The Three Characteristics
“Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccāti”
Yadā paññāya passati,
Atha nibbindati dukkhe:
Esa maggo visuddhiyā.
“All fabrications are inconstant.” When you see this with discernment,
you grow disenchanted with stress: This is the path to purity.
“Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhāti”
Yadā paññāya passati,
Atha nibbindati dukkhe:
Esa maggo visuddhiyā.
“All fabrications are stressful.” When you see this with discernment,
you grow disenchanted with stress: This is the path to purity.
“Sabbe dhammā anattāti”
Yadā paññāya passati,
Atha nibbindati dukkhe:
Esa maggo visuddhiyā.
“All phenomena are not-self.” When you see this with discernment,
you grow disenchanted with stress: This is the path to purity.
Appakā te manussesu
Ye janā pāra-gāmino
Athāyaṁ itarā pajā
Tīram-evānudhāvati.
Few are the human beings who go to the Further Shore.
These others simply scurry along this shore.
Ye ca kho sammadakkhāte
Dhamme dhammānuvattino
Te janā pāramessanti
Maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ.
But those who practice the Dhamma
in line with the well-taught Dhamma,
will cross over Death’s realm, so hard to transcend.
Kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ vippahāya
Sukkaṁ bhāvetha paṇḍito,
Okā anokam-āgamma
Viveke yattha dūramaṁ.
Abandoning dark practices, the wise person should develop the bright,
having gone from home to no-home in seclusion, so hard to relish.
Tatrābhiratim-iccheyya
Hitvā kāme akiñcano.
Pariyodapeyya attānaṁ
Citta-klesehi paṇḍito.
There he should wish for delight,
discarding sensuality—he who has nothing.
He should cleanse himself, wise, of mental defilements.
Yesaṁ sambodhiyaṅgesu
Sammā cittaṁ subhāvitaṁ
Ādāna-paṭinissagge
Anupādāya ye ratā,
Khīṇ’āsavā jutimanto
Te loke parinibbutā’ti.
Whose minds are well developed in the factors for Awakening,
who, relinquishing grasping, delight in non-clinging,
resplendent, effluents ended : They, in the world, are unbound.
* * *
Aniccā vata saṅkhārā
Uppāda-vaya-dhammino.
Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti
Tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho.
Sabbe sattā maranti ca
Mariṅsu ca marissare.
Tath’evāhaṁ marissāmi
N’atthi me ettha saṅsayo.
How inconstant are fabrications! Their nature: to arise & pass away.
They disband as they are arising. Their total stilling is bliss.
All living beings are dying, have died, and will die.
In the same way, I will die: I have no doubt about this.
