Khajjaneeya Sutta Sermon (Samyutta Nikaya)

 

By Venerable Alawwe Anomadassi Thero

 1. The Remembrance of the Five Aggregates

The Buddha addressed the monks, saying:

"Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṃ pubbenivāsaṃ anussaramānā anussaranti, sabbe te pañcupādānakkhandhe anussaranti etesaṃ vā aññataraṃ."

"Monks, whatever contemplatives or brahmins remember their manifold past dwellings (births), they all remember the Five Aggregates of Clinging (Pañcupādānakkhandha) or one of them."

The Thero emphasizes that it is specifically the "Monk or Brahmin"—those seeking the truth—who can reminisce in this way to find the root of the problem. Ordinary people remember "stories," but the seeker identifies the issue of 'Self' (Mama). Whether they remember a past life or just a moment ago, they are simply remembering Form (Rupa), Sensation (Vedana), Perception (Sanna), Formations (Sankhara), and Consciousness (Viññana). They think, "In the past, I had such a form," thus holding onto the aggregates.

2. Form (Rupa) vs. The Act of Deforming (Ruppati)

The Buddha asks:

"Kiñca, bhikkhave, rūpaṃ vadetha? Ruppatīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘rūpaṃ’ti vuccati."

"And what, monks, do you call form? It is afflicted (deformed/disturbed), monks; therefore, it is called ‘form’."

The Insight: The Thero points out that we usually look at Rupa as a "thing". But the Buddha points to the action—Ruppati. If we only see the "thing," we remain in Ruppati Bhava (the state of being afflicted), and the Dhamma remains mere words (Vachi Matra).

Ruppati is explained through phenomena like being affected by cold (sīta), heat (uṇha), hunger (jighacchā), and thirst (pipāsā). However, the Thero warns: do not get stuck on the word 'cold' for instance. Cold is just a worldly reference used to explain the concept to the 'unwise'. A truth-seeker (Sathyawaadee) looks deeper to see how the 'self' is being 'chewed up' or disturbed by these conditions. The goal is to shatter Mamatwaya (the sense of 'mine-ness').

3. Sensation (Vedana) and the State of Non-Sensing

"Kiñca, bhikkhave, vedanaṃ vadetha? Vediyatīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘vedanā’ti vuccati."

"And what, monks, do you call sensation? It is felt, monks; therefore, it is called ‘sensation’."

In the world, we define sensation as "I feel." But the Thero explains that when seen as it truly is (Yatharthawadee ), we see the act of sensing. The Buddha speaks of Aveditha Sukha reminds the Thero - a happiness that is not "felt" in the worldly sense of existence. In the worldly sense, feeling always implies "existence" or a "self." By focusing on the act rather than the content of the feeling, the follower (Saddanusari) bypasses Sakkaya (the notion of self).

 4. Perception (Sanna) and Formations (Sankhara)

Regarding Perception:

"Kiñca, bhikkhave, saññaṃ vadetha? Sañjānātīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘saññā’ti vuccati."

"And what, monks, do you call perception? It perceives, monks; therefore, it is called ‘perception’."

One cannot discuss perception without the 'objects' perceived, such as colors like blue (nīla), yellow (pīta), or red (lohita). By investigating the act of perceiving (sanjanati), one reaches the cessation of the notion of self.

 Regarding Formations:

 "Kiñca, bhikkhave, saṅkhāre vadetha? Saṅkhatamabhisaṅkharontīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘saṅkhārā’ti vuccati."

"And what, monks, do you call formations? They construct the 'formed' (Sankhata); therefore, they are called 'formations'."

The Thero makes a vital distinction here: Rupa is the Sankhata (the thing formed), but Ruppati is the Sankhara (the process of forming). A Sekha (one in higher training) understands this process.

 He investigates the Siddhi (the incident/phenomenon) of Sankhara. Within this, he identifies two distinct occurrences: the first is the occurrence that leads to Sakkaya Nirodha, where the construction is seen and halted; the second is the occurrence where the mind conforms to the construction and follows the worldly vision. In the latter, the person remains 'along with' the process, and thus, nothing is truly transcended.

 5. Consciousness (Viññana) and Liberation

"Kiñca, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṃ vadetha? Vijānātīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘viññāṇaṃ’ti vuccati."

"And what, monks, do you call consciousness? It cognizes, monks; therefore, it is called ‘consciousness’."

It cognizes tastes like sour (amila), bitter (tittaka), or pungent (kaṭuka). For the Sutawa (the learned noble disciple), these 'knowings' become seen as a burden. The disciple realizes: 'This form “chewed” me in the past, and it is “chewing” me now.'

 By no longer delighting in the form (Nabhinandati), the disciple reaches Nibbida (disenchantment) and Viraga (fading of lust).

 Summary: The Five Aggregates as "Occurrences" (Siduweem)

Aggregate	Worldly View (Sankhata / Thing)	Truth-Based View (Circumstances)
Rupa (Form)	A physical body/object.	Ruppati: The incident of affliction.
Vedana (Sensation)	A feeling "I" possess.	Vedeti: The incident of sensing.
Sanna (Perception)	Labels (Blue, Red).	Sanjanati: The incident of identifying.
Sankhara (Formations)	Mental habits/things.	Abhisankharonti: The incident of active-construction.
Viññana (Consciousness)	The "Knower" or Soul.	Vijanati: The powerful incident of cognizing.

 6. The Two Noble States: Sekha vs. Arahant

The Buddha concludes the Khajjaneeya Sutta by contrasting the seeker with the Arahant. While the Sekha is in the process of "turning away" (Nibbindati), the Arahant has neutralized the "incident" of the aggregates entirely.

1. The Sekha State: Active Deconstruction

The noble disciple in training (Sekha) has realized that the aggregates are "chewing" them. Their state is defined by the active process of dismantling the "house of self."

• Apacayāya, no ācayāya: Dismantling, not collecting. They refuse to gather new self-notions and instead work to disperse the old ones.
• Pahānāya, no upādānāya: Relinquishing, not clinging. They are in the active process of letting go of the grip on the aggregates.
• Visenethāya, no ussenethāya: Scattering, not bundling. They stop bundling momentary occurrences into a "person" and instead see them as scattered events.
• Vidhūpanāya, no sandhūpanāya: Fanning away, not smoking. They are clearing the "smoke" of craving to ensure the fire of active-construction (Abhisankharonti) does not restart.

2. The Arahant State: Neutralization of the Incident

The Arahant has completed the task (Vidhūpitvā thito). The aggregates may still "occur" (Siduweema), but they no longer result in a "Self." This is defined by the total cessation of the four dualities:

• Neva ācayāya no apacayāya: Neither collecting nor dismantling. The incident of building a "house of self" has stopped, so there is no longer a need to even tear it down.
• Neva pahānāya no upādānāya: Neither relinquishing nor clinging. Since there is no "Owner," the Arahant doesn't have to struggle to "let go"—the grip simply isn't there.
• Neva visenethāya no ussenethāya: Neither scattering nor bundling. The Arahant does not bundle these momentary occurrences together to create a "person." They stay as scattered, ownerless events.
• Neva vidhūpanāya no sandhūpanāya: Neither fanning nor smoking. The smouldering of craving has ceased. There is no fire to fan and no smoke to clear; the atmosphere of the mind is perfectly still.

Conclusion: The Vision of Crossing

The Buddha leads the monks through the fundamental inquiry into the nature of the aggregates:

The Buddha: "Monks, what do you say—is form permanent or impermanent?" The Monks: "Impermanent, Bhante." The Buddha: "If something is impermanent, is it pleasant or unpleasant?" The Monks: "Unpleasant, Bhante." The Buddha: "If something is impermanent, unpleasant, and subject to change, is it fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" The Monks: "No, Bhante."

The Sekha’s Vision: Before reaching the end, the Sekha person first sees the aggregates as a danger. They realize: "This form is not mine; this is not what I am." By seeing the circumstances (Siduweema) of the aggregates as impermanent and suffering, they stop "conforming" to them. This is the critical moment where the Sakkaya Nirodha incident begins—the Sekha is no longer "along with" the process, but is actively turning away (Nibbindati).

The Arahant’s State: Having fully realized this truth; the Arahant has seen the circumstantial nature of the aggregates truthfully to the very end. For them, the "chewing" has stopped because there is no more "Self" to be eaten. They are Tādi—unshakable—because they no longer conform to the devouring nature of the world. Having seen through the illusion, they neither collect nor disperse; they simply stand in the peace of liberation.