{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn22.97/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn22.97","id":"suttacentral_sn22.97","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn22.97/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At S\u0101vatth\u012b. Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha: \u201cSir, is there any form at all that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever? Is there any feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness at all that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever?\u201d \u201cMendicant, there is no form at all that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. There\u2019s no feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness at all that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.\u201d Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt on his fingernail, said to that mendicant: \u201cThere\u2019s not even this much of any form that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found. But since there isn\u2019t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found. There\u2019s not even this much of any feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness that\u2019s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found. But since there isn\u2019t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found. What do you think, mendicant? Is form permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cIs feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u2026 \u201cSo you should truly see \u2026 Seeing this \u2026 They understand: \u2018\u2026 there is nothing further for this place.\u2019\u201d","title":"A Fingernail","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":273}