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 vippaya

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 saṅkhā

Uppāda-vaya-dhammino.

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti

Tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho.

Sabbe sattā maranti ca

Mariṅsu ca marissare.

Tath’ehaṁ marismi

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.