Samyuktagama 72

Saṃyuktāgama

72. Discourse on Understanding Things

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

At that time the Blessed One said to the monks: “I will teach you things to be understood, knowledge, and one who knows. Listen and pay careful attention to what I shall tell you.

“What are the things to be understood? That is, they are the five aggregates of clinging. What are the five? They are the bodily form aggregate of clinging … the feeling … the perception … the formations … the consciousness aggregate of clinging. These are called things to be understood.

“What is knowledge? The disciplining of lustful desire, the abandoning of lustful desire, the going beyond lustful desire—this is called knowledge.

“Who is the one who knows? It is the arahant. The arahant neither exists in another world after death, nor does he not exist in another world after death, nor does he exist-and-not-exist in another world after death, nor does he neither-exist-nor-not-exist in another world after death. Stating this in detail is without limit, as for him all reckonings have forever ceased.

“This is called the teaching of things to be understood, knowledge, and one who knows.”

When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, the monks, hearing what the Buddha had said, were delighted and received it respectfully.