In the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta (Samyutta Nikaya 22.95), The Buddha compares the following:
“Form is like a lump of foam;
“Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṁ rūpaṁ,
feeling is like a bubble;
vedanā bubbuḷūpamā;
perception seems like a mirage;
Marīcikūpamā saññā,
choices like a banana tree;
saṅkhārā kadalūpamā;
and consciousness like a magic trick:
Māyūpamañca viññāṇaṁ,
https://suttacentral.net/sn22.95/en/suj ... ript=latin
Is there any explanation in the Abhidhamma, as to why Form is like a lump of foam? Why feeling is like a bubble? Why perception is like a mirage? Why saṅkhārā is like a banana tree? And why consciousness is like a magic trick?
Five Aggregates - Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta Abhidhamma Explaination
Five Aggregates - Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta Abhidhamma Explaination
"භජන්ති සේවන්ති ච කාරණත්ථා
නික්කාරණා දුල්ලභා අජ්ජමිත්තා
අත්තට්ඨපඤ්ඤා අසුචී මනුස්සා
ඒකෝ චරේ කග්ගවිසාණකප්පෝ."

නික්කාරණා දුල්ලභා අජ්ජමිත්තා
අත්තට්ඨපඤ්ඤා අසුචී මනුස්සා
ඒකෝ චරේ කග්ගවිසාණකප්පෝ."

Re: Five Aggregates - Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta Abhidhamma Explaination
The descriptions are rather metaphorical.
All five aggregates are Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta.
All five aggregates are Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta.
- As long as I live may I support my parents
- As long as I live may I respect the family elders.
- As long as I live may I speak gently.
- As long as I live may I not speak divisively.
- As long as I live may I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.
- As long as I live may I speak the truth.
- As long as I live may I be free from anger, and if anger should arise in me may I dispel it quickly.
- As long as I live may I respect the family elders.
- As long as I live may I speak gently.
- As long as I live may I not speak divisively.
- As long as I live may I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.
- As long as I live may I speak the truth.
- As long as I live may I be free from anger, and if anger should arise in me may I dispel it quickly.