Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta / The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic

Evaṃ me sutaṃ : Ekaṃ samayaṃ Bhagavā,
Bārāṇasiyaṃ viharati isipatane migadāye.
Tatra kho Bhagavā pañca-vaggiye bhikkhū āmantesi.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks:

"Rūpaṃ bhikkhave anattā.
Rūpañca hidaṃ bhikkhave attā abhavissa,
Nayidaṃ rūpaṃ ābādhāya saṃvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca rūpe,
Evaṃ me rūpaṃ hotu evaṃ me rūpaṃ mā ahosīti.

"The body, monks, is not self. If the body were the self, this body would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to the body, 'Let my body be thus. Let my body not be thus.'

Yasmā ca kho bhikkhave rūpaṃ anattā,
Tasmā rūpaṃ ābādhāya saṃvattati,
Na ca labbhati rūpe,
Evaṃ me rūpaṃ hotu evaṃ me rūpaṃ mā ahosīti.

But precisely because the body is not self, the body lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to the body, 'Let my body be thus. Let my body not be thus.'

Vedanā anattā.
Vedanā ca hidaṃ bhikkhave attā abhavissa,
Nayidaṃ vedanā ābādhāya saṃvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca vedanāya,
Evaṃ me vedanā hotu evaṃ me vedanā mā ahosīti.

Feeling is not self. If feeling were the self, this feeling would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to feeling, 'Let myfeeling be thus. Let my feeling not be thus.'

Yasmā ca kho bhikkhave vedanā anattā,
Tasmā vedanā ābādhāya saṃvattati,
Na ca labbhati vedanāya,
Evaṃ me vedanā hotu evaṃ me vedanā mā ahosīti.

But precisely because feeling is not self, feeling lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to feeling, 'Let my feeling be thus. Let my feeling not be thus.'

Saññā anattā.
Saññā ca hidaṃ bhikkhave attā abhavissa,
Nayidaṃ saññā ābādhāya saṃvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca saññāya,
Evaṃ me saññā hotu evaṃ me saññā mā ahosīti.

Perception is not self. If perception were the self, this perception would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to perception, 'Let my perception be thus. Let my perception not be thus.'

Yasmā ca kho bhikkhave saññā anattā,
Tasmā saññā ābādhāya saṃvattati,
Na ca labbhati saññāya,
Evaṃ me saññā hotu evaṃ me saññā mā ahosīti.

But precisely because perception is not self, perception lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to perception, 'Let my perception be thus. Let my perception not be thus.'

Saṅkhārā anattā.
Saṅkhārā ca hidaṃ bhikkhave attā abhavissaṃsu,
Nayidaṃ saṅkhārā ābādhāya saṃvatteyyuṃ,
Labbhetha ca saṅkhāresu,
Evaṃ me saṅkhārā hontu evaṃ me saṅkhārā mā ahesunti.

Mental processes are not self. If mental processes were the self, these mental processes would not lend themselves to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to mental processes, 'Let my mental processes be thus. Let my mental processes not be thus.'

Yasmā ca kho bhikkhave saṅkhārā anattā,
Tasmā saṅkhārā ābādhāya saṃvattanti,
Na ca labbhati saṅkhāresu,
Evaṃ me saṅkhārā hontu evaṃ me saṅkhārā mā ahesunti.

But precisely because mental processes are not self, mental processes lend themselves to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to mental processes, 'Let my mental processes be thus. Let my mental processes not be thus.'

Viññāṇaṃ anattā.
Viññāṇañca hidaṃ bhikkhave attā abhavissa,
Nayidaṃ viññāṇaṃ ābādhāya saṃvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca viññāṇe,
Evaṃ me viññāṇaṃ hotu evaṃ me viññāṇaṃ mā ahosīti.

Consciousness is not self. If consciousness were the self, this consciousness would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, 'Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.'

Yasmā ca kho bhikkhave viññāṇaṃ anattā,
Tasmā viññāṇaṃ ābādhāya saṃvattati,
Na ca labbhati viññāṇe,
Evaṃ me viññāṇaṃ hotu evaṃ me viññāṇaṃ mā ahosīti.

But precisely because consciousness is not self, consciousness lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, 'Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.'

Taṃ kiṃ maññatha bhikkhave rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vāti?"

What do you think, monks - Is the body constant or inconstant?"

"Aniccaṃ bhante."

"Inconstant, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vāti?"

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Dukkhaṃ bhante."

"Stressful, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma-dhammaṃ,
Kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ,
Etaṃ mama eso'ham-asmi eso me attāti?"

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

“No hetaṃ bhante."

“No, lord."

"Taṃ kiṃ maññatha bhikkhave vedanā niccā vā aniccā vāti?"

"What do you think, monks — Is feeling constant or inconstant?"

"Aniccā bhante."

"Inconstant, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vāti?"

“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”

"Dukkhaṃ bhante."

"Stressful, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma-dhammaṃ,
Kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ,
Etaṃ mama eso'ham-asmi eso me attāti?"

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

“No hetaṃ bhante."

“Ṅo, lord."

"Taṃ kiṃ maññatha bhikkhave saññā niccā vā aniccā vāti?"

"What do you think, monks — Is perception constant or inconstant?"

"Aniccā bhante."

"Inconstant, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vāti?"

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Dukkhaṃ bhante."

"Stressful, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma-dhammaṃ,
Kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ,
Etaṃ mama eso'ham-asmi eso me attāti?"

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

“No hetaṃ bhante."

“No, lord."

"Taṃ kiṃ maññatha bhikkhave saṅkhārā niccā vā aniccā vāti?"

"What do you think, monks — Are mental processes constant or inconstant?"

"Aniccā bhante."

"Inconstant, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vāti?"

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Dukkhaṃ bhante."

"Stressful, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma-dhammaṃ,
Kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ,
Etaṃ mama eso'ham-asmi eso me attāti?"

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

“No hetaṃ bhante."

“No, lord."

"Taṃ kiṃ maññatha bhikkhave viññāṇaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vāti?"

"What do you think, monks — Is consciousness constant or inconstant?"

"Aniccaṃ bhante."

"Inconstant, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vāti?"

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Dukkhaṃ bhante."

"Stressful, lord."

"Yam-panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma-dhammaṃ,
Kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ,
Etaṃ mama eso'ham-asmi eso me attāti?"

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

“No hetaṃ bhante."

“No, lord."

"Tasmātiha bhikkhave yaṅkiñci rūpaṃ atītānāgata-paccuppannaṃ,
Ajjhattaṃ vā bahiddhā vā,
Oḷārikaṃ vā sukhumaṃ vā,
Hīnaṃ vā paṇītaṃ vā,
Yandūre santike vā,
Sabbaṃ rūpaṃ,

Thus, monks, any body whatsoever - past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every body -

Netaṃ mama neso'ham-asmi na meso attāti,
Evam-etaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.

is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'

Yā kāci vedanā atītānāgata-paccuppannā,
Ajjhattā vā bahiddhā vā,
Oḷārikā vā sukhumā vā,
Hīnā vā paṇītā vā,
Yā dūre santike vā,
Sabbā vedanā,

Any feeling whatsoever - past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every feeling -

Netaṃ mama neso'ham-asmi na meso attāti,
Evam-etaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.

is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'

Yā kāci saññā atītānāgata-paccuppannā,
Ajjhattā vā bahiddhā vā,
Oḷārikā vā sukhumā vā,
Hīnā vā paṇītā vā,
Yā dūre santike vā,
Sabbā saññā,

Any perception whatsoever - past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every perception -

Netaṃ mama neso'ham-asmi na meso attāti,
Evam-etaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.

is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'

Ye keci saṅkhārā atītānāgata-paccuppannā,
Ajjhattā vā bahiddhā vā,
Oḷārikā vā sukhumā vā,
Hīnā vā paṇītā vā,
Ye dūre santike vā,
Sabbe saṅkhārā,

Any mental processes whatsoever - past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all mental processes -

Netaṃ mama neso'ham-asmi na meso attāti,
Evam-etaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.

are to be seen as they actually are with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'

Yaṅkiñci viññāṇaṃ atītānāgata-paccuppannaṃ,
Ajjhattaṃ vā bahiddhā vā,
Oḷārikaṃ vā sukhumaṃ vā,
Hīnaṃ vā paṇītaṃ vā,
Yandūre santike vā,
Sabbaṃ viññāṇaṃ,

Any consciousness whatsoever - past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness -

Netaṃ mama neso'ham-asmi na meso attāti,
Evam-etaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.

is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.'

Evaṃ passaṃ bhikkhave sutavā ariya-sāvako,
Rūpasmiṃ pi nibbindati,
Vedanāya pi nibbindati,
Saññāya pi nibbindati,
Saṅkhāresu pi nibbindati,
Viññāṇasmiṃ pi nibbindati.

Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with the body, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with mental processes, & disenchanted with consciousness.

Nibbindaṃ virajjati,
Virāgā vimuccati,

Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released.

Vimuttasmiṃ vimuttam-iti ñāṇaṃ hoti,
Khīṇā jāti,
Vusitaṃ brahma-cariyaṃ,
Kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ,
Nāparaṃ itthattāyāti pajānātīti."

With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that, 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.'

Idam-avoca Bhagavā,
Attamanā pañca-vaggiyā bhikkhū Bhagavato
bhāsitaṃ abhinanduṃ.

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks delighted at his words.

Imasmiñca pana veyyā-karaṇasmiṃ bhaññamāne,
Pañca-vaggiyānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ anupādāya,
Āsavehi cittāni vimucciṃsūti.

And while this explanation was being given, the hearts of the group of five monks, through lack of clinging, were released from the mental effluents.