Contemplation of the 5 aggregates subject to clinging is one of the approaches to liberation that shows up most often across the Buddhist texts. These 5 aggregates are one way of grouping up the parts of experience that form the illusion of the static “self”. In turn, this mistaken perspective leads to suffering and the manifestation of and acting upon greed, hatred and delusion.
Below are a few different aspects of 5 aggregate practice taken from the Buddhist texts.
5 aggregates and not-self
“Form, mendicants, is not self. If form were the self, this form would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible [to say] with regard to form, ‘Let this form be thus. Let this form not be thus.’ But precisely because form is not self, form lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible [to say] with regard to form, ‘Let this form be thus. Let this form not be thus.’
“Feeling-tone is not self…
“Perception is not self…
“[Mental] fabrications are not self…
“Divided-consciousness is not self. If divided-consciousness were the self, this divided-consciousness would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible [to say] with regard to divided-consciousness, ‘Let my divided-consciousness be thus. Let my divided-consciousness not be thus.’ But precisely because divided-consciousness is not self, divided-consciousness lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible [to say] with regard to divided-consciousness, ‘Let my divided-consciousness be thus. Let my divided-consciousness not be thus.’
“What do you think, mendicants — Is form constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“…Is feeling-tone constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”…
“…Is perception constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”…
“…Are fabrications constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”…
“What do you think, mendicants — Is divided-consciousness constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“Thus, mendicants, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
“Any feeling-tone whatsoever…
“Any perception whatsoever…
“Any fabrications whatsoever…
“Any divided-consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every divided-consciousness is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
“Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling-tone, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with divided-consciousness. Disenchanted, they become dispassionate. Through dispassion, they are fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, ‘Fully released.’ They discern that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”
SN 22.59 at AccessToInsight.org
Emptiness of the 5 aggregates
“…Shariputra! Form is not different from emptiness,
emptiness is not different from form.
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
So it is with feeling, conception, volition, and consciousness.
Shariputra! All dharmas are empty in character;
neither arising nor ceasing,
neither impure nor pure,
neither increasing nor decreasing.
Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form;
there is no feeling, conception, volition, or consciousness…”
The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra at Middleland.org
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