Phena sutta: a lump of foam

Textual Scholarship
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on dhammawheel there was topic about the visuddhimagga and someone thought the section on the paticcasamuppada had errors and they cited the Phena sutta to supposedly show this:

VISM: XV11 Dependent origination

115 “when he is confused about the round of rebirths,
instead of taking the round of rebirths as pictured
thus: 'an endless chain of aggregates(khandas) of
elements(dhatus) bases(ayatanas) that carries on
unbrokenly is what is called ‘the round or rebirths’
he figures that it is a lasting being that goes from
this world to another world, that comes from another
world to this world"

DW member: *Falsely ascribes realism to paṭiccasamuppanna. See Phena Sutta.

  • Fails to comprehend the grounds for paṭiccasamuppanna by assuming they are a chain of like-for-like khandas, dhatus and ayatanas, rather than unique delusions which arise and pass away per idappaccayatā*.
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the sutta:
Saṁyutta Nikāya
Connected Discourses on the Aggregates
22.95. A Lump of Foam
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Ayojjha on the bank of the river Ganges. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

“Bhikkhus, suppose that this river Ganges was carrying along a great lump of foam. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a lump of foam? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of form there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in form?

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that in the autumn, when it is raining and big rain drops are falling, a water bubble arises and bursts on the surface of the water. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a water bubble? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of feeling there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in feeling?

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that in the last month of the hot season, at high noon, a shimmering mirage appears. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a mirage? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of perception there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception?

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, would take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There he would see the trunk of a large plantain tree, straight, fresh, without a fruit-bud core. He would cut it down at the root, cut off the crown, and unroll the coil. As he unrolls the coil, he would not find even softwood, let alone heartwood. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in the trunk of a plantain tree? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of volitional formations there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects them, ponders them, and carefully investigates them. As he investigates them, they appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in volitional formations?

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that a magician or a magician’s apprentice would display a magical illusion at a crossroads. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a magical illusion? So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of consciousness there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in consciousness?

“Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Form is like a lump of foam,
Feeling like a water bubble;
Perception is like a mirage,
Volitions like a plantain trunk,
And consciousness like an illusion,
So explained the Kinsman of the Sun.

“However one may ponder it
And carefully investigate it,
It appears but hollow and void
When one views it carefully.

“With reference to this body
The One of Broad Wisdom has taught
That with the abandoning of three things
One sees this form discarded.

“When vitality, heat, and consciousness
Depart from this physical body,
Then it lies there cast away:
Food for others, without volition.

“Such is this continuum,
This illusion, beguiler of fools.
It is taught to be a murderer;
Here no substance can be found.

“A bhikkhu with energy aroused
Should look upon the aggregates thus,
Whether by day or at night,
Comprehending, ever mindful.

“He should discard all the fetters
And make a refuge for himself;
Let him fare as with head ablaze,
Yearning for the imperishable state.”

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notes by Bodhi:

188 Spk: One evening, while dwelling in that abode, the Blessed One came out from his fragrant cottage and sat down by the bank of the Ganges. He saw a great lump of foam coming downstream and thought, “I will give a Dhamma talk relating to the five aggregates.” Then he addressed the bhikkhus sitting around him. The sutta is one of the most radical discourses on the empty nature of conditioned phenomena; its imagery (especially the similes of the mirage and the magical illusion) has been taken up by later Buddhist thinkers, most persistently by the Mādhyamikas. Some of the images are found elsewhere in the Pāli Canon, e.g., at Dhp 46, 170. In the context of early Buddhist thought these similes have to be handled with care. They are not intended to suggest an illusionist view of the world but to show that our conceptions of the world, and of our own existence, are largely distorted by the process of cognition. Just as the mirage and magical illusion are based on real existents—the sand of the desert, the magician’s appurtenances—so these false conceptions arise from a base that objectively exists, namely, the five aggregates; but when seen through a mind subject to conceptual distortion, the aggregates appear in a way that deviates from their actual nature. Instead of being seen as transient and selfless, they appear as substantial and as a self.

189 Spk explains at length how form (i.e., the body) is like a lump of foam (pheṇapiṇḍa). I give merely the highlights: as a lump of foam lacks any substance (sāra), so form lacks any substance that is permanent, stable, a self; as the lump of foam is full of holes and fissures and the abode of many creatures, so too form; as the lump of foam, after expanding, breaks up, so does form, which is pulverized in the mouth of death. Spk’s commentary is also at Vibh-a 32-35.

190 Spk: A bubble (bubbuḷa) is feeble and cannot be grasped, for it breaks up as soon as it is seized; so too feeling is feeble and cannot be grasped as permanent and stable. As a bubble arises and ceases in a drop of water and does not last long, so too with feeling: 100,000 koṭis of feelings arise and cease in the time of a fingersnap (one koṭi = 10 million). As a bubble arises in dependence on conditions, so feeling arises in dependence on a sense base, an object, the defilements, and contact.

191 Spk: Perception is like a mirage (marīcikā) in the sense that it is insubstantial, for one cannot grasp a mirage to drink or bathe or fill a pitcher. As a mirage deceives the multitude, so does perception, which entices people with the idea that the colourful object is beautiful, pleasurable, and permanent.

192 Akukkukajātaṃ. Spk: There is no pith growing inside (anto asañjātaghanadaṇḍakaṃ).”—

193 The simile is used for a different purpose at MN I 233,15-23. Spk: As a plantain trunk (kadalikkhandha) is an assemblage of many sheaths, each with its own characteristic, so the aggregate of volitional formations is an assemblage of many phenomena, each with its own characteristic.

194 Spk: Consciousness is like a magical illusion (māyā) in the sense that it is insubstantial and cannot be grasped. Consciousness is even more transient and fleeting than a magical illusion. For it gives the impression that a person comes and goes, stands and sits, with the same mind, but the mind is different in each of these activities. Consciousness deceives the multitude like a magical illusion. For a modern parable illustrating the deceptive nature of consciousness, based on this simile, see Ñāṇananda, The Magic of the Mind, pp. 5-7.

195 See MN I 296,9-11, spoken by Sāriputta. I cannot trace a parallel spoken by the Buddha himself, but see Dhp 41.

196 Spk explains that māyāyaṃ bālalāpinī, in pāda b, refers specifically to the aggregate of consciousness. The aggregate-mass is a murderer in two ways: (i) because the aggregates slay each other; and (ii) because murder appears in dependence on the aggregates. As to (i), when the earth element breaks up it takes along the other elements, and when the form aggregate breaks up it takes along the mental aggregates. As to (ii), when the aggregates exist such things as murder, bondage, injury, etc., come into being. On the comparison of the aggregates to murderers, see too 22: 85 (III 114,20-

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Someone quoted a modern scholar who thought the Commentary and Bhikkhu Bodhi had it wrong:

Nanananda wrote:
I’m sure you have read Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation
of the Saṃyutta Nikāya. You must have come across
the Pheṇapindūpama Sutta. In the notes you’ll see Ven. Bodhi
explaining that although the lump is illusory, the ingredients
aren’t. It is worse when it comes to the magic show. He says that
only the magic is not real; the magician’s appurtenances are. This
is a distortion of the simile given by the Buddha. We must
appreciate the great work done by Ven. Bodhi, but it is
unfortunate that he is bound by the commentarial tradition.

It seems Nanananda had misunderstood the sutta. It is worth correcting as odd ideas like this seem to percolate around the world. It reminds me of some kind of Nagarjuna mahayana idea.

https://suttacentral.net/sn22.94/en/bod … ight=false
Saṁyutta Nikāya
Connected Discourses on the Aggregates
22.94. Flowers

“And what is it, bhikkhus, that the wise in the world agree upon as existing, of which I too say that it exists? Form that is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as existing, and I too say that it exists. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness that is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as existing, and I too say that it exists.

“That, bhikkhus, is what the wise in the world agree upon as existing, of which I too say that it exists.

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From selāsuttaṃ (SN5.9)

evaṃ
khandhā ca
dhātuyo, cha
ca āyatanā
ime,

hetuṃ
paṭicca
sambhūtā,
hetubhaṅgā
nirujjhare"ti

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uttarattheragāthā (Thag2.1)

natthi koci
bhavo nicco,
saṅkhārā
vāpi sassatā,

uppajjanti ca
te khandhā,
cavanti
aparāparaṃ.

Rebirth, death various spheres of existence does not exist apart from khandhas.

Nor is there any sankhata dhamma that is not included under khandha.

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AN 6.98

so vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kañci saṅkhāraṃ niccato samanupassanto anulomikāya khantiyā samannāgato bhavissatī’ti netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati. ‘anulomikāya khantiyā asamannāgato sammattaniyāmaṃ okkamissatī’ti netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati. ‘sammattaniyāmaṃ anokkamamāno sotāpattiphalaṃ vā sakadāgāmiphalaṃ vā anāgāmiphalaṃ vā arahattaṃ vā sacchikarissatī’ti netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati.

Note: here ‘khanti’ does not mean adhivāsana-khanti or acceptance. But rather, ñāṇa-khanti or knowledge.

‘sammattaniyāma’ is a name for the supermundane path(s). The fixed or irreversible course (of righteousness, goodness, rightness)

anulomikāya khanti’ -conformity knowledge, insight knowledge (vipassanā ñāṇa) that conforms to (or aligns with) the supramundane path.

Monks, there is no possibility that a monk who sees any conditioned phenomena as permanent could be endowed with conformity knowledge.

There is no possibility that one who is not endowed with conformity knowledge could enter into the irreversible course of rightness

"There is no possibility that one who has not entered the irreversible course of rightness will realize the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, or arahantship.

•

Monks, there is the possibility that a monk who sees all conditioned phenomena as impermanent is endowed with conformity knowledge

There is the possibility that one who is endowed with conformity knowledge will enter into the irreversible course of rightness

There is the possibility that one who enters into the irreversible course of rightness will realize the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, or arahantship.

so vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbasaṅkhāre aniccato samanupassanto anulomikāya khantiyā samannāgato bhavissatī’ti ṭhānametaṃ vijjati. ‘anulomikāya khantiyā samannāgato sammattaniyāmaṃ okkamissatī’ti ṭhānametaṃ vijjati. ‘sammattaniyāmaṃ okkamamāno sotāpattiphalaṃ vā
sakadāgāmiphalaṃ vā anāgāmiphalaṃ vā arahattaṃ vā sacchikarissatī’ti ṭhānametaṃ vijjatī"ti.

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SN22.122

“A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. A virtuous monk should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a virtuous monk, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant… not-self, would realize the fruit of stream-entry.”

•

“Then which things should a monk who has attained stream-entry attend to in an appropriate way?”

“A monk who has attained stream-entry should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained stream-entry, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant… not-self, would realize the fruit of once-returning.”

•

“Then which things should a monk who has attained once-returning attend to in an appropriate way?”

“A monk who has attained once-returning should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained once-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant… not-self, would realize the fruit of non-returning.”

•

“Then which things should a monk who has attained non-returning attend to in an appropriate way?”

“A monk who has attained non-returning should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained non-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant… not-self, would realize the fruit of arahantship.”

•

“Then which things should an arahant attend to in an appropriate way?”

“An arahant should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Although, for an arahant, there is nothing further to do, and nothing to add to what has been done, still these things — when developed & pursued — lead both to a pleasant abiding in the here-&-now and to mindfulness & alertness.”

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MN149

When one abides inflamed by lust, fettered, infatuated, contemplating gratification, then the five aggregates affected by clinging are built up for oneself in the future.

Arahanta Sutta(SN22.76)

Having fully understood the five aggregates,
Ranging in the seven good qualities,
Those praiseworthy superior men
Are the Buddha’s bosom sons.

•

The adepts’ knowledge has arisen in them:
‘This body is the last I bear.’
In regard to the core of the holy life
They no longer depend on others.

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SN55.54

brahmalokopi kho, āvuso, anicco addhuvo sakkāyapariyāpanno

Even the Brahma world, friend, is impermanent, not lasting, included within sakkāya

SN22.105

sakkāya suttaṃ

katamo ca, bhikkhave, sakkāyo?

pañcupādānakkhandhātissa vacanīyaṃ.

katame pañca? seyyathidaṃ –

rūpupādānakkhandho,

vedanupādānakkhandho,

saññupādānakkhandho,

saṅkhārupādānakkhandho,

viññāṇupādānakkhandho.

ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sakkāyo.

"And what, bhikkhus, is sakkāya?

It should be said: the five aggregates subject to clinging

Which five? They are as follows –
the aggregate of form subject to clinging,
the aggregate of feeling subject to clinging,
the aggregate of perception subject to clinging,
the aggregate of volitional formations subject to clinging,
the aggregate of consciousness subject to clinging.
This, bhikkhus, is called sakkāya.