The Buddha describes on the impermanent, stressful and not-self nature of the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations and consciousness.

SN 22.45  Anicca sutta - Impermanence

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ; yaṁ dukkhaṁ tadanattā; yadanattā taṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ. Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato cittaṁ virajjati vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.

“|Form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, bhikkhus, is |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|. What is impermanent is |unsatisfactory::uncomfortable, unpleasant [dukkha]|; what is unsatisfactory is |not-self::not suitable to identify with, impersonality, non-subjectivity, essencelessness [anatta]|; what is not-self should be seen as it truly is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus, seeing this as it truly is with correct wisdom, one’s mind |becomes dispassionate::is detached [virajjati]| and is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

Vedanā aniccā

|Feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, the experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| is impermanent. What is impermanent is unsatisfactory; what is unsatisfactory is not-self; what is not-self should be seen as it truly is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus, seeing this as it truly is with correct wisdom, one’s mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

saññā

|Perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| is impermanent. What is impermanent is unsatisfactory; what is unsatisfactory is not-self; what is not-self should be seen as it truly is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus, seeing this as it truly is with correct wisdom, one’s mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

saṅkhārā

|Intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning — patterns, tendencies, and habits — produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]| are impermanent. What is impermanent is unsatisfactory; what is unsatisfactory is not-self; what is not-self should be seen as it truly is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus, seeing this as it truly is with correct wisdom, one’s mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ; yaṁ dukkhaṁ tadanattā; yadanattā taṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ. Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato cittaṁ virajjati vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.

|Consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| is impermanent. What is impermanent is unsatisfactory; what is unsatisfactory is not-self; what is not-self should be seen as it truly is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus, seeing this as it truly is with correct wisdom, one’s mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

Rūpadhātuyā ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cittaṁ virattaṁ vimuttaṁ hoti anupādāya āsavehi, vedanādhātuyā …pe… saññādhātuyāsaṅkhāradhātuyāviññāṇadhātuyā ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cittaṁ virattaṁ vimuttaṁ hoti anupādāya āsavehi.

If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu’s mind is dispassionate toward the form element, it is liberated from the taints by not clinging. If his mind is dispassionate toward the feeling element... the perception element... the intentional constructs element... the consciousness element, it is liberated from the taints by not clinging.

Vimuttattā ṭhitaṁ. Ṭhitattā santusitaṁ. Santusitattā na paritassati. Aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati.

By being liberated, there is stability; being stable, there is |contentment::satisfaction; lit. pleased state [santusita]|; being content, there is |no perturbation::no agitation, no mental uneasiness [aparitassa]|. Unperturbed, one personally attains |complete quenching::complete cooling, total emancipation [parinibbāyati]|.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

One understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’”

Topics & Qualities:

Contentment

Contentment

The quality of being satisfied with the requisites one has and with the present conditions, resulting in having few desires and being free from agitation.

Also known as: fewness of wishes, having few desires, satisfaction, sense of ease
Pāli: santutthi, appicchatā, tuṭṭha, tosana
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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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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Recognition of not-self

Recognition of not-self

Seeing that no phenomenon can rightly be taken as “I” or “mine.” It reveals the impersonal, dependently arisen nature of all experience, undermining conceit and attachment to identity.

Also known as: perception of not being suitable to identify with, realization of being subject to change, recognition of alteration and changing nature
Pāli: anattasaññā
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Recognition of unsatisfactoriness

Recognition of unsatisfactoriness

Perceiving the inherent inadequacy and unreliability of conditioned existence. This recognition loosens craving and the pursuit of lasting satisfaction in what cannot endure.

Also known as: perception of unsatisfactoriness, recognition of discontentment
Pāli: dukkhasaññā
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Last updated on May 19, 2026