The Buddha explains the three types of feelings and their impermanent nature.

SN 36.9  Anicca sutta - Impermanent

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā. Katamā tisso?

“Bhikkhus, these three feelings are |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|, |constructed::compounded, conditioned, fabricated [saṅkhata]|, |dependently arisen::casually produced, arisen together from a cause [paṭiccasamuppanna]|, naturally wearing away, subject to disintegration, subject to fading away, having the nature to end. What three?

Sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā”ti.

Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These, bhikkhus, are the three feelings that are impermanent, constructed, dependently arisen, naturally wearing away, subject to disintegration, subject to fading away, having the nature to end.”

Topics & Qualities:

Felt Experience

Felt Experience

Pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation—the experience felt on contact. Sometimes translated as “feeling.” Distinct from an emotional state or reaction, it refers to the affective tone of experience, the bare sensation of pleasure, pain, or neutrality before mental responses arise. It is the second of the five aggregates.

Also known as: feeling
Pāli: vedanā
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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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Last updated on April 7, 2026