The chance to meet the Dhamma is rare,
So use this life with wisdom and care.
When the light of truth begins to shine,
Turn your heart inward and learn to see.
Whatever arises will pass away,
Nothing remains forever in place.
When impermanence becomes clear,
The heart grows lighter, free from fear.
[Pre-Chorus]
See what changes, see what binds,
See the suffering within the mind.
See the truth with an open heart,
Then learn to let attachment part.
[Chorus]
See impermanence, let it go,
See suffering, and let it flow.
See not-self, release “I” and “mine,”
Let wisdom rise and gently shine.
Walk toward freedom, walk toward peace,
Let craving fade and clinging cease.
Neither higher nor lower than another,
Release conceit and live with wisdom.
[Verse 2]
Sensual craving calls the mind,
Craving for existence leaves us bound.
Craving for non-existence turns away,
Yet wisdom shows a better way.
Three realms of existence rise and fall,
Yet none can offer freedom at all.
Through virtue, concentration, wisdom bright,
The heart moves toward the deathless light.
[Bridge]
When there is no “I” to defend,
No “mine” to hold until the end,
The burden slowly falls away,
And peace begins to fill the day.
[Final Chorus]
See impermanence, let it go,
See suffering, and let it flow.
See not-self, release “I” and “mine,”
Let wisdom rise and gently shine.
Cut through craving, loosen every chain,
Let conceit and clinging fade away.
When attachment disappears from the heart,
The path beyond suffering begins to shine.
The Ānisaṃsa Vagga: A Path from Impermanence to Freedom from Craving
The Ānisaṃsa Vagga in Book 22 of the Aṅguttara Nikāya presents eleven discourses that guide practitioners from recognizing the rarity of spiritual opportunity to understanding impermanence, suffering, and not-self, culminating in the abandonment of existence, craving, and conceit.
The eleven discourses are the Pātubhāva Sutta, Ānisaṃsa Sutta, Anicca Sutta, Dukkha Sutta, Anatta Sutta, Nibbāna Sutta, Anodissa Sutta I, Anodissa Sutta II, Anodissa Sutta III, Bhava Sutta, and Taṇhā Sutta.
1. The Pātubhāva Sutta: Rare Opportunities for Dhamma
The Pātubhāva Sutta identifies six things that are difficult to encounter in the world: the arising of a fully awakened Buddha, someone who teaches the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Buddha, birth in a suitable region, unimpaired faculties, freedom from serious communication limitations, and willingness to practice wholesome qualities.
The central message is that the opportunity to encounter and practice the Dhamma should never be taken for granted.
2. The Ānisaṃsa Sutta: The Benefits of Stream-Entry
The Ānisaṃsa Sutta describes six benefits associated with realizing stream-entry: confidence in the true Dhamma, non-decline, the ending of suffering, distinctive knowledge, clear understanding of causes, and clear understanding of phenomena arising from causes.
The teaching emphasizes that spiritual realization involves seeing reality through causes and conditions rather than relying merely on belief.
3. The Anicca Sutta: Seeing Conditioned Things as Impermanent
The Anicca Sutta teaches practitioners to contemplate all conditioned phenomena as impermanent.
Seeing impermanence supports appropriate acceptance and leads toward certainty in the Dhamma and the realization of the stages of awakening.
4. The Dukkha Sutta: Seeing Conditioned Things as Suffering
The Dukkha Sutta emphasizes seeing conditioned phenomena as suffering rather than regarding them as permanently pleasurable.
This perspective helps weaken attachment and encourages a more accurate understanding of conditioned existence.
5. The Anatta Sutta: Going Beyond the Idea of Self
The Anatta Sutta emphasizes the understanding of not-self.
Seeing phenomena as belonging to a permanent self prevents the development of the appropriate understanding, while seeing them according to their not-self nature supports the path toward awakening.
The teaching challenges attachment to “I” and “mine,” two powerful sources of suffering.
6. The Nibbāna Sutta: Nibbāna as Peace and Happiness
The Nibbāna Sutta explains that regarding Nibbāna as suffering does not lead toward the appropriate understanding required for the path.
By contrast, regarding Nibbāna as happiness supports the development of the appropriate acceptance of the Dhamma and the possibility of realizing the stages of awakening, from stream-entry to arahantship.
7. The First Anodissa Sutta: Benefits of Contemplating Impermanence
The first Anodissa Sutta presents six benefits of developing the perception of impermanence: recognizing conditioned things as unstable, losing delight in the world, turning away from the world, inclining toward Nibbāna, abandoning fetters, and developing higher spiritual qualities.
The practice transforms the mind from attachment toward letting go.
8. The Second Anodissa Sutta: Contemplating Suffering
The second Anodissa Sutta develops the perception of suffering.
Its benefits include recognizing the peace of Nibbāna, turning away from worldly attachment, weakening underlying tendencies, fulfilling one's spiritual responsibilities, and supporting the Buddha's teaching with loving-kindness.
The purpose is not pessimism but seeing conditioned existence clearly enough to avoid clinging to it.
9. The Third Anodissa Sutta: Understanding Not-Self
The third Anodissa Sutta develops the perception of not-self.
It emphasizes freedom from craving and views concerning the whole world, the ending of conceit based on “I” and “mine,” the abandonment of possessive craving, and clear understanding of causes and phenomena arising from causes.
10. The Bhava Sutta: Abandoning the Three Realms of Existence
The Bhava Sutta identifies three realms of existence to be abandoned: sensual existence, form existence, and formless existence.
At the same time, practitioners are instructed to cultivate the three higher trainings: higher virtue, higher mind, and higher wisdom. When these trainings are fulfilled and the three forms of existence are abandoned, craving and fetters are cut off and suffering comes to an end.
11. The Taṇhā Sutta: Abandoning Craving and Conceit
The final discourse identifies three forms of craving to be abandoned: sensual craving, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.
It also identifies three forms of conceit: considering oneself equal to others, inferior to others, or superior to others.
When these forms of craving and conceit are abandoned, the practitioner is described as having cut off craving, loosened the fetters, and brought suffering to its end.
The Central Message of the Ānisaṃsa Vagga
The eleven teachings can be understood as a progressive path:
Recognize opportunity → understand causes and effects → see impermanence → see suffering → understand not-self → value Nibbāna → cultivate impermanence → cultivate the perception of suffering → cultivate the perception of not-self → abandon attachment to existence → abandon craving and conceit.
The Ānisaṃsa Vagga therefore presents a coherent journey from understanding the nature of the world to understanding the nature of the mind.
Its ultimate direction is clear: reduce attachment, abandon craving, overcome conceit, and move toward complete freedom from suffering.
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