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SN 22.95PTS SN 3.1403 min read

A Lump of Foam

Pheṇapiṇḍūpamasutta

The Buddha gives a series of similes for the aggregates: physical form is like foam, feeling is like a bubble, perception is like a mirage, choices are like a coreless tree, and consciousness is like an illusion.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.95Linked Discourses 22.95
  • 0.210. Pupphavagga10. Flowers

0.3PheṇapiṇḍūpamasuttaA Lump of Foam

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ayujjhāyaṁ viharati gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre.At one time the Buddha was staying near Ayodhya on the bank of the Ganges River.11.2Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:2

2.1PTS 3.141“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ gaṅgā nadī mahantaṁ pheṇapiṇḍaṁ āvaheyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, pheṇapiṇḍe sāro?“Mendicants, suppose this Ganges River was carrying along a big lump of foam. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a lump of foam?

2.2Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, rūpe sāro?In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in form?

3.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante udake udakapubbuḷaṁ uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, udakapubbuḷe sāro?Suppose it was autumn, when the heavens rain heavily, and a bubble on the water forms and pops right away. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a water bubble?

3.2Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci vedanā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… yā dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, vedanāya sāro?In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of feeling at all … examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in feeling?

4.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ṭhite majjhanhike kāle marīcikā phandati. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya …pe… kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, marīcikāya sāro?Suppose that in the last month of summer, at noon, a shimmering mirage appears. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a mirage?

4.2Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci saññā …pe….In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of perception at all … examining it carefully. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception?

5.1PTS 3.142Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno tiṇhaṁ kuṭhāriṁ ādāya vanaṁ paviseyya. So tattha passeyya mahantaṁ kadalikkhandhaṁ ujuṁ navaṁ akukkukajātaṁ. Tamenaṁ mūle chindeyya; mūle chetvā agge chindeyya, agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujeyya. So tassa pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujanto pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṁ. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, kadalikkhandhe sāro?Suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. Wandering in search of heartwood, they’d take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There they’d see a big banana trunk, straight and young and grown unskewed. They’d cut it down at the base, cut off the top, and unroll the coiled sheaths. But they wouldn’t even find sapwood, much less heartwood. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a banana trunk?3

5.2Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci saṅkhārā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… ye dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, saṅkhāresu sāro?In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of choices at all … examining them rationally. And they appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in choices?

6.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, māyākāro vā māyākārantevāsī vā catumahāpathe māyaṁ vidaṁseyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, māyāya sāro?Suppose an illusionist or their apprentice was to demonstrate an illusion at the crossroads. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in an illusion?4

6.2Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā, taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe sāro?In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in consciousness?

7.1Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi … viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.7.2Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti …pe…Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.7.3nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

8.1Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.8.2Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

9.1“Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ,“Form is like a lump of foam;9.2vedanā bubbuḷūpamā;feeling is like a bubble;9.3Marīcikūpamā saññā,perception seems like a mirage;9.4saṅkhārā kadalūpamā;choices like a banana plant;9.5Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ,and consciousness like an illusion:9.6desitādiccabandhunā.so taught the Kinsman of the Sun.

10.1Yathā yathā nijjhāyati,However you contemplate them,10.2yoniso upaparikkhati;examining them rationally,10.3Rittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti,they’re vacuous and hollow10.4yo naṁ passati yoniso.when you look at them closely.

11.1PTS 3.143Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha,Concerning this body,11.2bhūripaññena desitaṁ;he of vast wisdom has taught11.3Pahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ,that when three things are given up,11.4rūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ.you’ll see this form discarded.

12.1Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ,When vitality, warmth, and consciousness512.2yadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ;leave this body,12.3Apaviddho tadā seti,it lies dumped there,612.4parabhattaṁ acetanaṁ.food for others, insentient.

13.1Etādisāyaṁ santāno,Such is this continuity,713.2māyāyaṁ bālalāpinī;this illusion, this lament of fools.813.3Vadhako esa akkhāto,It’s said to be a killer,13.4sāro ettha na vijjati.for no core is found here.

14.1Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya,An energetic mendicant14.2bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo;should examine the aggregates like this,14.3Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ,with situational awareness and mindfulness14.4sampajāno paṭissato.whether by day or by night.

15.1Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ,They should give up all fetters,15.2kareyya saraṇattano;and make a refuge for themselves.15.3Careyyādittasīsova,They should live as though their head was on fire,15.4patthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti.aspiring to the state that does not pass.”

15.5Tatiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Pali ayujjhā is apparently the city known as Ayodhya in Sanskrit, believed to be the legendary seat of the Okkāka (Sanskrit ikṣvāku) dynasty from which hailed many leading royal lineages in ancient India, including the Buddha’s. Ayodhya is identified with Sāketa, which is however on the Sarabhū (Sanskrit sarayu) river, not the Ganges (see note on SN 2.18:1.2). Perhaps the text here is mistaken (compare SN 35.241:1.1).

    ↩ sn22.95:1.1

  2. This much-cited discourse establishes that it is not merely the supposed self that is empty and lacks a substantial core, but that each of the five aggregates is in itself empty. This does not contradict the preceding discourse, which has already established that the aggregates do, in fact, exist as impermanent and conditioned phenomena (SN 22.94:1.5). Each of the things to which the aggregates are compared do exist, they just appear as something other than they are. A lump of foam is perfectly real as a lump of foam, it is just not a solid mass.

    ↩ sn22.95:1.2

  3. This simile highlights a secondary sense of sāra, for which the basic meaning is “essence”, “substance”, “core”. It also means “value”, “worth”, as the banana trunk is “worthless” to someone seeking “heartwood” (sāra).

    There are multiple readings for akukkuccakajāta in parallels of this passage. Regardless of the exact form, the root appears to be kuñc (“skew”). The word applies to both a banana plant (as here) and a sal tree (AN 4.196:4.2).

    ↩ sn22.95:5.1

  4. “Illusionist” (māyākāra) is unique in early Pali; normally we have māyāvī (“deceitful one, trickster”). Māyā in early Buddhism is not raised to a high philosophical sense as in the “illusion” of Vedānta; nor it is used in the sense of literal “magic”. Normally it means “deceit, trick, con”, and here it refers to some kind of visual illusion created by professional performers.

    ↩ sn22.95:6.1

  5. Compare MN 43:24.2, Dhp 41.

    ↩ sn22.95:12.1

  6. For apaviddha (“dumped”) see Snp 1.11:8.3.

    ↩ sn22.95:12.3

  7. Santāna became a major technical term in the Abhidhamma for the uninterrupted “continuity” of mind moments. This is a rare appearance in the early texts.

    ↩ sn22.95:13.1

  8. That lāpinī appears directly following the death of the body suggests the sense “lament”, which is attested in Sanskrit.

    ↩ sn22.95:13.2