Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

47. Conditioned

1"Bhikkhus, there are these three characteristics that define the conditioned. [n.405] Sankhatassa saṅkhatalakkhaṇāni. Lit. "three conditioned characteristics of the conditioned." And below asaṅkhatassa asaṅkhatalakkhaṇāni, lit. "three unconditioned characteristics of the unconditioned." I render these expressions in the way I have to avoid giving the wrong impression that the characteristics themselves are conditioned or unconditioned. The point, rather, is that they determine as such the conditioned and the unconditioned. What three? An arising is seen, a vanishing is seen, and its alteration while it persists is seen. These are the three characteristics that define the conditioned.

"Bhikkhus, there are these three characteristics that define the unconditioned. [n.406] I follow Ee in making the statements on the characteristics of the conditioned and the unconditioned two parts of a single sutta. Ce and Be take them to be separate suttas and thus count eleven suttas in this vagga. The uddāna verse includes "saṅkhataṁ" but not "asaṅkhataṁ," which seems to support Ee. At this point, my numbering agrees with Ee but falls behind Be by one (Ce does not number the suttas continuously but begins each vagga with ‘1’). Interestingly, the Chinese parallel EĀ 22.5 (at T II 607c13 – c23) mentions only the characteristics of the conditioned; there is no corresponding section on the characteristics of the unconditioned. What three? No arising is seen, no vanishing is seen, and no alteration while it persists is seen. These are the three characteristics that define the unconditioned."

1"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, saṅkhatassa saṅkhatalakkhaṇāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi saṅkhatassa saṅkhatalakkhaṇānī"ti.


Sattamaṁ.

Back to Top