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SN 22.89 
Salāyatanavagga Saṁyutta (Collection on the Six Sense Bases) 
Connected Discourses on the Aggregates 
Thera Vagga 
 
Khemaka Sutta 
“With Khemaka” 
Translated by Candana Bhikkhu 
 
Copyright © Candana Bhikkhu 2021 
 
At one time, a large number of elder Bhikkhus were living in Ghosita's Forest Monastery, in 
Kosambi. 
It was during that time that the Venerable Khemaka, while residing in the Jujubee monastery, 
was stricken with a severe illness, as he experienced much bodily pain and suffering. 
Then, when it was evening, by coming out from their seclusion, those elder Bhikkhus addressed 
the Venerable Dāsaka: “Friend Dāsaka, go and approach the Venerable Khemaka and inform 
him: ‘Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus like to inquire about your health as they pass on to 
you this message: ‘Friend, we hope that you are bearing up; we hope that you are getting better. 
We hope that your illness is becoming less severe, and your bodily pains and feelings of 
suffering are decreasing and not increasing; that their subsiding is what is evident, not their 
continued increase.’’” 
“Yes, Friends,” replied the Venerable Dāsaka in agreement, as he went to the Ven. Khemaka at 
the Jujubee Monastery, and having reached his hut, he approached the venerable Khemaka and 
relayed the message, by saying: ‘Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus like to inquire about your 
health as they pass on to you this message: ‘Friend, we hope that you are bearing up; we hope 
that you are getting better. We hope that your illness is becoming less severe, and your bodily 
pains and feelings of suffering are decreasing and not increasing; that their subsiding is what is 
evident, not their continued increase.’’” 
In replying to them, the Ven. Khemaka stated: “Friends, I am not bearing up well; I am not 
getting better. My illness is getting severe, and my bodily pains and feelings of suffering are 
increasing and not decreasing.” 
Then, having received his reply, the Venerable Dāsaka went back to the elder Bhikkhus and 
informed them: ‘Friends, the Venerable Khemaka sends you the following response: “Friends, I 
am not bearing up well; I am not getting better. My illness is getting severe, and my bodily pains 
and feelings of suffering are increasing and not decreasing.”

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Then, those Bhikkhus asked the Ven. Dāsaka to go back to the Venerable Khemaka and tell him 
that the elder monks say this: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five aggregates of 
clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the aggregate of 
feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of mental 
constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ Therefore, the 
elder Bhikkhus ask the Ven. Khemaka as to which of these five does he reflect and look upon as 
his self, or the parts that make up or belong to his self?’” 
And the Venerable Dāsaka, having consented to go back, set off and reached the Venerable 
Khemaka’s hut, as he relayed the message given to him, by saying: “Friend, the Blessed One has 
taught us about the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of 
form, clinging to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, 
clinging to the aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of 
consciousness/sense awareness.’ Therefore, the elder Bhikkhus ask the Ven. Khemaka as to 
which of these five does he reflect and look upon as his self, or the parts that make up or belong 
to his self?’” 
To this, the Ven. Khemaka replied by saying: “Friends, the Blessed One has indeed taught us 
about the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, 
clinging to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to 
the aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense 
awareness.’ However, I do not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts 
making up or belonging to a self in me.” 
And having received his reply, the Venerable Dāsaka went back to the elder Bhikkhus carrying 
the message: “Friends, the venerable Khemaka says: ‘the Blessed One has indeed taught us about 
the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging 
to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the 
aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense 
awareness.’ However, I do not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts 
making up or belonging to a self in me.’” 
Here, the elder Bhikkhus again asked the Ven. Dāsaka to go and tell the venerable Khemaka the 
following message: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five aggregates of clinging 
that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the aggregate of feelings, 
clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of mental constructions, 
and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ With your response, that you 
‘do not reflect nor look upon any of these as yourself, nor see them as parts making up or 
belonging to a self in you,’ then does that mean that the Ven. Khemaka has attained the Highest 
Goal of the Holy Life, having destroyed all the contaminants by attaining Arahantship?”  
And the Venerable Dāsaka eagerly went back to the venerable Khemaka as he conveyed the 
elder Bhikkhus' message by asking: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five 
aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the 
aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of 
mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ With

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your response, that you ‘do not reflect nor look upon any of these as yourself, nor see them as 
parts making up or belonging to a self in you,’ then does that mean that the Ven. Khemaka has 
attained the Highest Goal of the Holy Life, having destroyed all the contaminants by attaining 
Arahantship?” 
At this, the Ven Khemaka replied, “The Blessed One has indeed taught us about the five 
aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the 
aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of 
mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ But I do 
not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts making up or belonging to 
a self in me. Yet, I am not an Arahant, one whose contaminants have been utterly destroyed. For, 
when speaking of the five aggregates, I am still not rid of the conceit “I am,” even though I don’t 
find within me anything or anyone to be called or experienced as an “I am.” 
Then, the venerable Dāsaka, having gone back to the elder Bhikkhus, reported to them the Ven. 
Khemaka’s response by saying: “‘The Blessed One has indeed taught us about the five 
aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the 
aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of 
mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ But, I do 
not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts making up or belonging to 
a self in me. Yet, I am not an Arahant, one whose contaminants have been utterly destroyed. For, 
when speaking of the five aggregates, I am still not rid of the conceit “I am,” even though I don’t 
find within me anything or anyone to be called or experienced as an “I am.” 
Again, the elder Bhikkhus asked the Ven. Dāsaka if he could go back to the Jujubee Forest, and 
carry this message as they further inquired from the Ven. Khemaka: “Friend Khemaka, the elder 
Bhikkhus ask, ‘If Friend Khemaka is not an Arahant, then what can the Venerable Khemaka be 
referring to when he uses the term “I am?” Is it in reference to form/matter, or to feelings, or to 
memories/notions, or to mental constructions, or to consciousness/sense awareness? Or is it 
something completely apart from them? What exactly is this “I am” that the Ven. Khemaka is 
referring to?” 
Having agreed to carry their message back, the Venerable Dàsaka yet again went to the 
Venerable Khemaka and told him: “Friend, the elder monks would like to ask you this further 
question: “Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus ask, ‘If Friend Khemaka is not an Arahant, then 
what can the Venerable Khemaka be referring to when he uses the term “I am?” Is it in reference 
to form/matter, or to feelings, or to memories/notions, or to mental constructions, or to 
consciousness/sense awareness? Or is it something completely apart from them? What exactly is 
this “I am” that the Ven. Khemaka is referring to?’” 
At that point, the Ven. Khemaka exclaimed to the Ven. Dāsaka: “Enough of this going back and 
forth, Friend Dāsaka! Please go and get me a walking stick, something I can lean onto, and I will 
go to the elder Bhikkhus and carry my reply to them.” 
Then, by leaning on a walking stick, the venerable Khemaka walked all the way to the elder 
Bhikkhus in Kosambi, and after exchanging friendly greetings with them, sat to one side.

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Then the elder Bhikkhus turned to the Venerable Khemaka, now seated among them, and said: 
“Friend Khemaka, when you say this term “I am,” what exactly do you mean? Is it with regard to 
the form, feelings, notions/memories, mental constructions, or consciousness/sense awareness, or 
is it something entirely different or separate from these? What is this “I am” that you still refer 
to?” 
“Friends, I do not say that I am this form, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from this form; 
I do not say that I am feelings, nor do I say that am entirely separate from feelings; I do not say 
that I am notions/memories, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from notions/memories; I do 
not say that I am mental construction, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from mental 
constructions; I do not say that I am consciousness/sense awareness, nor do I say that I am 
entirely separate from consciousness/sense awareness. In other words, although I use the term “I 
am” in reference to the five aggregates that hold things together, that does not mean, however, 
that I recognize them as “I am this,” for I am still not rid of the conceit “I am.” 
“Friends, it is very much like the fragrance of a blue, a white, or a red lotus. 
“If someone were to tell you that the fragrance of a blue, a white, or a red lotus was in its petals, 
or in its color, or in its stem, would you consider that to be accurate?” 
“No, Friend, that would not be accurate,” replied the elder Bhikkhus. 
“What then, Friends, would be an accurate way to describe as to where the fragrance of the lotus 
is emanating from?” 
“Friend, it would be accurate to say that the fragrance of the lotus comes from the flower itself,” 
replied the elder Bhikkhus.  
“Exactly Friends! In the same manner, I do not say that ‘I am this form, nor do I say that I am 
entirely separate from this form; I do not say that I am feelings, nor do I say that am entirely 
separate from feelings; I do not say that I am notions/memories, nor do I say that I am entirely 
separate from notions/memories; I do not say that I am mental constructions, nor do I say that I 
am entirely separate from mental constructions; I do not say that I am consciousness/sense 
awareness, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from consciousness/sense awareness. In other 
words, although I use the term “I am” in reference to the five aggregates holding things together, 
that does not mean, however, that I recognize them as “I am this,” for I am still not rid of the 
conceit “I am.” 
“Friends, although a Noble Disciple may have abandoned the five lower fetters that bind a 
person to the sensual world, there still remains some residue in the form of the conceit “I am,” 
the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency of “I am” that lingers, as a result of not having 
been uprooted yet. Sometime later, however, as he continues to observe the arising and vanishing 
of the five aggregates of clinging, he begins to see more and more clearly: “this is the arising of 
form/matter, this is the vanishing of form/matter; this is the arising of feelings, this is the 
vanishing of feelings; this is the arising of notions/memories, this is the vanishing of 
notions/memories; this is the arising of mental constructions, this is the vanishing of mental

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constructions; this is the arising of consciousness/sense awareness, this is the vanishing of 
consciousness/sense awareness. And as he continues attending to the rise and fall of these five 
aggregates of clinging thus, the conceit “I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency 
of “I am,” all become uprooted.  
“Friends, it is very much like the stained, dirty piece of cloth that is given to the washer to clean, 
who then would brush it with salt, lime, or cow dung and rinse it thoroughly in pure water. 
But, as the washer returns the cloth to its owner clean and pure, the cloth would now still have 
with it the lingering smells of salt, lime, or cow dung, as these would not be removed from it. 
But when the owner puts it in a perfumed box, then the smells of salt, lime, or cow dung that 
were there earlier, would now be completely removed. 
In the same way, Friends, although a Noble Disciple may have abandoned the five lower fetters 
that bind a person to the sensual world, there still remains some residue in the form of the conceit 
“I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency of “I am” that lingers, as a result of not 
having been uprooted yet. Sometime later, however, as he continues to observe the arising and 
vanishing of the five aggregates of clinging, he begins to see more and more clearly: “this is the 
arising of form/matter, this is the vanishing of form/matter; this is the arising of feelings, this is 
the vanishing of feelings; this is the arising of notions/memories, this is the vanishing of 
notions/memories; this is the arising of mental constructions, this is the vanishing of mental 
constructions; this is the arising of consciousness/sense awareness, this is the vanishing of 
consciousness/sense awareness. And as he continues attending to the rise and fall of these five 
aggregates of clinging thus, the conceit “I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency 
of “I am,” all become uprooted.” 
When this was said, the elder Bhikkhus said to the Venerable Khemaka: “In asking our questions 
thus, surely we had no intentions of troubling the Ven. Khemaka. Our hope was that, in 
answering these questions, Ven. Khemaka would teach us, clarify and elaborate for us, revealing, 
elucidating, and establishing us in the Dhamma, by making us understand and see the 
Dispensation of the Blessed One in detail. 
And truly, the Venerable Khemaka has taught us, clarified and elaborated for us, having 
revealed, elucidated, as well as established us in the Dhamma, by making us understand and see 
the Dispensation of the Blessed One in detail. 
This is how the Venerable Khemaka responded to the elder Bhikkhus’ questions, and the elder 
Bhikkhus were all delighted in the words of the Venerable Khemaka. 
And while this exposition was taking place, the minds of about sixty elder Bhikkhus were utterly 
liberated from the contaminants, together, with the mind of the Venerable Khemaka. 
 
Sadhu 
Sadhu 
Sadhu