Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c38.s8.14

v2.c38.s8.14

In all the discourses delivered to Citta, Nakulapitā and Hāliddikāni, the main topic dealt with was that a person must not take pleasure in the origin of *khandhas*, which were subject to decay; that an unwise person misconceived one or all of the *khandhas* as soul, and developed a notion of I-ness. A true disciple of Buddha should not care for his past *khandhas*, nor think of his future *khandhas* and must not have any attachment to his present *khandhas*.¹ Ugga gahapati and others were taught that those who were engrossed with the sense-objects would not attain Nibbāna.² Soṇa gahapati³ was taught that the *khandhas* were impermanent and impermanence was grief, and that none of the *khandhas* or all the *khandhas* taken together was soul. In the *Citta-saṃyutta*,⁴ we have practically all the abstruse discussions on Buddhist philosophy. These are as follows:—