Upādānaparipavattasutta
Rounds of the Grasping Aggregates
The Buddha did not claim to be awakened until he had fully understood each of the five aggregates in the light of each of the four noble truths. This discourse includes definitions of each of the aggregates.
Translations
Sattaṭṭhānasutta
Seven Cases
To be fully accomplished, a mendicant should investigate the five aggregates in light of the four noble truths, as well as their gratification, drawback, and escape. In addition, they should investigate the elements, sense fields, and dependent origination.
Translations
Sammāsambuddhasutta
The Fully Awakened Buddha
The Buddha declares that a mendicant is freed by wisdom by non-attachment to the aggregates, in just the same way as he himself. He then explains that the difference between himself and another awakened mendicant is simply that he was the first to discover the path and teach it to others.
Translations
Khajjanīyasutta
Bitable
One of the most extensive discourses in this collection begins with the Buddha saying that when anyone recollects a past life, all they are recollecting is the five aggregates. He then gives a distinctive set of definitions of the aggregates in terms of their functions, and discusses them from various aspects.
Translations
Piṇḍolyasutta
Beggars
While staying at Kapilavatthu the Buddha dismissed the the Sangha for misbehaving. Later he decided to support them for the sake of the young mendicants. He reminds them that their livelihood is considered a lowly one, and that one should let go of bad thoughts and wrong views, and see the aggregates as impermanent.
Translations
Pālileyyasutta
At Pārileyyaka
Leaving behind the quarreling monks at Kosambi, the Buddha went to stay in the empty forest at Pārileyyaka. Ānanda brings some mendicants to receive a teaching, and one of them wonders how to see so as to end defilements in this very life. The Buddha teaches the 37 practices that lead to awakening, and then goes on to show that various ways of regarding the aggregates are conditioned phenomena.
Translations
Tissasutta
With Tissa
Venerable Tissa, the Blessed One’s paternal cousin, tells the monks that he is dissatisfied as a monk. When the Buddha hears of this, he calls Tissa to him, and questions him on the aggregates. As Tissa showed his understanding of each question, the Buddha praised him, lifting his spirits.
Translations
Yamakasutta
With Yamaka
Venerable Yamaka had the wrong view that one whose defilements have ended is annihilated at death. The monks ask Sāriputta to help, and he asks Yamaka whether a realized one in this very life may be identified as one of the aggregates, or apart from them. Convinced, Yamaka lets go of his view and sees the Dhamma.
Translations
Anurādhasutta
With Anurādha
Venerable Anurādha is questioned by a number of ascetics, and ends up by saying that a realized one is described in terms other than “still existing after death” and so on. The wanderers say he’s a fool, so he checks with the Buddha, who says that a realized one is not even apprehended in this life, so how can he be described after death?
Translations
Vakkalisutta
With Vakkali
Venerable Vakkali is ill, and asks the Buddha to visit him. The Buddha does so, but says there is no point in seeing his physical body, as one who sees the Dhamma sees him. Later, Vakkali is taken to the Black Rock on Isigili, where he declares that he has no attachment to the aggregates, and takes his own life. The Buddha says that he had attained final extinguishment.
Translations
Khemakasutta
With Khemaka
Venerable Khemaka is ill, and some senior mendicants ask Dāsaka to convey their concern to him. There follows a series of exchanges mediated by Dāsaka until eventually Khemaka, despite his illness, goes to see the other mendicants himself. The seniors are asking to determine Khemaka’s understanding of the Dhamma, and he says that although he has let go of the five lower fetters, he still has a residual attachment to the five aggregates.
Translations
Channasutta
With Channa
Hearing that the Buddha, while on his deathbed, had announced a special punishment for him, Venerable Channa asks for teachings from the mendicants. Unsatisfied, he seeks out Ānanda, who teaches him the address to Kaccāyana (SN 12.15).
Translations
Dutiyagaddulabaddhasutta
A Leash (2nd)
A dog leashed to a post will always remain close to that post. In the same way, beings remain close to aggregates in this endless cycle of transmigration. The Buddha refers to a well-known painting called “Conduct”, and says the mind is even more diverse than that; and indeed, the animal realm is the most diverse of them all, and it is produced by the mind.
Translations
Vāsijaṭasutta
The Adze
Contemplating the aggregates leads to liberation, but this may not be immediately apparent. The Buddha illustrates this with similes of a chook sitting on eggs, the wearing away of an axe handle, and the rotting of a ship’s rigging.