[77] On one occasion the Blessed One, the Venerable Sāriputta, and the Venerable Upasena were dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Sītavana (Cool Grove), at the Sappasoṇḍika Cave. Now on that occasion a venomous snake had fallen upon the body of the Venerable Upasena. Then the Venerable Upasena addressed the bhikkhus: "Come, friends, lift this body of mine onto a couch and carry it outside, before this body is scattered right here like a fistful of chaff."
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Upasena: "We do not see any alteration in the Venerable Upasena's body, or any change in his faculties (indriya); yet the Venerable Upasena speaks thus: 'Come, friends, lift this body of mine onto a couch and carry it outside, before this body is scattered right here like a fistful of chaff.'"
"Friend Sāriputta, for one to whom it might occur, 'I am the eye' or 'the eye is mine' … 'I am the tongue' or … 'I am the mind' or 'the mind is mine' — for him, friend Sāriputta, there might be an alteration of the body or a change of the faculties. But to me, friend Sāriputta, it does not occur, 'I am the eye' or 'the eye is mine' … 'I am the tongue' or 'the tongue is mine' … 'I am the mind' or 'the mind is mine' — so how, friend Sāriputta, could there be for me any alteration of the body or any change of the faculties?"
[Sāriputta:] "It must be because for a long time the underlying tendencies (anusaya) to I-making, mine-making, and conceit have been thoroughly uprooted in the Venerable Upasena, that it does not occur to the Venerable Upasena, 'I am the eye' or 'the eye is mine' … 'I am the tongue' or 'the tongue is mine' … 'I am the mind' or 'the mind is mine.'"
Then those bhikkhus, having lifted the Venerable Upasena's body onto a couch, carried it outside. And then the Venerable Upasena's body was scattered right there like a fistful of chaff.
The Seventh.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.