Set down the baggage of life,
and let enjoyment, appreciation and inspiration flood our Being.
and let enjoyment, appreciation and inspiration flood our Being.
Buddha's message of inner peace radiating across the lands.
Buddha’s Discourse on
What is Not Me, Not Mine,
Anattalakkhana Sutta
anattā lakkhaṇa sutta
(Pronunciation note. A dot under a letter or a bar above it, called diacritics, are important, for they indicate proper pronunciation of sacred language. Please read my webpage “Pronouncing the Sanskrit.”)
Table of Contents.
1. Introduction to the Pali.
2. The Five khanda or Categories of Body and Mind.
3. Beginning of the Sutta.
4. Comments.
5. Discussion of Anatta Lakkhana Sutta.
6. Etymology of saññā, viññāṇa and pra-jñāna, ref 15.
This discourse or sutta = Sutra of the Buddha was delivered soon after his enlightenment experience. So it follows on from his First Sermon, and was delivered to the same audience; his first five followers = pañca vaggiya. It is better understood when we combine these two very early suttas of the historical Buddha, Siddharta Gautoma. My webpage for his First Sermon is now placed next to this one in the menu of mantra-translate.
Buddha’s First Sermon = dhamma·cakka·pavattana sutta talks about misdirected desire that arises in suffering, driven by defilements and wants things out of reach, and the misdirected drive in seeking happiness. It lists the many kinds of painful suffering that inevitably results. It also stresses the importance of letting go of such misdirected desire. How can we let go like this? This sutta suggests suitable techniques.
This sutta, Buddha’s Discourse on What is Not Me Nor Mine, focusses on letting go of misdirected thoughts, opinions, judgements, attitudes that also cause so much trouble for us. Such mental garbage needs to be abandoned, and we need to be awake and conscious to achieve this. But all too often such consciousness is unreliable and deteriorating, and this sutta also focusses attention on this problem.
This sutta offers simple reflections for our use, to help us let go of mental noise and painful feelings that drive such noise. The sutta’s reflections can also help us realise how unconscious we are being, when we allow this noise to proliferate. These reflections ask us – do these problems belong to our higher self = ātmā ? Is it well and sound to think we are in our higher self = ātmā when these problems beset us?
So this sutta is called anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) in pāḷi -
This sutta is numbered saṃyutta nikāya SN 22. 59, and it is sometimes called pañca-vaggiya sutta = the discourse to the five (pañca) group members (vaggiya). But what of our higher self or ātmā ?
Our spiritual practice could be described as returning to our higher self or ātmā and restoring into much of our daily life, where it belongs. When we achieve this important Goal, then enjoyment, appreciation, clarity, good will for the people and pursuits in our live, determination and diligence flow freely and naturally through our Being, and from our Being into our lives.
So this helpful and humble discourse by Buddha describes what our higher self or ātmā is NOT.
However, Buddhist tradition presents this same discourse quite differently, something like –
In addition, traditional presentation of this sutta does have the flavour of didactic doctrine. This might explain a characteristic Buddhist belief, all too common among ardent Western converts, that –
In effect, many Western Buddhists (ab)use this sutta for political purposes. They claim the Buddha teaches the ‘anatta-vada doctrine’ of ‘no self’ in this sutta, and they greatly promote this humble sutta. This is how they justify their beliefs about the ‘self.’ (whatever they might mean by ‘self’)
Yet such strange religious beliefs contradict common sense. They reveal a regrettable lack of understanding of what ātmā meant in India at the time of the historical Buddha, and what it means now for our spiritual practice. Hence I provide a 11,000 word treatise on ātmā and an-attā, published on this website.
A new translation of anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) is called for. It needs to be word-for-word, so we can explore what the original Pali actually says. This I provide ….
1. Introduction to the Pali.
I used the word-for-word translation provided by Buddha Vacana. It has info bubbles on (nearly) every Pali word. Available at –
https://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/khandha/sn22-059.html
anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) is fairly short, with only 600 words of Pali in it. Much of this Pali is only padding and repetitions, and you can skim through the full 600 words on Buddha Vacana. But among these 600 Pali words there are some 50 words of real value. I selected these verses, so we can give them close attention.
It is important to be selective when we (try to) look for something useful in famous Buddhist scriptures. This aids clear understanding of sacred verse, and avoids the burden of unnecessary and unhelpful material. It also avoids the risk of indoctrination. Here are the useful parts of anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta)
1. Introduction to the Pali.
2. The Five khanda or Categories of Body and Mind.
3. Beginning of the Sutta.
4. Comments.
5. Discussion of Anatta Lakkhana Sutta.
6. Etymology of saññā, viññāṇa and pra-jñāna, ref 15.
This discourse or sutta = Sutra of the Buddha was delivered soon after his enlightenment experience. So it follows on from his First Sermon, and was delivered to the same audience; his first five followers = pañca vaggiya. It is better understood when we combine these two very early suttas of the historical Buddha, Siddharta Gautoma. My webpage for his First Sermon is now placed next to this one in the menu of mantra-translate.
Buddha’s First Sermon = dhamma·cakka·pavattana sutta talks about misdirected desire that arises in suffering, driven by defilements and wants things out of reach, and the misdirected drive in seeking happiness. It lists the many kinds of painful suffering that inevitably results. It also stresses the importance of letting go of such misdirected desire. How can we let go like this? This sutta suggests suitable techniques.
This sutta, Buddha’s Discourse on What is Not Me Nor Mine, focusses on letting go of misdirected thoughts, opinions, judgements, attitudes that also cause so much trouble for us. Such mental garbage needs to be abandoned, and we need to be awake and conscious to achieve this. But all too often such consciousness is unreliable and deteriorating, and this sutta also focusses attention on this problem.
This sutta offers simple reflections for our use, to help us let go of mental noise and painful feelings that drive such noise. The sutta’s reflections can also help us realise how unconscious we are being, when we allow this noise to proliferate. These reflections ask us – do these problems belong to our higher self = ātmā ? Is it well and sound to think we are in our higher self = ātmā when these problems beset us?
So this sutta is called anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) in pāḷi -
- the discourse that explores the characteristics (lakkhaṇa) of what is NOT our higher self (an-attā).
- attā = ātmā = ātman = higher self
This sutta is numbered saṃyutta nikāya SN 22. 59, and it is sometimes called pañca-vaggiya sutta = the discourse to the five (pañca) group members (vaggiya). But what of our higher self or ātmā ?
Our spiritual practice could be described as returning to our higher self or ātmā and restoring into much of our daily life, where it belongs. When we achieve this important Goal, then enjoyment, appreciation, clarity, good will for the people and pursuits in our live, determination and diligence flow freely and naturally through our Being, and from our Being into our lives.
So this helpful and humble discourse by Buddha describes what our higher self or ātmā is NOT.
However, Buddhist tradition presents this same discourse quite differently, something like –
- mind and body are not self.
In addition, traditional presentation of this sutta does have the flavour of didactic doctrine. This might explain a characteristic Buddhist belief, all too common among ardent Western converts, that –
- the self does not exist! This is the Buddha’s teachings!
In effect, many Western Buddhists (ab)use this sutta for political purposes. They claim the Buddha teaches the ‘anatta-vada doctrine’ of ‘no self’ in this sutta, and they greatly promote this humble sutta. This is how they justify their beliefs about the ‘self.’ (whatever they might mean by ‘self’)
Yet such strange religious beliefs contradict common sense. They reveal a regrettable lack of understanding of what ātmā meant in India at the time of the historical Buddha, and what it means now for our spiritual practice. Hence I provide a 11,000 word treatise on ātmā and an-attā, published on this website.
A new translation of anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) is called for. It needs to be word-for-word, so we can explore what the original Pali actually says. This I provide ….
1. Introduction to the Pali.
I used the word-for-word translation provided by Buddha Vacana. It has info bubbles on (nearly) every Pali word. Available at –
https://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/khandha/sn22-059.html
anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) is fairly short, with only 600 words of Pali in it. Much of this Pali is only padding and repetitions, and you can skim through the full 600 words on Buddha Vacana. But among these 600 Pali words there are some 50 words of real value. I selected these verses, so we can give them close attention.
It is important to be selective when we (try to) look for something useful in famous Buddhist scriptures. This aids clear understanding of sacred verse, and avoids the burden of unnecessary and unhelpful material. It also avoids the risk of indoctrination. Here are the useful parts of anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta)
rūpa vedanā saññā saṅkhāra viññāṇa
rūpaṃ anatta, rūpaṃ attā ?
labbhati rūpe me hotu mā ahosī ?
rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ ?
āniccāya dukkhaṃ sukhaṃ ?
āniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma,
kallaṃ nu taṃ sam-anu-passituṃ:
‘etaṃ mama, eso aham·asmi,
eso me attā’?
evam·etaṃ yathā·bhūtaṃ samma paññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.
rūpaṃ anatta, rūpaṃ attā ?
labbhati rūpe me hotu mā ahosī ?
rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ ?
āniccāya dukkhaṃ sukhaṃ ?
āniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma,
kallaṃ nu taṃ sam-anu-passituṃ:
‘etaṃ mama, eso aham·asmi,
eso me attā’?
evam·etaṃ yathā·bhūtaṃ samma paññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.
For we are looking for sacred verses that can help lead the thinking mind towards stillness and silence, help reveal insight, and so point towards spiritual Liberation. Such verses tend to be very brief and concise, to avoid unnecessary mental noise.
These 50 words of sacred verses are best understood as questions. Questions suggest what Liberating Truth might be, and encourage personal investigation. The purpose of the question is obviously not a crude yes or no answer. The purpose is to free our mind from noise making, then redirect our attention towards what is actually happening inside, in this moment. These questions could be simplified into the simple exhortation ‘Look within!’ inscribed over the entrances of some meditation halls.
These five questions of our anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) help us to question our basic attachment to mind and body, so we can shift our attention to the spiritual. The first four questions lead to the fifth and culminating question. Some of these questions are easily misunderstood, so I discuss this matter after our Sutta.
2. The Five khanda or Categories of Body and Mind.
anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) uses the traditional Buddhist classification of body and mind into five categories or khandas :
rūpa vedanā saññā saṅkhāra viññāṇa
body feeling perception conception consciousness
rūpa means both body and the nature of the body. Thus rūpa also means the health and vigour of our body. rūpa also means material possessions. Thus rūpa is a word of wide ranging meaning, and sometimes is translated as ‘form.’ Our body, health and possessions become a problem when they ‘fail’ us, through sickness, weakness, loss or breakage. They seem to ‘fail’ us when we fail to properly care for them, or fail to properly allow for their limitations.
When vedanā or feelings are a problem, they are the feeling of the defilement, be it feeling disappointed, feeling badly judged, feeling betrayed, feeling anxious or depressed. How the defilement actually feels, as opposed to pain filled and pain driven thoughts.
When saṅkhāra or conceptions are a problem, they are the thoughts, attitudes, judgements, opinions, and intentions that proliferate when defilements invade our mind and hijack our will.
saññā (perception) and viññāṇa (consciousness) are inter-related terms. They are our ability to be aware of, perceive and recognise defilements, and know that they are indeed causing trouble. In a sense, saṅkhāra is the do-er, and saññā and viññāṇa are the know-er. More on these after the discourse.
Note the first word of the discourse : bhikkhave ! = Listen you disciples ! This kind of advanced Dharma is for those who are devoted to the discipline of spiritual practice, seeking spiritual Liberation, and dedicated to regular meditation training.
These 50 words of sacred verses are best understood as questions. Questions suggest what Liberating Truth might be, and encourage personal investigation. The purpose of the question is obviously not a crude yes or no answer. The purpose is to free our mind from noise making, then redirect our attention towards what is actually happening inside, in this moment. These questions could be simplified into the simple exhortation ‘Look within!’ inscribed over the entrances of some meditation halls.
These five questions of our anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) help us to question our basic attachment to mind and body, so we can shift our attention to the spiritual. The first four questions lead to the fifth and culminating question. Some of these questions are easily misunderstood, so I discuss this matter after our Sutta.
2. The Five khanda or Categories of Body and Mind.
anattā lakkhaṇa sutta (anattalakkhana sutta) uses the traditional Buddhist classification of body and mind into five categories or khandas :
rūpa vedanā saññā saṅkhāra viññāṇa
body feeling perception conception consciousness
rūpa means both body and the nature of the body. Thus rūpa also means the health and vigour of our body. rūpa also means material possessions. Thus rūpa is a word of wide ranging meaning, and sometimes is translated as ‘form.’ Our body, health and possessions become a problem when they ‘fail’ us, through sickness, weakness, loss or breakage. They seem to ‘fail’ us when we fail to properly care for them, or fail to properly allow for their limitations.
When vedanā or feelings are a problem, they are the feeling of the defilement, be it feeling disappointed, feeling badly judged, feeling betrayed, feeling anxious or depressed. How the defilement actually feels, as opposed to pain filled and pain driven thoughts.
When saṅkhāra or conceptions are a problem, they are the thoughts, attitudes, judgements, opinions, and intentions that proliferate when defilements invade our mind and hijack our will.
saññā (perception) and viññāṇa (consciousness) are inter-related terms. They are our ability to be aware of, perceive and recognise defilements, and know that they are indeed causing trouble. In a sense, saṅkhāra is the do-er, and saññā and viññāṇa are the know-er. More on these after the discourse.
Note the first word of the discourse : bhikkhave ! = Listen you disciples ! This kind of advanced Dharma is for those who are devoted to the discipline of spiritual practice, seeking spiritual Liberation, and dedicated to regular meditation training.
3. Beginning of anatta-lakkhana sutta.
The first verse begins thus -
bhikkhave ! = Listen you disciples!
rūpaṃ anatta, rūpaṃ attā ?
body not higher self body higher self?
Q 1. Is the body our higher self or ātmā ?
This verse ends with his second question –
labbhati rūpe me hotu mā ahosī ?
receives in body from me be thus not be thus
Q 2. Is there something in the body that is receiving instructions from me to be thus or not be thus?
The next four paragraphs repeat these same formulae, for each of the other four khanda.
The next paragraph begins - bhikkhave ! taṃ kiṃ maññatha … what do you think of the following? Three more questions then follow –
rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ ?
body reliable or unreliable
Q 3. Is the body reliable?
āniccāya dukkhaṃ sukhaṃ ?
unreliable pain pleasure
Q 4. Is the body’s unreliability painful?
These four questions are repeated for all of the five khanda of body and mind. So where I have written ‘body,’ please replace this with ‘body and mind.’ And please remember the four categories of mind that are used in this Sutta. The fifth question is as follows
āniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāma
unreliable painful deteriorating
kallaṃ nu taṃ sam-anu-passituṃ :
well & sound clearly percieve
‘etaṃ mama, eso aham·asmi,
‘this is me, this I am,
this is my true nature
eso me attā’ ?
this is my higher self or ātmā ?
(Question 5). That which is unreliable, painful and deteriorating in nature, is it well and sound to perceive : ‘this is mine, I am this (this is my true nature), this is my higher self (attā = ātman) ? Is this a complete and perfect (sam-anu or saṁ-anu) perception (passituṃ) ?’
4. Comments.
Our perception (saññā) and our consciousness (viññāṇa) are essential for our spiritual advancement, but unfortunately they are not always reliable. Far too often our saññā and viññāṇa are far from being samma diṭṭhi = perfection in view, perfection in understanding. In his first sermon, the Buddha lists samma diṭṭhi as the first factor in the Way to spiritual Liberation, the first factor in the Way to be free (the Fourth Noble Truth, SN 56. 11).
In addition, our feelings (vedanā) and our thoughts (sankhāra) are very changeful (aniccā). They can become quite upset (dukkha) at times, and so become emotions or disturbances. Are they really our higher self or ātman = attā ?
These can be skilful reflections to help build some objectivity towards mind and body, especially when they have deteriorated, and help us let go of what we need to let go of. So the Buddha gives us some recommendations …
After these five questions, there are five paragraphs, one for each of the khandas, and all ending with -
evam·etaṃ yathā·bhūtaṃ samma paññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.
them according to best wisdom see, perceive.
their true nature
See and perceive them (ie body and mind) according to their true nature, according to our best wisdom. By “perceive their true nature” I mean a perception of body and mind that will help us move towards spiritual Liberation.
The last paragraph describes the experience of transcendence from unreliable perceptions and consciousness to Liberation. More on this when I get the time …
These five repetitions of the five questions about body and mind is intended to help the mind let go of busy-ness and head towards the refreshing and clarifying stillness of the Silent Mind. As a kind of meditation.
Of the five khanda, saṅkhāra is the target for this meditation technique. When saṅkhāra is a problem, it can mean : mental busy-ness, where the mind creates more thought, has intention to make noise, and the next thought arises from the preceding ones, in an endless and heedless thought train (ref 15). This is a good way of describing saṃsāra, the opposite to nirvāṇa. Yet saṅkhāra also means anything conceived or formed in the mind, especially conceptions that have an inevitable consequence. The Sanskrit equivalent is samskāra. So saṅkhāra includes thoughts, views, beliefs, attitudes, values. saṅkhāra precedes all speech and action, proceeds throughout them, and all speech and action needs saṅkhāra. Thus saṅkhāra can also mean “mental conceptions or formations” and “intention”, and “thoughts” and “views”.
One meditation technique for transforming saṅkhāra from problem to solution is to focus on everything that we need and rely on in our worldly busy-ness. Such as the five khanda. And for each, to reflect that spiritual Liberation is beyond all these. Not to negate their importance in daily life, but to remind us of something beyond these mundane matters.
So it’s important to not misunderstand these questions.
Q 2. “Is there something in these perceptions and thoughts that are receiving instructions from me to be thus? Or to not be thus ?”
Are we indeed observing and directing our mind in this moment? Are we indeed both practised and practising?
The body and mind can be trained, if the training is consistent, regular and sustainable. Indeed, such training is essential to the spiritual Path, and part of daily life.
But without such training, can we rely on the body and mind to obey our will? When we are quite honest with ourselves about the limitations of the untrained body and untrained mind? Hence Buddha’s question number 3 –
Q 3. Is my perception and consciousness reliable (niccaṃ), in this moment? Or –
Q 3. Are my feelings and thoughts permanent (niccaṃ) ?
Q 5. That which is unreliable, painful and deteriorating in nature, is it well and sound to perceive : ‘this is mine, I am this (this is my true nature), this is my higher self (attā = ātman) ? Is this a complete and perfect (sam-anu or saṁ-anu) perception (passituṃ) ?’
This can easily be misunderstood to mean : “Body and mind are not mine.” For this would conform with traditional Buddhist doctrine. Let us examine these prescribed beliefs …
The usual motivation for taking good care of our body is that it is ours, and we have no other for this life. Neglecting our body, in rest, eating, food, exercise and daily work tasks, will cause all sorts of problems for us sooner or later. And the same applies also to the mind.
In addition, there is an excellent meditation technique called : “inhabiting the body”. In this, we focus our attention on the movement and touch of the body, and the sounds and image the body provides to us. As a tactic to shift attention from thinking to sensing, and so stabilise and quieten the mind. So the body is an first class dwelling place for us …
Question 5 can also be misunderstood to mean “saññā and viññāṇa are not me, perception and consciousness are not me.” Hinduism advises us to identify with pure consciousness (pra-jñāna), as our higher self or ātman, in the third chapter of the Aitareya Upanishad. This is because we rely on and need pure consciousness to be aware of defilements, and perceive their insidious nature to invade our mind and hijack our will.
So Question 5 can be abbreviated and given some accompaniment, thus :
- “Why identify with the painful (dukkha) and the deteriorating (vipariṇāma) ?”
- “Why not identify with saññā and viññāṇa, identify with perception and consciousness, when they are functional and working?”
6. Etymology of saññā, viññāṇa and pra-jñāna, ref 15.
saññā is also spelled saṃ-jñānana, viññāṇa is also spelled vi-jñāna. The j in jñānana and jñāna is almost silent, and often omitted in the spelling. ṅ = ṇ = ṃ = ng as in English sing, sung, except the tongue is retroflex, is pointed to mid palette instead of the teeth. ñ = ny as in canyon.
jñānana and jñāna both mean “know, recognise”. In this context, vi- can mean “separate from”. So vi-jñāna is our ability to observe and know the thoughts passing thru our mind with some objectivity towards them. saṃ- can mean “properly, perfectly, without disturbance”. So saṃ-jñānana is our ability to properly know the thoughts passing thru our mind, and be undisturbed by them. So vi-jñāna and saṃ-jñānana have overlapping and related meanings : perception and consciousness.
The Anatta Lakkhana Sutta emphasises that both saṃ-jñānana and vi-jñāna are conditioned, and can be quite shaky or even absent at times. It all depends on where we are at, in this moment. So we can use another word pra-jñāna which can mean “pure consciousness”.
pra- can mean “before” or “priority”. So the word pra-jñāna suggests that pure consciousness is a priority for our spiritual practice. It pre-cedes everything in spiritual practice. pra- can also mean “continue”. This suggests that spiritual practice will succeed for as long as pure consciousness continues. Pure consciousness pro-cedes throughout successful practice.
Discussion on this page is Copyright© Mike Browning, 2023. However, Copyright© cannot be claimed for the Pali, nor its translation into English, for it comes from ancient tradition.
You are permitted and encouraged to copy text from this webpage and use as you see fit, provided it is not harmful to mantra-translate.
You are permitted and encouraged to copy text from this webpage and use as you see fit, provided it is not harmful to mantra-translate.
