With Koṭṭhita on Impermanence

SN 35.162 · Koṭṭhikaaniccasutta

A broad elephant footprint holds rainwater in soft woodland earth.

Then Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“Koṭṭhita, you should give up desire for what is impermanent. And what is impermanent? The eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are impermanent: you should give up desire for them. The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also impermanent: you should give up desire for it.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …. The mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact are impermanent: you should give up desire for them. The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also impermanent: you should give up desire for it.

Koṭṭhita, you should give up desire for what is impermanent.”

Connections

Collection & context

Saṃyutta NikāyaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saṃyutta NikāyaBhikkhu Bodhi; Bhikkhu Bodhi (translator) · Complete collection edition

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.