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Grammatical Analysis
Aniccatā: [f.] Impermanence; the state of being impermanent; dissolution. Formed by negative prefix a (not) + nicca (permanent, constant) + tā (suffix, -ness).
Orthodox Definition
In orthodox Theravāda, a clear distinction is made between Anicca (the impermanent thing) and Aniccatā (impermanence itself):
- Anicca: Refers to the five aggregates (pañcakkhandhā), which are called impermanent because of their nature of arising, vanishing, and alteration (uppādavayaññathattabhāvā).
- Aniccatā: Is the characteristic of impermanence itself—defined as the arising, vanishing, and alteration of those aggregates; their non-existence after having come into being (hutvā abhāvo); or their destruction by momentary dissolution (khaṇabhaṅgena bhedo).
As a material phenomenon (lakkhaṇa-rūpa) in the Abhidhamma sequence, aniccatā represents the terminal boundary of physical matter. If upacaya is the birth of matter, and jaratā is its aging, aniccatā is its microscopic death and dissolution. The Visuddhimagga emphasizes that aniccatā is not the concrete phenomenon itself, but the nature of its destruction. Repeatedly witnessing this constant dissolution (aniccānupassanā) triggers the higher stages of insight, causing the mind to recoil from the instability of all formed things.
Quote
Catutthacatukke pana aniccānupassīti ettha tāva aniccaṃ veditabbaṃ.
In the fourth tetrad, regarding the term aniccānupassī (contemplating impermanence), impermanence (anicca) should first be understood.Aniccatā veditabbā.
Impermanence (aniccatā) should be understood.Aniccānupassanā veditabbā.
The contemplation of impermanence (aniccānupassanā) should be understood.Aniccānupassī veditabbo.
The contemplator of impermanence (aniccānupassī) should be understood.Tattha aniccanti pañcakkhandhā.
Here, “impermanent” (anicca) refers to the five aggregates (pañcakkhandhā).Kasmā?
Why?Uppādavayaññathattabhāvā.
Because of their nature of arising, vanishing, and alteration (uppādavayaññathattabhāvā).Aniccatāti tesaṃyeva uppādavayaññathattaṃ, hutvā abhāvo vā, nibbattānaṃ tenevākārena aṭṭhatvā khaṇabhaṅgena bhedoti attho.
“Impermanence” (aniccatā) is the arising, vanishing, and alteration of these very aggregates; or their non-existence after having come into being; or the meaning is the destruction by momentary dissolution, without staying in the same way after they have arisen.Aniccānupassanāti tassā aniccatāya vasena rūpādīsu aniccanti anupassanā.
“Contemplation of impermanence” (aniccānupassanā) is the repeated contemplation of phenomena such as rūpa as impermanent, based on that impermanence (aniccatā).Aniccānupassīti tāya anupassanāya samannāgato.
“Contemplator of impermanence” (aniccānupassī) is one endowed with that contemplation.— Visuddhimagga (pa)
Quote (Discourse on the Forty Aspects of Contemplation)
Cattārīsākāraanupassanākathā.
Discourse on the Forty Aspects of Contemplation.So tasseva pañcasu khandhesu aniccadukkhānattasammasanassa thirabhāvatthāya, yaṃ taṃ bhagavatā ‘‘katamehi cattārīsāya ākārehi anulomikaṃ khantiṃ paṭilabhati, katamehi cattārīsāya ākārehi sammattaniyāmaṃ okkamatī’’ti etassa vibhaṅge –
For the sake of firmly establishing the contemplation of impermanence, suffering, and not-self in those five aggregates, as the Blessed One said in the analysis of “By what forty aspects does one attain conformable patience? By what forty aspects does one enter the fixed course of rightness?”—1. Aniccānupassanā (10 Aspects of Impermanence):
‘‘Pañcakkhandhe aniccato, palokato, calato, pabhaṅguto, addhuvato, vipariṇāmadhammato, asārakato, vibhavato, saṅkhatato, maraṇadhammato’’ti.
“The five aggregates are impermanent, disintegrating, unstable, perishable, unreliable, subject to change, without essence, subject to dissolution, conditioned, subject to death.”2. Dukkhānupassanā (25 Aspects of Suffering):
‘‘Dukkhato, rogato, gaṇḍato, sallato, aghato, ābādhato, ītito, upaddavato, bhayato, upasaggato, atāṇato, aleṇato, asaraṇato, ādīnavato, aghamūlato, vadhakato, sāsavato, mārāmisato, jātidhammato, jarādhammato, byādhidhammato, sokadhammato, paridevadhammato, upāyāsadhammato, saṃkilesikadhammato’’ti.
“[The five aggregates are] painful, a disease, a boil, a dart, a misfortune, an affliction, a calamity, a disaster, a danger, an obstacle, without refuge, without shelter, without protection, fraught with danger, the root of misfortune, a slayer, with fermentations, a bait of Māra, subject to birth, subject to aging, subject to sickness, subject to sorrow, subject to lamentation, subject to despair, subject to defilement.”3. Anattānupassanā (5 Aspects of Not-Self):
‘‘Parato, rittato, tucchato, suññato, anattato’’ti.
“[The five aggregates are] alien, empty, void, hollow, not-self.”— Visuddhimagga (du)
Textual References
- Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī – Defining impermanence as the destruction and vanishing of the material aggregate.
- Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter XIV & XXI) – Distinguishing between the impermanent thing (anicca-dhamma) and the characteristic of its impermanence (anicca-lakkhaṇa).