Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.102 10.

Aniccasaññā Sutta - The Perception of Impermanence

Pupphavagga Aniccasaññāsutta Sāvatthinidānaṁ. “Aniccasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye kassako mahānaṅgalena kasanto sabbāni mūlasantānakāni sampadālento kasati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pabbajalāyako pabbajaṁ lāyitvā agge gahetvā odhunāti niddhunāti nicchoṭeti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe…

Disciples, the perception of impermanence, when developed and cultivated abundantly, completely overcomes all sense satisfaction, completely overcomes all desire for form, completely overcomes all desire for existence, completely overcomes all ignorance, and completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Just as during the harvest season, a farmer, with a large sickle, cuts down all the roots of the plants; in the same way the perception of impermanence, when developed and cultivated abundantly, completely overcomes all sense satisfaction, completely overcomes all desire for form, completely overcomes all desire for existence, completely overcomes all ignorance, and completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni tattha ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe…

Just as a fisherman, having caught a fish, holds it by the head and shakes it, so too the perception of impermanence, when developed and cultivated abundantly, completely overcomes all sense satisfaction...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

and completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā …pe…

Just as when mangoes are cut from the stalk, all the mangoes that are attached to that stalk become detached; in the same way the perception of impermanence, when developed...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci mūlagandhā kāḷānusārigandho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe… sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci sāragandhā, lohitacandanaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe…

Just as all the guards of a fortress are called the fortress guards, and the fortress is known by them; in the same way the perception of impermanence, when developed... completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci pupphagandhā, vassikaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe…

Just as all the roots of fragrant plants are known by their scent; in the same way the perception of impermanence...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci kuṭṭarājāno, sabbete rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti, rājā tesaṁ cakkavatti aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe…

Just as all the kings of the earth are followers of the universal monarch, and the king is known by them; in the same way the perception of impermanence...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā, sabbā tā candimappabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candappabhā tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā …pe…

Just as all the rays of the stars are not equal to the light of the moon, and the moon's light is known by them; in the same way the perception of impermanence...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

completely eradicates the notion of I or mine.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nataṁ abbhussakkamāno, sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocate ca; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.

Just as at the time of autumn, when the sun rises, having dispelled the darkness, it shines, radiates, and illuminates all that is in the sky and all that is in the darkness; in the same way the perception of impermanence, when developed and made abundant, dispels all sense satisfaction, dispels all desire for form, dispels all desire for existence, dispels all ignorance, and uproots all sense of self.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā kathaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati …pe…

How is the perception of impermanence developed and made abundant so that it dispels all sense satisfaction...

sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati?

and uproots all sense of self?

‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā …

This is form, this is the origin of form, this is the cessation of form; this is feeling...

iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti— evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā evaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanatī”ti. Dasamaṁ.

this is perception...

Pupphavaggo pañcamo.

this is formations...

Tassuddānaṁ Nadī pupphañca pheṇañca, gomayañca nakhāsikhaṁ; Suddhikaṁ dve ca gaddulā, vāsījaṭaṁ aniccatāti. Majjhimapaṇṇāsako samatto. Tassa majjhimapaṇṇāsakassa vagguddānaṁ Upayo arahanto ca, khajjanī therasavhayaṁ; Pupphavaggena paṇṇāsa, dutiyo tena vuccatīti.

this is consciousness; this is the origin of consciousness, this is the cessation of consciousness, thus, when developed the perception of impermanence dispels all sense satisfaction, dispels all desire for form, dispels all desire for existence, dispels all ignorance, and uproots all sense of self.