[63] "And to what extent, Ānanda, does one who regards the self regard it? One regarding the self, Ānanda, regards feeling (vedanā) as self: 'Feeling is my self.' Or: 'Feeling is indeed not my self; my self is without experience of feeling.' Or: 'Feeling is indeed not my self, but neither is my self without experience of feeling; my self feels, for my self is subject to feeling.' It is in these ways, Ānanda, that one regarding the self regards it.
"Therein, Ānanda, the one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' should be told: 'Friend, there are these three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Which of these three feelings do you regard as self?' At the time, Ānanda, when one feels a pleasant feeling, at that time one does not feel a painful feeling, nor does one feel a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; at that time one feels only a pleasant feeling. At the time, Ānanda, when one feels a painful feeling, at that time one does not feel a pleasant feeling, nor does one feel a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; at that time one feels only a painful feeling. At the time, Ānanda, when one feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, at that time one does not feel a pleasant feeling, nor does one feel a painful feeling; at that time one feels only a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
"Pleasant feeling too, Ānanda, is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to vanishing, subject to fading away, subject to cessation (nirodha). Painful feeling too, Ānanda, is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to vanishing, subject to fading away, subject to cessation. Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling too, Ānanda, is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to vanishing, subject to fading away, subject to cessation. When one feels a pleasant feeling, one thinks, 'This is my self'; with the cessation of that very pleasant feeling, one thinks, 'My self has passed away.' When one feels a painful feeling, one thinks, 'This is my self'; with the cessation of that very painful feeling, one thinks, 'My self has passed away.' When one feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one thinks, 'This is my self'; with the cessation of that very neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one thinks, 'My self has passed away.' Thus the one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' regarding the self, regards as self, in this very life, that which is impermanent, mingled with pleasure and pain, subject to arising and vanishing. Therefore, Ānanda, on this account it is not acceptable to regard: 'Feeling is my self.'
"Therein, Ānanda, the one who says, 'Feeling is indeed not my self; my self is without experience of feeling,' should be told: 'But, friend, where there is nothing felt at all, could the thought "I am" occur there?'"
"No, venerable sir."
"Therefore, Ānanda, on this account it is not acceptable to regard: 'Feeling is indeed not my self; my self is without experience of feeling.'
"Therein, Ānanda, the one who says, 'Feeling is indeed not my self, but neither is my self without experience of feeling; my self feels, for my self is subject to feeling,' should be told: 'Friend, if feelings were to cease entirely and altogether, in every way and in every respect, without remainder—when, with the cessation of feeling, there is no feeling at all—could the thought "I am" occur there?'"
"No, venerable sir."
"Therefore, Ānanda, on this account it is not acceptable to regard: 'Feeling is indeed not my self, but neither is my self without experience of feeling; my self feels, for my self is subject to feeling.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.