Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Once, in the tranquil Deer Park at Isipatana near Varanasi, Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Maha Kotthita chose to spend their time in contemplation. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Venerable Maha Kotthita emerged from his seclusion and approached Venerable Sariputta. The two venerable monks exchanged warm greetings, settling into a peaceful conversation.
Seated beside each other, Venerable Maha Kotthita posed a question to his esteemed companion, “Sariputta, my friend, what aspects should a virtuous monk focus on in a manner befitting his practice?”
In a composed manner, Venerable Sariputta responded, “A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should conscientiously direct his attention to the five clinging-aggregates, perceiving them as impermanent, fraught with suffering, akin to a malady, a cancer, an arrow, and a source of pain—an affliction that is foreign, ephemeral, empty, and devoid of self. These aggregates include form, feeling, perception, fabrications, and consciousness. By contemplating them as impermanent and not-self, a virtuous monk may attain the realization of stream-entry.”
Prompted by curiosity, Venerable Maha Kotthita inquired, “And what should a monk who has attained stream-entry focus on?”
“A monk who has attained stream-entry should persistently attend to these five clinging-aggregates, perceiving them as impermanent, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, and not-self. By doing so, he may progress towards the realization of once-returning,” explained Venerable Sariputta.
Eager to delve deeper, Venerable Maha Kotthita continued to inquire about the subsequent stages of realization—the monk who has attained once-returning, non-returning, and arahantship. Each time, Venerable Sariputta reiterated the importance of contemplating the five clinging-aggregates in an appropriate way, emphasizing their impermanence, suffering, and lack of inherent self.
In conclusion, Venerable Sariputta enlightened his friend, “An arahant, having reached the highest state of enlightenment, should still attend to these five clinging-aggregates with mindfulness and alertness. Although there is nothing more to achieve, and nothing to add to the accomplishment, such contemplation leads to a serene existence in the present moment, fostering mindfulness and heightened awareness.”
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