Impermanence (anicca)
Indeterminate qualities / Characteristics of existence / Impermanence
Part of key topic The Human Dillema
Alternative translations: Inconstancy
Glosses: Arising and ceasing, Uncertainty, Mai nae Thai
95 excerpts, 8:24:58 total duration

All excerpts (96) Most relevant (48) Questions about (26) Answers involving (54) Stories (8) Quotes (12) Readings (1) References (1)

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 3 – Apr. 28, 2001

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8. Story: Ajahn Sumedho wants Ajahn Chah to affirm whether he had attained a degree of insight. Told by Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Stages of awakening] [Ajahn Chah] // [Impermanence] [Liberation] [Bowing] [Becoming]

Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 606

Quote: “We talk about things to develop and thigs to give up, but there’s really nothing to develop and nothing to give up.” — Ajahn Chah. [Right Effort] [Relinquishment] [Emptiness] [Dispassion]

Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 102


Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 32 – Apr. 29, 2001

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12. Story: Ajahn Sumedho brings a group of Western women to meet Mae Chee Kumfah, only to discover she has converted to Christianity. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Mae Chee Kumfah] [Christianity] [Ajahn Chah] // [Impermanence] [Suffering]

Quote: “Maybe she’s right.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Fierce/direct teaching]


Metta Retreat, Session 5 – Sep. 13, 2008

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6. “What are the characteristics of personality? Are they conditioned by kamma and our family, culture, and nationality? How do I learn not to take mine as truth and real?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personality] [Conditionality] [Kamma] [Family] [Cultural context] [Self-identity view] // [Suffering] [Characteristics of existence] [Humor]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah tended to translate anicca as uncertain or not sure. [Ajahn Chah] [Impermanence] [Translation] [Proliferation] [Direct experience]


Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock, Session 2 – Jun. 2, 2011

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6. “Could you tell of your personal experience with a tiger?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Animal] [Tudong]

Story: Ajahn Pasanno hears and smells a tiger while doing walking meditation. [Dtao Dum] [Culture/Natural environment] [Posture/Walking] [Fear] [Death] [Impermanence] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension]

Sutta: MN 4: Fear and Dread


Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock, Session 3 – Jun. 2, 2011

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4. Story: Ajahn Chah struggles through lust with patience. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Sensual desire ] [Patience] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Human] [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence]

Quote: Ajahn Chah to biographer: “If you don’t put that in the book, don’t bother printing it.” [Dhamma books]

Quote: “If you ordain as a monk, your defilements ordain with you.” [Monastic life] [Unwholesome Roots]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 1 – Jan. 6, 2014

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[Session] Ajahn Pasanno begins the retreat by encouraging us to return to the basics of the Noble Eight-fold Path. He mentions Iris Landsberg, a long-standing lay supporter dying of lung cancer, both to set the tone for the monk’s final visit to her and to encourage us to practice while there is still time. Iris passed away February 1, 2014. [Eightfold Path] [Sickness] [Death] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Spiritual urgency] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation retreats] [Family] [Health care]

Sutta: DN 16.34: The world will not be devoid of awakened beings as long as people are practicing the Eightfold Path. [Stages of awakening]

Story: Ajahn Pāvaro decides to practice in Bodh Gaya after receiving worrying medical news. [Ajahn Pavaro] [Visiting holy sites] [Impermanence]

Sutta: MN 131: Bhaddekaratta Sutta (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 75)


On Pilgrimage and Tudong, Session 4 – Apr. 25, 2015

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15. Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s tudong in India with Ajahn Jayasaro. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Culture/India] [Tudong] // [Impermanence] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Not handling money] [Hinduism] [Islam] [Lodging] [Trust] [Almsround] [Visiting holy sites] [Compassion] [Devotional practice]

Story: An Indian Kshetriya notices that Ajahn Pasanno’s etiquitte matches his training. [Vinaya] [Buddha/Biography]

Story: Ajahn Jayasaro tries to explain cricket to Ajahn Pasanno. [Recreation/leisure/sport]


Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat, Session 16 – Jun. 13, 2021

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10. “What is the illumination that appears during sitting meditation? Is the false or the true? Is it from inside or outside or neither?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Suffering] [Questions] [Proliferation]

Refer to the previous question.

Story: Well, I contemplated impermanence and nothing happened. [Impermanence] [Recollection] [Meditation/Results]