1. Discourse on Impermanence (SA1)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time the Blessed One said to the monks:

“You should contemplate bodily form as impermanent. One who contemplates like this has right insight. One who has right insight arouses disenchantment. One who has disenchantment eradicates delight and lust. One who eradicates delight and lust, I say, liberates the mind.

“In the same way contemplate feeling … perception … formations … consciousness as impermanent. One who contemplates like this has right insight. One who has right insight arouses disenchantment. One who has disenchantment eradicates delight and lust. One who eradicates delight and lust, I say, liberates the mind.

“One who has liberated the mind in this way, monks, if he wishes to declare himself is able to declare of himself: ‘Birth for me has been eradicated, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, I myself know that there will be no receiving of further existence.’”

(Just as with contemplating impermanence. In the same way also for dukkha, emptiness and not-self).

Then the monks, hearing what the Buddha had said, were delighted and received it respectfully.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On the Five Aggregates (1)—A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 1 to 32’. Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, vol. 11, pp. 1–61 (2012). New Taipei City: Dharma Drum Buddhist College.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.