Nandakovādasutta

Suttapiṭaka · Majjhimanikāya · Vol. 14 · Section 784

[784] "What do you think, sisters? Are forms (rūpā) permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent — is it suffering (dukkha) or is it happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "Surely not, venerable sir." "What do you think, sisters? Are sounds permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Are odors permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Are tastes permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Are tangibles permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Are mental phenomena (dhammā) permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent — is it suffering or is it happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "And that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "Surely not, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Because, venerable sir, we have already seen this well beforehand, as it really is (yathābhūta), with right wisdom: 'Thus these six external sense bases (āyatana) too are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! So it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees as it really is with right wisdom."

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.

This passage also appears in 5 other places