Mere Concept or Designation
(Nun Vajirā.MN.I.135)

K.S.Chow

One of the foremost disciples of Gotama Buddha , Bhikhunī Vajirā was one of the early commentators on the early discourses (suttas) of the  Blessed One. Most of the time, the Exalted Gotama Buddha preached the Dhamma in brief to his disciples. Some of these disciples might find the Master’s brief message   too abstruse to be comprehended. Readily,  some of the immediate and foremost disciples of Gotama Buddha  rendered their service of commentaries  elaborating in detail what had been preached in brief by the Master.

Once , Bhikkhunī Vajirā presented an exegesis or commentary on the concept of ‘Person’ with the metaphor of Chariot thus:

Yathā hi aṅgasambhārā
Hoti saddo ratho iti
Evaṃ khandhesu santesu
Hoti satto iti sammuti

Translation:
Just as all parts are assembled and conglomerated
The word ‘ Chariot’ is used
Thus when the five aggregates  are conglomerated
It is conventionally called ‘Person’

Purport:

We know well that a chariot is a vehicle made from the unity of the various contigent  components or parts. A Chariot is a unity of existence, a  dependently co-arisen phenomenon (pațiccasamuppana dhamma). Man creates the concept of vehicle after the actual entity has been actualized. He designates the concept of the vehicle with the name called ‘Chariot’. Therefore, the name ‘Chariot’ merely represents the Unity of Existence dependently co-arisen from the unity of parts. It has no substantial entity or a permanent substance because the contigent parts can be dissociated.  Chariot  represents merely a conventional truth of conditioned  phenomenon. A conventional or conditioned  phenomenon  is impermanent and mutable. This corroborates the Truth of Impermanence (Anicca), one of the attributes of the Three Universal Characteristics (Tilakkhaṇas) of existence or becoming (bhava). A conditioned phenomenon is impermanent and changeable because its contigent conditions are impermanent and changeable. What is not permanent and changeable is unreal. Since it does not possess a permanent self-identity or intrinsic nature, it is characterized by the eternal Truth of Insubstantiality or Selflessness (Anattā).

Therefore, Gotama Buddha admonishes us not be attached to any phenomenon because it is unreal and illusory. However, Gotama Buddha advises us not reject or deny  the conventional realities or concepts (papañca). The Exalted One advises us  to utilize all conventional realities without attachment and  aversion. All phenomena are to be   perceived with the wisdom of equanimity (upekkhā). Equanimity annihilates substantial view of all phenomena. The view of Insubstantiality (Anattā) obliterates the self-centric ego (attā; ahaṃkāra). The obliteration of self-centric ego eliminates the grasping (upādāna) upon the five aggregates (pañcakkhadhā) of human personality as a substantial entity.

Bhikkhunī Vajirā employed the metaphor of Chariot to enable the learning Bhikkhus and Bhikkhuinīs  to understand the concept of Human Personality. Human personality is merely designated concept of the  dependently co-arisen  unity of the five aggregates. The five aggregates are  form , feelings, perceptions, volition and consciousness. When one intuitively apprehends that a human personality is merely a designated concept empty of a personal self-identity, the false notion of self-centric ego will be annihilated. A sentient being or a worldling is mentally liberated from suffering after the complete obliteration of the ignorantly superimposed self-centric ego. The highest fruit of liberation (vimutti) is the development of consummated wisdom (paññā) and virtue (sīla). Wisdom purges the self-centric ego from the mind thus purifying it. Having purified the mind, the Delivered One avoids all evils and promotes and fosters only the good.

Bhikkhunī Vajirā metaphorically compares the ‘Human personality’  with the ‘Chariot’ so that we are able to perceive the Insubstantiality of the five aggregates. The sole purpose of intuitive penetration into the Insubstantiality of the five aggregates is to  cease reifying the human personality as a substantial entity. The ceasation of reification of human personality is effected from the transformation of  the substantial view into the Insubstantial view. Such  transformation eliminates false conceptualization which obsesses the human mind.  An obsessed human mind responds reactively with either attachment or aversion when the external stimuli of six sense objects impinge upon the mind.  Attachment evokes greed and aversion engenders hatred or anger.   Conversely, an unobsessed consciousness is a liberated mind. It is liberation from greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha).  Mental liberation perfects character formation.