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Buddhist Chanting – Anatta-lakkhana Sutta (The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic)

Anatta-lakkhana Sutta (The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic)

[Evam-me sutam,] Ekam samayam Bhagava,
Baranasiyam viharati isipatane migadaye.
Tatra kho Bhagava pañca-vaggiye bhikkhu amantesi.
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:

“Rupam bhikkhave anatta.
Rupañca hidam bhikkhave atta abhavissa,
Nayidam rupam abadhaya samvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca rupe,
Evam me rupam hotu evam me rupam ma ahositi.
“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.’

Yasma ca kho bhikkhave rupam anatta,
Tasma rupam abadhaya samvattati,
Na ca labbhati rupe,
Evam me rupam hotu evam me rupam ma ahositi.
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.’

Vedana anatta.
Vedana ca hidam bhikkhave atta abhavissa,
Nayidam vedana abadhaya samvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca vedanaya,
Evam me vedana hotu evam me vedana ma ahositi.
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.’

Yasma ca kho bhikkhave vedana anatta,
Tasma vedana abadhaya samvattati,
Na ca labbhati vedanaya,
Evam me vedana hotu evam me vedana ma ahositi.
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.’

Sañña anatta.
Sañña ca hidam bhikkhave atta abhavissa,
Nayidam sañña abadhaya samvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca saññaya,
Evam me sañña hotu evam me sañña ma ahositi.
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.’

Yasma ca kho bhikkhave sañña anatta,
Tasma sañña abadhaya samvattati,
Na ca labbhati saññaya,
Evam me sañña hotu evam me sañña ma ahositi.
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.’

Sankhara anatta.
Sankhara ca hidam bhikkhave atta abhavissamsu,
Nayidam sankhara abadhaya samvatteyyum,
Labbhetha ca sankharesu,
Evam me sankhara hontu evam me sankhara ma 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.’

Yasma ca kho bhikkhave sankhara anatta,
Tasma sankhara abadhaya samvattanti,
Na ca labbhati sankharesu,
Evam me sankhara hontu evam me sankhara ma 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.’

Viññanam anatta.
Viññanañca hidam bhikkhave atta abhavissa,
Nayidam viññanam abadhaya samvatteyya,
Labbhetha ca viññane,
Evam me viññanam hotu evam me viññanam ma ahositi.
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.’

Yasma ca kho bhikkhave viññanam anatta,
Tasma viññanam abadhaya samvattati,
Na ca labbhati viññane,
Evam me viññanam hotu evam me viññanam ma ahositi.
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.’

Tam kim maññatha bhikkhave rupam niccam va aniccam vati.”
What do you think, monks—Is the body constant or inconstant?”

“Aniccam bhante.”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham va tam sukham vati.” “
And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”

“Dukkham bhante.”
“Stressful, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham viparinama-dhammam,
Kallam nu tam samanupassitum,
Etam mama eso’ham-asmi eso me attati.”
“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 hetam bhante.”
“No, lord.”

“Tam kim maññatha bhikkhave vedana nicca va anicca vati.”
“What do you think, monks—Is feeling constant or inconstant?”

“Anicca bhante.”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham va tam sukham vati.”
And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?

“Dukkham bhante.”
“Stressful, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham viparinama-dhammam,
Kallam nu tam samanupassitum,
Etam mama eso’ham-asmi eso me attati.”
“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 hetam bhante.”
“No, lord.”

“Tam kim maññatha bhikkhave sañña nicca va anicca vati.”
“What do you think, monks—Is perception constant or inconstant?”

“Anicca bhante.”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham va tam sukham vati.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”

“Dukkham bhante.”
“Stressful, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham viparinama-dhammam,
Kallam nu tam samanupassitum,
Etam mama eso’ham-asmi eso me attati.”
“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 hetam bhante.”
“No, lord.”

“Tam kim maññatha bhikkhave sankhara nicca va anicca vati.”
“What do you think, monks—Are mental processes constant or inconstant?”

“Anicca bhante.”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham va tam sukham vati.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”

“Dukkham bhante.”
“Stressful, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham viparinama-dhammam,
Kallam nu tam samanupassitum,
Etam mama eso’ham-asmi eso me attati.”
“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 hetam bhante.”
“No, lord.”

“Tam kim maññatha bhikkhave viññanam niccam va aniccam vati.”
“What do you think, monks—Is consciousness constant or inconstant?”

“Aniccam bhante.”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham va tam sukham vati.” “
And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful? “

“Dukkham bhante.”
“Stressful, lord.”

“Yam-pananiccam dukkham viparinama-dhammam,
Kallam nu tam samanupassitum,
Etam mama eso’ham-asmi eso me attati.”
“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 hetam bhante.”
“No, lord.”

“Tasmatiha bhikkhave yankiñci rupam atitanagata-paccuppannam,
Ajjhattam va bahiddha va,
Olarikam va sukhumam va,
Hinam va panitam va,
Yan dure santike va,
Sabbam rupam,
Thus, monks, any body whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every body—

Netam mama neso’ham-asmi na meso attati,
Evam-etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya datthabbam.
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.’

Ya kaci vedana atitanagata-paccuppanna,
Ajjhatta va bahiddha va,
Olarika va sukhuma va,
Hina va panita va,
Ya dure santike va,
Sabba vedana,
Any feeling whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every feeling—

Netam mama neso’ham-asmi na meso attati,
Evam-etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya datthabbam.
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.’

Ya kaci sañña atitanagata-paccuppanna,
Ajjhatta va bahiddha va,
Olarika va sukhuma va,
Hina va panita va,
Ya dure santike va,
Sabba sañña,
Any perception whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external;
blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every perception—

Netam mama neso’ham-asmi na meso attati,
Evam-etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya datthabbam.
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 sankhara atitanagata-paccuppanna,
Ajjhatta va bahiddha va,
Olarika va sukhuma va,
Hina va panita va,
Ye dure santike va,
Sabbe sankhara,
Any mental processes whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all mental processes—

Netam mama neso’ham-asmi na meso attati,
Evam-etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya datthabbam.
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.’

Yankiñci viññanam atitanagata-paccuppannam,
Ajjhattam va bahiddha va,
Olarikam va sukhumam va,
Hinam va panitam va,
Yandure santike va,
Sabbam viññanam,
Any consciousness whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external;
blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness—

Netam mama neso’ham-asmi na meso attati,
Evam-etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya datthabbam.
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.’

Evam passam bhikkhave sutava ariya-savako,
Rupasmim pi nibbindati,
Vedanaya pi nibbindati, S
aññaya pi nibbindati,
Sankharesu pi nibbindati,
Viññanasmim 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, and disenchanted with consciousness.

Nibbindam virajjati,
Viraga vimuccati,
Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released.

Vimuttasmim vimuttam-iti ñanam hoti,
Khina jati,
Vusitam brahma-cariyam,
Katam karaniyam,
Naparam itthattayati pajanatiti.”
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 Bhagava,
Attamana pañca-vaggiya bhikkhu Bhagavato
bhasitam abhinandum.
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five
monks delighted at his words.

Imasmiñca pana veyya-karanasmim bhaññamane,
Pañca-vaggiyanam bhikkhunam anupadaya,
Asavehi cittani vimuccimsuti.
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.

Download Monks – Anattalakhana Sutta