[396] When he had sat down to one side, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son said this to the Blessed One: "I would ask the worthy Gotama about a certain point, if the worthy Gotama would grant me the opportunity by answering my question."
"Ask whatever you wish, Aggivessana."
"How does the worthy Gotama guide his disciples? And in what way does the worthy Gotama's instruction to his disciples usually proceed?"
"Thus, Aggivessana, do I guide my disciples, and thus does my instruction to my disciples usually proceed: 'Bhikkhus, form (rūpa) is impermanent, feeling (vedanā) is impermanent, perception (saññā) is impermanent, volitional formations (saṅkhārā) are impermanent, consciousness (viññāṇa) is impermanent. Bhikkhus, form is not self, feeling is not self, perception is not self, volitional formations are not self, consciousness is not self. All formations are impermanent-in-nature not self; all dhammas are not self.' Thus, Aggivessana, do I guide my disciples, and thus does my instruction to my disciples usually proceed."
"A simile occurs to me, worthy Gotama."
"Let it occur to you, Aggivessana," said the Blessed One.
"Worthy Gotama, just as whatever seeds and plants attain to growth, increase, and abundance, all of them do so depending on the earth, established upon the earth—thus do these seeds and plants attain to growth, increase, and abundance; or just as whatever works requiring strength are done, all of them are done depending on the earth, established upon the earth—thus are these works requiring strength done; even so, worthy Gotama, this person (purisapuggala) has form as self, and established upon form he produces merit or demerit; this person has feeling as self, and established upon feeling he produces merit or demerit; this person has perception as self, and established upon perception he produces merit or demerit; this person has volitional formations as self, and established upon volitional formations he produces merit or demerit; this person has consciousness as self, and established upon consciousness he produces merit or demerit."
"Aggivessana, are you not saying this: 'Form is my self, feeling is my self, perception is my self, volitional formations are my self, consciousness is my self'?"
"Indeed, worthy Gotama, I say this: 'Form is my self, feeling is my self, perception is my self, volitional formations are my self, consciousness is my self'—and so does this great multitude."
"What will this great multitude do for you, Aggivessana? Come now, Aggivessana, unravel your own assertion."
"Indeed, worthy Gotama, I say this: 'Form is my self, feeling is my self, perception is my self, volitional formations are my self, consciousness is my self.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.