The Buddha teaches that each of the five aggregates is impermanent, suffering, and not-self, and should be truly seen with right understanding until the mind is freed by not grasping.

SN 22.138 Impermanence (2nd)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo. Kiñca, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ?

Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo.

Vedanā aniccā

saññā

saṅkhārā

viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo.

“Mendicants, you should give up greed for what is impermanent.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ?

And what is impermanent?

Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo.

Form is impermanent; you should give up greed for it.

Vedanā aniccā

Feeling …

saññā

Perception …

saṅkhārā

Choices …

viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo.

Consciousness is impermanent; you should give up greed for it.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ; tatra vo rāgo pahātabbo”ti.

You should give up greed for what is impermanent.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026