Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ I: Mūla-Paññāsa
1. Anicca Vagga Paṭhama
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
§ I: The First Fifty Suttas
35. Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
1. The First Chapter on Impermanence
Sutta 7
Dutiya Ajjhatta Anicca Suttaṃ (Aniccam 3; Ajjhattam)
Impermanent (iii): The Personal
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One thus spake:
"The eye, brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,[1]
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for an eye that is past,
is not in love with an eye to be,
and, for the present eye,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it.
■
The ear, brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for an ear that is past,
is not in love with an ear to be,
and, for the present ear,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it.
■
The nose, brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for a nose that is past,
is not in love with a nose to be,
and, for the present nose,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it.
■
The tongue, brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for a tongue that is past,
is not in love with a tongue to be,
and, for the present tongue,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it.
■
The body,[2] brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for a body that is past,
is not in love with a body to be,
and, for the present body,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it.
■
The mind, brethren, is impermanent,
both in the past and in the future,
not to speak of the present.
So seeing, brethren, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
cares not for a mind that is past,
is not in love with a mind to be,
and, for the present mind,
seeks to be repelled by it,
seeks dispassion for it,
seeks the ceasing of it."
[1] Cf. K.S. iii, 18.
[2] Here kāya.
