Reading guide
A resolution about non-being, stated as an unprompted utterance
The discourse's opening “it might not be, and it might not be mine; it will not be, and it will not be mine” is presented as an udāna — a category of spontaneous, emotionally charged expression distinct from ordinary instructive teaching. The Buddha does not explain it immediately; he simply states that a mendicant who resolves this way can cut off the lower fetters, prompting a mendicant to ask how.
A five-part characterization beyond the familiar three marks
The Buddha's answer expands the usual three marks (impermanent, suffering, not-self) into five: an unlearned ordinary person fails to truly understand each aggregate as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as conditioned (saṅkhata), and as liable to vanish (vibhavissati). This last pair — conditioned, and liable to vanish — is not part of the standard tilakkhaṇa formula used throughout most of this book, making this discourse's analysis unusually thorough.
A resolution grounded in the vanishing of the aggregates
The discourse traces the resolution “it might not be, and it might not be mine” directly to this five-part understanding: it is specifically because of the vanishing (nirodha) of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that a mendicant who makes this resolution can cut off the lower fetters. Seeing the aggregates' vanishing clearly is what makes the resolution about one's own possible non-being something other than idle or dangerous speculation.
Worrying about a genuine worry, and worrying about nothing at all
The discourse's final movement introduces a subtle distinction: an unlearned ordinary person worries about “things that aren't a worry” (aṭṭhāne paritassati) — specifically, worrying about whether they might not be, and might not have what is theirs. A learned noble disciple does not worry this way, not because they have found reassurance that they will continue, but because they no longer hold the underlying assumption (a fixed self persisting or not persisting) that would make such a worry meaningful in the first place. The discourse then closes with the same involvement-and-freedom teaching from SN 22.53, grounding this psychological analysis in the same framework as the two discourses before it.
Key terms
The text
§1There the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: “‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’ A mendicant who makes such a resolution can cut off the lower fetters.” When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha, “But sir, how can a mendicant who makes such a resolution cut off the lower fetters?”
§2“Mendicant, take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in their teaching. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in their teaching. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.
§3consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.
§4They don’t truly understand form—which is impermanent—as impermanent.
§5They don’t truly understand form—which is conditioned—as conditioned. They don’t truly understand feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is conditioned—as conditioned. They don’t truly understand that form will vanish.
§6But a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don’t regard form as self …
§7consciousness as self.
§8They truly understand form—which is impermanent—as impermanent. They truly understand feeling …
§9They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is suffering—as suffering. They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is not-self—as not-self. They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is conditioned—as conditioned. They truly understand that form will vanish.
§10It’s because of the vanishing of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that a mendicant who makes such a resolution—‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine’—can cut off the lower fetters.”
§11But how are they to know and see in order to end the defilements without delay?” “Mendicant, an unlearned ordinary person worries about things that aren’t a worry. For an unlearned ordinary person worries: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’
§12A learned noble disciple doesn’t worry about things that aren’t a worry. For a learned noble disciple doesn’t worry: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’
§13Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, not making choices, it is freed. Being free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended … there is nothing further for this place.’ The ending of the defilements is for one who knows and sees this.”
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