Section on Parables – Theme One: Impermanence, Suffering, and Non-Self

Parable 1: The Five Aggregates Are Impermanent, Like Foam and Illusion

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are the core teachings of the Buddha. These three marks of existence may sound profound and abstract. However, in Saṃyukta Āgama (Sutta No. 265), the Buddha used examples from daily life to help his disciples understand the impermanence of the five aggregates, the nature of suffering, emptiness, and non-self.

At that time, the Buddha was staying with a group of monks by the Ganges River in Ayodhyā. Pointing to the river, the Buddha said to them:
“Just as when the waters of the Ganges surge and swell, bubbles form and gather upon its surface. If you observe them closely, you will see that after forming, they soon disperse and vanish with the flow of the water, possessing no solid or lasting essence.
In the same way, the form aggregate, that forms the physical body and material phenomena, has no permanent or unchanging substance. It is like a disease, an abscess, a poisoned thorn, or a deadly weapon, characterized by impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self.

When heavy rain falls, raindrops strike the ground and form bubbles that rise and then burst. The aggregate of feeling-- whether it is the sensation of pain, pleasure, or neither-painful- nor-pleasant feeling-- is just like that.
Again, when late spring or early summer comes, the sky is clear with no clouds or rain. Then, at noon, a mirage appears in the heat; it is an unreal and illusory image. This is like the aggregate of perception, which is connected with imagination.
And again, suppose a person who has sharp ears and keen eyes goes into the forest in search of solid timber. Seeing a tall banana tree, he raises his axe and cuts it down from the root, then peels off its sheaths layer by layer, only to find no solid core within. The aggregate of volitional formations, which gives rise to actions, is just the same.

And again, imagine a magician or his apprentice standing at a busy crossroads, performing tricks that conjure up illusory scenes of elephant troops, horsemen, chariots, and foot soldiers. A wise observer, discerning carefully, will see that these apparitions are empty and unreal. Likewise, the consciousness aggregate, which generates a perception of phenomena, has no lasting or unchanging substance. It too is like a disease, an abscess, a poisoned thorn, or a deadly weapon, which is marked by impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self.”

The Buddha then summarized the nature of impermanence of the five aggregates, suffering, emptiness, and non-self in verse:
“Form is like a glob of foam;
feeling, a bubble on the water;
perception, a mirage;
formations, a plantain trunk;
consciousness, a magic trick.”
Finally, the Buddha urged his disciples to contemplate deeply the five aggregates of body and mind. Whether the past, future, or present; whether internal or external; of oneself or of others; coarse or subtle; beautiful or ugly; near or far, all should be observed as they truly are. Day and night, one should practice diligently, maintain mindfulness and correct understanding, quench the flames of vexations, and attain the tranquil stillness of Nirvāṇa.

Parable 2: The Sound of the Lute is Impermanent, Arising through Causes and Conditions

When the eye sees a form, the ear hears a sound, the nose smells a scent, the tongue tastes a flavor, the body feels all kinds of sensations, and the mind gives rise to thoughts, these six sense faculties come into contact with their respective external objects. If one does not guard the sense organs, craving and attachment easily arise. Yet, if one observes these external phenomena carefully, one will see that they exist only through the coming together of many causes and conditions. They are impermanent and conditioned fabrications.
In Saṃyukta Āgama (Sutta No. 1169), the Buddha used the example of the sound of a lute to illustrate this truth.

To help his disciples understand why they should turn away from the six sense contacts, the Buddha told the following story:
In the past, there was once a king who heard the beautiful sound of a lute. Enchanted by its melody, he often indulged himself in listening to the music. One day, the king asked his minister, “What is this wondrous sound? Go and bring me that sound.”
The minister brought the lute before the king and reported, “Your Majesty, that beautiful sound came from this lute.”
The king said, “I don’t want the lute itself. I want only that delightful sound.”
The minister replied, “Your Majesty, this lute is made up of many parts — the neck, the sound box, the strings, the leather, and so on. Only when a skillful musician plays it and all the necessary conditions come together can the sound arise. The sound you once heard has already vanished completely. I cannot bring it to you.”

The king, upon hearing this, grew angry and exclaimed:
“Hmph! What’s the use of this fake thing? All the lutes in the world are deceptive. They only make people indulgent in it! Take this lute apart and throw it away!”
Through this parable, the Buddha explained that the sound of the lute arises only through the coming together of many causes and conditions:
“Only when all the necessary causes and conditions are present can sound arise; when they are absent, no sound can exist.”
Neither the strings alone nor the musician alone can produce music. The sound arises momentarily and perishes the next instant. It has no lasting essence.
If one becomes absorbed in the pleasant feeling that arises from hearing such music, one will inevitably experience suffering when that fleeting pleasure fades, for it is subject to impermanence.
Thus, the Buddha taught that in perceiving form, feeling, perception, volition, and desire, one must cultivate equanimity and right understanding, observing things as they truly are. Only through this can one avoid attachment and free oneself from the endless cycle of affliction and suffering.（Chen ting-chun陳亭君）