SN22:102 Perception of Impermanence
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated, it eliminates all sensual lust, it eliminates all lust for existence, it eliminates all ignorance, it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’ [n.215] Sensual lust is eliminated by the path of nonreturning; lust for existence, ignorance, and the conceit "I am" by the path of arahantship.
2"Just as, bhikkhus, in the autumn a ploughman ploughing with a great ploughshare cuts through all the rootlets as he ploughs, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated, it eliminates all sensual lust … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
3"Just as, bhikkhus, a rush-cutter would cut down a rush, grab it by the top, and shake it down and shake it out and thump it about, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated, it eliminates all sensual lust … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
4"Just as, bhikkhus, when the stalk of a bunch of mangoes has been cut, sn.iii.156 all the mangoes attached to the stalk follow along with it, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
5"Just as, bhikkhus, all the rafters of a house with a peaked roof lead to the roof peak, slope towards the roof peak, and converge upon the roof peak, and the roof peak is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’ [n.216] This simile, and the six to follow, are applied differently at 45:141–47. The simile of the ascending sun is also at SN2.29.
6"Just as, bhikkhus, among fragrant roots, black orris is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
7"Just as, bhikkhus, among fragrant heartwoods, red sandalwood is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
8"Just as, bhikkhus, among fragrant flowers, jasmine is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
9"Just as, bhikkhus, all petty princes are the vassals of a wheel-turning monarch, and the wheel-turning monarch is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
10"Just as, bhikkhus, the radiance of all the stars does not amount to a sixteenth part of the radiance of the moon, and the radiance of the moon is declared to be their chief, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed … it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
11"Just as, bhikkhus, in the autumn, when the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun, ascending in the sky, dispels all darkness from space as it shines and beams and radiates, so too, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated, it eliminates all sensual lust, it eliminates all lust for existence, it eliminates all ignorance, it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
12"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of impermanence developed sn.iii.157 and cultivated so that it eliminates all sensual lust, eliminates all lust for existence, eliminates all ignorance, and uproots all conceit ‘I am’? ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling … such is perception … such are volitional formations … such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away’: that is how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so that it eliminates all sensual lust, eliminates all lust for existence, eliminates all ignorance, and uproots all conceit ‘I am.’"
1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. "Aniccasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ rūparāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ bhavarāgaṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ avijjāṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
2Seyyathāpi, 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 avijjāṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pabbajalāyako pabbajaṁ lāyitvā agge gahetvā odhunāti niddhunāti nicchoṭeti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni tattha ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
5Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā bhāvitā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
6Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci mūlagandhā kāḷānusārigandho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
7Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci sāragandhā, lohitacandanaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
8Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci pupphagandhā, vassikaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
9Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci kuṭṭarājāno, sabbete rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti, rājā tesaṁ cakkavatti aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
10Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā, sabbā tā candimappabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candappabhā tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
11Seyyathāpi, 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 avijjāṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati.
12Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, aniccasaññā kathaṁ bahulīkatā sabbaṁ kāmarāgaṁ pariyādiyati … pe … sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanati? ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … 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 avijjāṁ pariyādiyati, sabbaṁ asmimānaṁ samūhanatī"ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Pupphavaggo pañcamo.
13Nadī pupphañca pheṇañca,
gomayañca nakhāsikhaṁ;
Suddhikaṁ dve ca gaddulā,
vāsījaṭaṁ aniccatāti.
Majjhimapaṇṇāsako samatto.
14Upayo arahanto ca,
khajjanī therasavhayaṁ;
Pupphavaggena paṇṇāsa,
dutiyo tena vuccatīti.