The three characteristics of the conditioned and the unconditioned.

AN 3.47  Saṅkhatalakkhaṇa sutta - Characteristics Of The Conditioned

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, saṅkhatassa saṅkhatalakkhaṇāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi saṅkhatassa saṅkhatalakkhaṇānī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three characteristics of the conditioned. What three? An arising is evident, |passing away::disintegration, decay, disappearance, dissolution, vanishing [vayo]| is evident, and alteration while it remains is evident. These, bhikkhus, are the three characteristics of the conditioned.”

Characteristics Of The Unconditioned

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatassa asaṅkhatalakkhaṇāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Na uppādo paññāyati, na vayo paññāyati, na ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi asaṅkhatassa asaṅkhatalakkhaṇānī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three characteristics of the unconditioned. What three? No arising is evident, no passing away is evident, and no alteration while it remains is evident. These, bhikkhus, are the three characteristics of the unconditioned.”

Qualities:

Recognition of impermanence

Recognition of impermanence

Perceiving all conditioned things as unstable and transient. This recognition weakens attachment by revealing the continual arising and ceasing of phenomena, turning the mind toward wisdom and release.

Also known as: perception of impermanence, perception of instability, realization of transience
Pāli: aniccasaññā
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Last updated on June 7, 2026