In short: in the Simile of the Foam (SN 22.95) the Buddha compares body and mind to foam, bubbles, a mirage, a hollow plantain trunk and a magic trick: look closely and each turns out to be empty of any lasting essence.
On the bank of the Ganges, the Buddha pointed to a lump of foam floating by. Look closely, he said, and it is "vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a lump of foam?" Then he gave five unforgettable images for the five aggregates that make up a person.
The five similes
| Aggregate | Like… |
|---|---|
| Form (the body) | a lump of foam |
| Feeling | a bubble on rainwater |
| Perception | a mirage |
| Choices | a banana plant, with no heartwood |
| Consciousness | an illusion |
The point is not that nothing exists, but that nothing in body or mind is solid enough to cling to. See the three marks of existence and the discourse on not-self.
Read the full guide
The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (SN22.95). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ayujjhāyaṁ viharati gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre. | At one time the Buddha was staying near Ayodhya on the bank of the Ganges River. |
| Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: | There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: |
| “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ gaṅgā nadī mahantaṁ pheṇapiṇḍaṁ āvaheyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, pheṇapiṇḍe sāro? | “Mendicants, suppose this Ganges River was carrying along a big lump of foam. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a lump of foam? |
| Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, rūpe sāro? | In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in form? |
| Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante udake udakapubbuḷaṁ uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, udakapubbuḷe sāro? | Suppose it was autumn, when the heavens rain heavily, and a bubble on the water forms and pops right away. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a water bubble? |
| Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci vedanā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… yā dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, vedanāya sāro? | In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of feeling at all … examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in feeling? |
| Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ṭhite majjhanhike kāle marīcikā phandati. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya …pe… kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, marīcikāya sāro? | Suppose that in the last month of summer, at noon, a shimmering mirage appears. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a mirage? |
| Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yā kāci saññā …pe…. | In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of perception at all … examining it carefully. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what substance could there be in perception? |
| Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno tiṇhaṁ kuṭhāriṁ ādāya vanaṁ paviseyya. So tattha passeyya mahantaṁ kadalikkhandhaṁ ujuṁ navaṁ akukkukajātaṁ. Tamenaṁ mūle chindeyya; mūle chetvā agge chindeyya, agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujeyya. So tassa pattavaṭṭiṁ vinibbhujanto pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṁ. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, kadalikkhandhe sāro? | Suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. Wandering in search of heartwood, they’d take a sharp axe and enter a forest. There they’d see a big banana trunk, straight and young and grown unskewed. They’d cut it down at the base, cut off the top, and unroll the coiled sheaths. But they wouldn’t even find sapwood, much less heartwood. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in a banana trunk? |
| Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci saṅkhārā atītānāgatapaccuppannā …pe… ye dūre santike vā taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, saṅkhāresu sāro? | In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of choices at all … examining them rationally. And they appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in choices? |
| Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, māyākāro vā māyākārantevāsī vā catumahāpathe māyaṁ vidaṁseyya. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso passeyya nijjhāyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyeyya, tucchakaññeva khāyeyya, asārakaññeva khāyeyya. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, māyāya sāro? | Suppose an illusionist or their apprentice was to demonstrate an illusion at the crossroads. And a person with clear eyes would see it and contemplate it, examining it rationally. And it would appear to them as completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in an illusion? |
| Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā, taṁ bhikkhu passati nijjhāyati yoniso upaparikkhati. Tassa taṁ passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati. Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe sāro? | In the same way, a mendicant sees and contemplates any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—examining it rationally. And it appears to them completely vacuous, hollow, and insubstantial. For what essence could there be in consciousness? |
| Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi … saññāyapi … saṅkhāresupi … viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. | Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. |
| Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti …pe… | Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. |
| nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”. | They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’” |
| Idamavoca bhagavā. | That is what the Buddha said. |
| Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā: | Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: |
| “Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ, | “Form is like a lump of foam; |
| vedanā bubbuḷūpamā; | feeling is like a bubble; |
| Marīcikūpamā saññā, | perception seems like a mirage; |
| saṅkhārā kadalūpamā; | choices like a banana plant; |
| Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ, | and consciousness like an illusion: |
| desitādiccabandhunā. | so taught the Kinsman of the Sun. |
| Yathā yathā nijjhāyati, | However you contemplate them, |
| yoniso upaparikkhati; | examining them rationally, |
| Rittakaṁ tucchakaṁ hoti, | they’re vacuous and hollow |
| yo naṁ passati yoniso. | when you look at them closely. |
| Imañca kāyaṁ ārabbha, | Concerning this body, |
| bhūripaññena desitaṁ; | he of vast wisdom has taught |
| Pahānaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ, | that when three things are given up, |
| rūpaṁ passatha chaḍḍitaṁ. | you’ll see this form discarded. |
| Āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṁ, | When vitality, warmth, and consciousness |
| yadā kāyaṁ jahantimaṁ; | leave this body, |
| Apaviddho tadā seti, | it lies dumped there, |
| parabhattaṁ acetanaṁ. | food for others, insentient. |
| Etādisāyaṁ santāno, | Such is this continuity, |
| māyāyaṁ bālalāpinī; | this illusion, this lament of fools. |
| Vadhako esa akkhāto, | It’s said to be a killer, |
| sāro ettha na vijjati. | for no core is found here. |
| Evaṁ khandhe avekkheyya, | An energetic mendicant |
| bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo; | should examine the aggregates like this, |
| Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ, | with situational awareness and mindfulness |
| sampajāno paṭissato. | whether by day or by night. |
| Jaheyya sabbasaṁyogaṁ, | They should give up all fetters, |
| kareyya saraṇattano; | and make a refuge for themselves. |
| Careyyādittasīsova, | They should live as though their head was on fire, |
| patthayaṁ accutaṁ padan”ti. | aspiring to the state that does not pass.” |
| Tatiyaṁ. |
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Questions people ask
What is the foam simile?
In SN 22.95 the Buddha compares form to a lump of foam, feeling to a water bubble, perception to a mirage, choices to a banana plant and consciousness to an illusion, showing they have no lasting core.
Why a banana plant?
A banana plant's trunk is made of layers; peel them away and there is no solid heartwood inside, just as choices have no fixed core.