The Discourse on the Emptiness of Compounded Things 

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Jetavana Anāthapindika’s park at Śrāvastī. …

The Buddha said to the monks: “...Monks, just as two hands coming together produce a sound, so, conditioned by eye and visible forms arises eye consciousness, and when these three things come together contact arises. From contact arises feeling, perception, and volition.

“All these phenomena are devoid of a self, they are impermanent. They are a kind of impermanent self, a self that is not eternal, not stable and always changing. Why is this so?

“Monks, because they have the nature of birth, aging, death, ceasing, and rebirth.

“Monks, all compounded things are as an illusion, a flame, ceasing in an instant; their nature is not true coming and true going.

“Therefore, monks, with regard to all empty compounded things you should know, rejoice in, and be mindful of (awake to) this:

“All empty compounded things are empty of [any] permanent, eternal, lasting, unchanging nature; [they are] empty of self and of what belongs to self. …

“So also for the ear, nose, tongue, body, … conditioned by mind and its mind-object arises mental consciousness, and these three together are contact. From contact arise feeling, perception, and volition. All these dharmas (phenomena) are devoid of a self, they are impermanent, empty of self and of what belongs to self. …

~Samyukta Agama 273