Lord Buddha's Teaching on 'Not-Self'

Reading and Commentary on the Anattalakhana and Khemaka suttas

Greetings fellow practitioners,

On this occasion I am sharing my reading and commentary upon two wonderful and very profound suttas. The first, the Anattalakhana Sutta was taught to the first five disciples in the Deer Park just days after the Dhammacakkapavattana sutta, and after they had answered the Buddha's questions and considered his suggestions – they all attained to Arahantship!

As inspiring as this is, it can also be a little confusing to some people who might wonder… 'Why is it that when I read and study and intellectually understand this sutta, that I don't become an arahant!?" And this is where I feel that the second sutta is quite helpful and revealing. In this sutta a monk who is a non-returner (anagami) explains the way the subtle vanity of 'self view' still lingers in his mind 'like the fragrance around a rose' despite the fact that he can see very clearly with wisdom that there is no 'self' there in any of the parts. The same process of investigation of the Five Khandas is described, but we are able to see that it is necessary to do this investigation repeatedly, until the deep attachments and miss-understandings are completely uprooted. By the end of the elderly monks' description of his investigation and current level of insight, both he and the younger monks listening also all attained to Arahantship!

May this contemplative reading and commentary serve in taking us all one step closer to that final clear seeing and resultant liberation!

With Loving Kindness

---

Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu

---

Listen to the Reading