While dwelling in the Deer Park near Benares, the Buddha instructs a group of five monks about the “not-self” nature of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. In his teaching, the Buddha explains that if these aggregates were self, they would not lead to affliction and suffering and one would be able to control their character, but since they are not-self they do lead to affliction and suffering and it is not possible to control their character. Through a series of questions and answers, the Buddha then leads the monks to identify the aggregates as having the character of impermanence and suffering and as being inappropriate objects of self-identification. As a result of this realization, the monks are liberated from the cycle of rebirth.
