“Reverend Yamaka, suppose they were to ask you: ‘When their body breaks up, after death, what happens to a perfected one, who has ended the defilements?’ How would you answer?” “Reverend, if they were to ask this, I’d answer like this: ‘Reverend, form is impermanent. What’s impermanent is suffering. What’s suffering has ceased and disappeared. Feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is impermanent. What’s impermanent is suffering. What’s suffering has ceased and disappeared.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.”

“Good, good, Reverend Yamaka! Well then, I shall give you a simile to make the meaning even clearer. Suppose there was a householder or householder’s son who was rich, with a lot of money and great wealth, and a bodyguard for protection. Then along comes a person who wants to harm, injure, and threaten him, and take his life. They’d think: ‘This householder or householder’s son is rich, with a lot of money and great wealth, and a bodyguard for protection. It won’t be easy to take his life by force. Why don’t I get close to him, then take his life?’ So he goes up to that householder or householder’s son and says: ‘Sir, I would serve you.’ They would serve that householder or householder’s son. They’d get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely. The householder or householder’s son would consider them as a friend and companion, and come to trust them. But when that person realizes that they’ve gained the trust of the householder or householder’s son, then, when they know he’s alone, they’d take his life with a sharp knife.