“I understand that attā could mean “of benefit” in other cases, but it does not seem applicable here based on the rest of the sutta.”
- It is up to each person to decide (same for your interpretation of “amhe.”)
- But I would be interested to hear how the rest of the sutta is incompatible (you don’t need to, only if you like to do so).
- The whole point is that pancupadanakkhandha (panca upadanakkhandha or the “craving for the five aggregates”) is useless. That only leads to future suffering, even though it may seem enjoyable at the moment.
- By the way, the name of the sutta is correctly translated as “It’s Not Yours.” None of the five entities arising in mind (rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara, vinnana) are to be “taken as yours.” Contaminated versions of those entities arise in the mind based on root causes (raga, dosa, moha) and prevailing conditions. When all root causes (raga, dosa, moha) are removed, one (an Arahant) will still see, hear, etc., but only “pure, uncontaminated versions of rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara, vinnana would arise in mind.”
- This website is all about explaining that future suffering will not end until one understands that “those entities are not to be taken as yours” because they provide no value/benefit but only suffering in the end. The “mind-made versions” of external rupa seem to have beauty, pleasing sound, taste, smell, and touch, but those “sanna” are not real.