Nine on Impermanence, Etc.

SN 35.43-51 · Aniccādisuttanavaka

Gentle waves moving around smooth stones on a quiet shore.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, all is impermanent. And what is the all that is impermanent? The eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are impermanent. And the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact is also impermanent.

The ear … nose … tongue … body … The mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact are impermanent. The painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact is also impermanent.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned …

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

“Mendicants, all is suffering. …”

“Mendicants, all is not-self. …”

“Mendicants, all is to be directly known. …”

“Mendicants, all is to be completely understood. …”

“Mendicants, all is to be given up. …”

“Mendicants, all is to be realized. …”

“Mendicants, all is to be directly known and completely understood. …”

“Mendicants, all is harried. …”

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. This source combines a range of related numbered discourses.

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