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 22.21 With Ānanda

Sāvatthiyaṁārāme.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“‘nirodho nirodho’ti, bhante, vuccati. Katamesānaṁ kho, bhante, dhammānaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccatī”ti?

“Rūpaṁ kho, ānanda, aniccaṁ saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ. Tassa nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā. Tassā nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Saññā

saṅkhārā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā. Tesaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ. Tassa nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Imesaṁ kho, ānanda, dhammānaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccatī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Aniccavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Aniccaṁ dukkhaṁ anattā,
yadaniccāpare tayo;
Hetunāpi tayo vuttā,
ānandena ca te dasāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁārāme.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“‘nirodho nirodho’ti, bhante, vuccati.

“Sir, they speak of ‘cessation’.

Katamesānaṁ kho, bhante, dhammānaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccatī”ti?

The cessation of what things does this refer to?”

“Rūpaṁ kho, ānanda, aniccaṁ saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ.

“Ānanda, form is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated, liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Tassa nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Its cessation is what ‘cessation’ refers to.

Vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā.

Feeling …

Tassā nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Saññā

Perception …

saṅkhārā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā.

Choices …

Tesaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ.

Consciousness is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated, liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Tassa nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccati.

Its cessation is what ‘cessation’ refers to.

Imesaṁ kho, ānanda, dhammānaṁ nirodho ‘nirodho’ti vuccatī”ti.

When they speak of ‘cessation’, its the cessation of these things that this refers to.”

Dasamaṁ.

Aniccavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Aniccaṁ dukkhaṁ anattā,

yadaniccāpare tayo;

Hetunāpi tayo vuttā,

ānandena ca te dasāti.

Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026