At Sāvatthī. “Suppose, mendicants, there was a mountain river that flowed swiftly, going far, carrying all before it. If wild sugarcane, kusa grass, reeds, vetiver, or trees grew on either bank, they’d overhang the river. And if a person who was being swept along by the current grabbed the wild sugarcane, kusa grass, reeds, vetiver, or trees, it’d fall apart, and they’d come to ruin because of that. In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. But their form falls apart, and they come to ruin because of that. They regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. But their consciousness falls apart, and they come to ruin because of that. What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” … “Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “So you should truly see … Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

Linked Discourses 22.94 10. Flowers Flowers

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I do not dispute with the world; it is the world that disputes with me. When your speech is in line with the teaching you do not dispute with anyone in the world. What the astute deem as not existing, I too say does not exist. What the astute deem as existing, I too say exists.

And what do the astute deem as not existing, which I too say does not exist? Form that is permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness that is permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable. This is what the astute deem as not existing, which I too say does not exist.