The Perception of ImpermanenceAniccasaññāsutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.“Aniccasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

In the autumn, a farmer ploughing with a large plough shears through all the root networks.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye kassako mahānaṅgalena kasanto sabbāni mūlasantānakāni sampadālento kasati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

A reed-cutter, having cut the reeds, grabs them at the top and shakes them down, shakes them about, and flails them about.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pabbajalāyako pabbajaṁ lāyitvā agge gahetvā odhunāti niddhunāti nicchoṭeti; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni tattha ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

The rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak, slope to the peak, and meet at the peak, so the peak is said to be the topmost of them all.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

Of all kinds of fragrant root, spikenard is said to be the best.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci mūlagandhā kāḷānusārigandho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

Of all kinds of fragrant heartwood, red sandalwood is said to be the best.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci sāragandhā, lohitacandanaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

Of all kinds of fragrant flower, jasmine is said to be the best.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci pupphagandhā, vassikaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

All lesser kings are vassals of a wheel-turning monarch, so the wheel-turning monarch is said to be the foremost of them all.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci kuṭṭarājāno, sabbete rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti, rājā tesaṁ cakkavatti aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

The radiance of all the stars is not worth a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance, so the moon’s radiance is said to be the best of them all.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā, sabbā tā candimappabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candappabhā tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

In the autumn, the heavens are sunny and cloudless. And as the sun is rising to the firmament, having dispelled all the darkness of space, it shines and glows and radiates.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nataṁ abbhussakkamāno, sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocate ca; In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

And how is the perception of impermanence developed and cultivated so that … it eradicates all conceit ‘I am’?Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā kathaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati? ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form.‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling …iti vedanā … Such is perception …iti saññā … Such are choices …iti saṅkhārā … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti—

That’s how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so that it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. That’s how it eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit ‘I am’.”evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā evaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanatī”ti.