http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Potthapada_Sutta"Potthapada, there are three kinds of "acquired self" : the gross acquired self, the mind-made acquired self, the formless self. What is the gross acquired self? It has form, is composed of the four great elements, nourished by material food. What is the mind-made self? It has form, completed with all its parts, not defective in any sense-organ. What is the formless acquired self? It is without form, and made up of perception.
"But I teach a doctrine for getting rid of the gross acquired self, whereby defiling mental states disappear and states tending to purification grow strong, and one gains and remains in the purity and perfection of wisdom here and now, having realized and attained it by one's own super-knowledge. Now, Potthapada, you might think: "Perhaps these defiling mental states might disappear…and one might still be unhappy." That is not how it should be regarded. If defiling states disappear…nothing but happiness and delight develops, tranquility, mindfulness and clear awareness - and that is a happy state.
I also teach a doctrine for getting rid of the mind-made acquired self….
I also teach a doctrine for getting rid of the formless acquired self….
Potthapada, if others ask us: "What, friend, is this gross acquired self whose abandonment you preach…" being so asked, we should reply: "This is that gross acquired self for the getting rid of which we teach a doctrine…"
"If others ask us: "What is this mind-made acquired self…". "If others ask us: "What is this formless acquired self…".
"What do you think, Potthapada? Does not that statement turn out to be well-founded?" "Certainly, Lord."
"It is just as if a man were to build a staircase for a palace, which was below that palace. They might say to him: "Well now, this staircase for a palace that you are building, do you know whether the palace will face east or west, or north or south, or whether it will be high, low or of medium height?" and he would say: "This staircase is right under the palace." "Don't you think that man's statement would be well-founded?" "Certainly, Lord."
"In just the same way, Potthapada, if others ask us: "What is this gross acquired self…?" "What is this mind-made acquired self…?" "What is this formless acquired self…"" we reply: "This is this [gross, mind-made, formless] acquired self for the getting rid of which we teach a doctrine, whereby defiling mental states disappear and states tending to purification grow strong, and one gains and remains in the purity and perfection of wisdom here and now, having realized and attained it by one's own super-knowledge." "Don't you think that statement is well-founded?" "Certainly, Lord."
At this, Citta, son of the elephant-trainer, said to the Lord: "Lord, whenever the gross acquired self is present, would it be wrong to assume the existence of the mind-made acquired self, or of the formless acquired self? Does only the gross acquired self truly exist then? And similarly with the mind-made acquired self, and the formless acquired self?"
"Citta, whenever the gross acquired self is present, we do not at that time speak of a mind-made acquired self, we do not speak of a formless acquired self. We speak only of a gross acquired self. [18] Whenever the mind-made acquired self is present, we speak only of a mind-made acquired self, and whenever the formless acquired self is present, we speak only of a formless acquired self."
"Citta, suppose they were to ask you: "Did you exist in the past or didn't you, will you exist in the future or won't you, do you exist now or don't you?" How would you answer?"
"Lord, if I were asked such a question, I would say: "I did exist in the past, I did not not exist; I shall exist in the future, shall not-not exist; I do exist now, I do not-not exist." "That, Lord, would be my answer."
"But, Citta, if they asked: "The past acquired self that you had, is that your only true acquired self, and are the future and present ones false? Or is the one you will have in the future the only true one, and are the past and present ones false? Or is your present acquired self the only true one, and are the past and future ones false?" How would you reply?"
"Lord, if they asked me these things, I would reply: "My past acquired self was at the time my only true one, the future and present ones were false. My future acquired self will then be the only true one; the past and present ones will be false. My present acquired self is now the only true one, the past and future ones are false." That is how I would reply."
"In just the same way, Citta, whenever the gross acquired self is present, we do not at that time speak of a mind-made acquired self…[or] of a formless acquired self.
"In just the same way, Citta, from the cow we milk, from the milk curds, from the curds butter, from the butter ghee, and from the ghee cream of ghee. And when there is milk we don't speak of curds, of butter, of ghee or of cream of ghee, we speak of milk; when there are curds we don't speak of butter…when there is cream of ghee…we speak of cream of ghee.
"So too, whenever the gross acquired self is present, we do not speak of the mind-made or formless acquired self; whenever the mind-made acquired self is present, we do not speak of the gross or formless acquired self; whenever the formless acquired self is present, we do not speak of the gross acquired self or the mind-made acquired self, we speak of the formless acquired self. But, Citta, these are merely names, expressions, turns of speech, designations in common use in the world, which the Tathágata uses without misapprehending them.
