from the monastery grounds, so why worry over the aggregates?

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.33Linked Discourses 22.33
  • 0.24. Natumhākavagga4. It’s Not Yours

0.3NatumhākasuttaIt’s Not Yours

1.1PTS 3.34Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.“Mendicants, give up what’s not yours.11.3Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.1.4Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ?And what isn’t yours?1.5Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.Form isn’t yours: give it up.1.6Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

1.7Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.Feeling …1.8Sā vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

1.9Saññā na tumhākaṁ …Perception …

1.10saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ, te pajahatha.Choices …1.11Te vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissanti.

1.12Viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.Consciousness isn’t yours: give it up.1.13Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

2.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṁ imasmiṁ jetavane tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ taṁ jano hareyya vā ḍaheyya vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā kareyya.Suppose a person was to carry off the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta’s Grove, or burn them, or do what they want with them.2.2Api nu tumhākaṁ evamassa:Would you think:2.3‘amhe jano harati vā ḍahati vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karotī’”ti?‘This person is carrying us off, burning us, or doing what they want with us’?”

2.4“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.2.5“Taṁ kissa hetu”?Why is that?2.6“Na hi no etaṁ, bhante, attā vā attaniyaṁ vā”ti.Because to us that’s neither self nor belonging to self.”

2.7“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.“In the same way, mendicants, form isn’t yours: give it up.2.8Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

2.9Vedanā na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.Feeling …2.10Sā vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

2.11Saññā na tumhākaṁ …Perception …

2.12saṅkhārā na tumhākaṁ …Choices …

2.13viññāṇaṁ na tumhākaṁ, taṁ pajahatha.Consciousness isn’t yours: give it up.2.14Taṁ vo pahīnaṁ hitāya sukhāya bhavissatī”ti.Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.”

2.15Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This trope is also found at MN 22:40.1, SN 35.101:1.1, etc.

    ↩ sn22.33:1.2