The Buddha expresses an inspired utterance on the unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned.

UD 8.3  Tatiya nibbānapaṭisaṁyutta sutta - Nibbāna (Third)

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhū nibbānapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti. Tedha bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā, manasi katvā, sabbaṁ cetaso samannāharitvā, ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time, the Blessed One was instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| related to |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating; lit. blowing away [nibbāna]|. And those bhikkhus, having made it their goal, applying their minds and having collected their whole mind, were listening to the Dhamma with attentive ears.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Atthi, bhikkhave, ajātaṁ abhūtaṁ akataṁ asaṅkhataṁ. No cetaṁ, bhikkhave, abhavissa ajātaṁ abhūtaṁ akataṁ asaṅkhataṁ, nayidha jātassa bhūtassa katassa saṅkhatassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyetha. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, atthi ajātaṁ abhūtaṁ akataṁ asaṅkhataṁ, tasmā jātassa bhūtassa katassa saṅkhatassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, there is the |unborn::unproduced [ajāta]|, |unbecome::without becoming [abhūta]|, |unmade::not created [akata]|, |unconditioned::not created, unconstructed, unformed, epithet of Nibbāna [asaṅkhata]|. If there were not the unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, there would be no discernment of escape from the born, become, made, conditioned. But since there is the unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, therefore the |escape::way out, remedy [nissaraṇa]| from the born, become, made, conditioned is |discerned::clearly known, become evident [paññāyati]|.”

Similar to ITI 43.

Topics & Qualities:

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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Discernment

Discernment

Clear seeing that distinguishes what is wholesome from unwholesome, true from false.

Also known as: ability to make out distinctions, ability to discriminate, distinguish, clear seeing, penetrating internal vision
Pāli: viveka, vipassanā, nipaka, niccheyya
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Last updated on March 13, 2026