Venerable MahaKotthita said to venerable Sariputta: Friend Sariputta, what are the things that a virtuous monk should carefully attend to?
Friend Kotthita, a virtuous monk should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formation aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. A virtuous monk should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. When, friend, a virtuous monk carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging. It is possible that he may realize the fruit of stream-entry.
But, friend Sariputta, what are the things that a monk who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to?
Friend Kotthita, a monk who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. When, friend, a stream-enterer carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging. It is possible that he may realize the fruit of once-returning.
But, friend Sariputta, what are the things that a monk who is a once-returner should carefully attend to?
Friend Kotthita, a monk who is a once-returner should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, … as nonself. When, friend, a once-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging. It is possible that he may realize the fruit of non-returning.
But, friend Sariputta, what are are the things that a monk who is a non-returner should carefully attend to?
Friend Kotthita, a monk who is a non-returner should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, … as nonself. When, friend, a non-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging. It is possible that he may realize the fruit of arahantship.
But, friend Sariputta, what are the things that a monk who is an arahant should carefully attend to?
Friend Kotthita, a monk who is an arahant should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, … as nonself. For the arahant, friend, there is nothing further that has to be done and no repetition of what he has already done. However, when these things are developed and cultivated, they lead to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.
The above part is extracted from Sila Sutta in DhammaKathikaVagga of Khandhavagga ( SamyutaaNikaya). The pali terms used in this discourse are
1) Impermanent (aniccato )
2) suffering (dukkhato)
3) a disease (rogato)
4) tumour (gandato )
5) a dart (sallato) For further details, please read, the barb of lust, the barb of hate, the barb of views and the barb of delusion in Satara Agati(Four bad ways)
6) misery( aghato)
7) an affliction (aabaadhato)
8) alien ( parato) - that is relying on others ( eg a monk depends on alms given by others, and we are dependent on others (governments, employers, farmers, etc ).
9) disintegrating (palokato) - For further details, please read Palokadhammasutta in Salaayatanasamyutta ( channavagga)
10) empty ( sunnato) - For further details, please read Cula sunnata Sutta
11) nonself ( anattato )
You have to use your own examples when investigating this dhamma so that insight arises in your meditation session. For example, when contemplating as a disease, recall to your mind a disease that you or your parents had. Note that concept of emptiness is a very broad one and you need to meditate on this part very heavily towards the end of the meditation.
The best approach is to go through the Eightfold path meditation first and when you are contemplating on Five aggregates of clinging extend that part of the meditation with the above eleven parts.