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NISM AND BUDDHISM
P. 64. “Moreover, Anand, happy feeling is impermanent, a product, the result of a cause or causes, liable to perish, to pass away, to become extinct, to cease, so too is painful feeling, so too is neutral feeling. If when experiencing a happy feeling one thinks “this is my soul ”—when that same happy feeling ceases, one will also think :--my soul has departed, so too when the feeling is painful or neutral. Thus he who says : “my soul is feeling" regards as his soul something, which in this present life is impermanent, is blended of happiness and pain, and is liable to begin and to end. Wherefore, Ananda, it follows that this aspect: "my soul is feeling” does not commend itself.
Herein, again Anand, to him who affirms, nay, my soul is not feeling, my soul is not sentient, answer should thus be made :-my friend, where there is no feeling of anything, can you then say I am. You cannot, Lord. Wherefore, Ananda, it follows that this aspect :-nay, my soul is not feeling, my soul is not sentient, does not commend itself.
My friend, when feeling of every sort or kind to cease absolutely, then there being, owing to the cessation, thereof, no feeling whatever could one then say-- I myself am?
No lord, one could not.
Wherefore, Ananda, it follows that this aspect :nay, my soul is not feeling, nor it is not sentient; my soul has feeling, it has the property of sentience, does not commend itself.
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