anicca == 無常
”impermanent” (or, as abstract noun, aniccata^, ”impermanence”) ...
is the first of the three characteristics of existence (tilakkhana, q.v.). It is from the fact of impermanence that, in most texts, the other two characteristics, suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta^), are derived (S.22. 15; Ud.IV. I)
"Impermanence of things is the rising, passing and changing of things, or the disappearance of things that have become or arisen. The meaning is that these things never persist in the same way, but that they are vanishing dissolving from moment to moment" (Vis.M. VII, 3).
Impermanence is a basic feature of all conditioned phenomena, be they material or mental, coarse or subtle, one”s own or external: All formations are impermanent" (sabbe sankha^ra^ anicca^; M. 35, Dhp. 277). That the totality of existence is impermanent is also often stated in terms of the five aggregates (khandha, q.v.), the twelve personal and external sense bases (a^yatana q.v.), etc. Only Nibba^na (q.v.), which is unconditioned and not a formation (asankhata), is permanent (nicca, dhuva).
The insight leading to the first stage of deliverance, Stream-entry (sota^patti; s. ariya-puggala), is often expressed in terms of impermanence: "Whatever is subject to origination, is subject to cessation" (s. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, S.46. 11). In his last exhortation, before his Parinibba^na, the Buddha reminded his monks of the impermanence of existence as a spur to earnest effort: "Behold now, Bhikkhus, I exhort you: Formations are bound to vanish. Strive earnestly!" (vayadhamma^ sankha^ra^, appama^dena sampa^detha; D. 16).
Without the deep insight into the impermanence and insubstantiality of all phenomena of existence there is no attainment of deliverance. Hence comprehension of impermanence gained by direct meditative experience heads two lists of insight knowledge:
(a) contemplation of impermanence (anicca^nupassana^) is the first of the 18 chief kinds of insight (q.v.);
(b) the contemplation of arising and vanishing (udayabbaya^nupassana^-n~a^na) is the first of 9 kinds of knowledge which lead to the ”purification by knowledge and vision of the path-progress” (s. visuddhi, VI). -
Contemplation of impermanence leads to the conditionless deliverance (animitta-vimokkha; s. vimokkha). As herein the faculty of confidence (saddhindriya) is outstanding, he who attains in that way the path of Stream-entry is called a faith-devotee (saddha^nusa^ri^; s. ariya-puggala) and at the seven higher stages he is called faith-liberated (saddha^-vimutta), - See also anicca-san~n~a^.
See The Three Basic Facts of Existence I: Impermanence (WHEEL 186/187)
is the name of one of the most frightful hells (niraya, q.v.).
”eye” s. a^yatana. - The foll. 5 kinds of ”eyes” are mentioned and explained in CNid. (PTS, p. 235; the first 3 also in It. 52): 1. the physical eye (mamsa cakkhu), 2. the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu; s. abhin~n~a^), 3. the eye of wisdom (pan~n~a^-cakkhu), 4 the eye of a Buddha (Buddha-c.), 5. the eye of all-round knowledge (samanta-c.; a frequent appellation of the Buddha).
s. vijja^-carana.
ra^ga-c., dosa-c., buddhi-c., etc., are only to be met with in the Com. and Vis.M.
”nature, character”. In Vis.M. III there are explained six types of men: the greedy-natured (ra^ga-carita), the hate-natured (dosa-carita), the stupid or dull-natured (moha-carita), the faithful-natured (saddha^-carita), the intelligent-natured (buddhi-carita), the ruminating-natured (vitakka-carita). - (App.).
intention, desire, will.
1. As an ethically neutral psychological term, in the sense of ”intention”, it is one of those general mental factors (cetasika, q.v. Tab. II) taught in the Abhidhamma, the moral quality of which is determined by the character of the volition (cetana^, q.v.) associated therewith. The Com. explains it as ”a wish to do” (kattu-kamyata^-chanda). If intensified, it acts also as a ”predominance condition” (s. paccaya 3).
2. As an evil quality it has the meaning of ”desire”, and is frequently coupled with terms for ”sensuality”, ”greed”, etc., for instance: ka^ma-cchanda, ”sensuous desire”, one of the 5 hindrances (s. ni^varana); chanda-ra^ga, ”lustful desire” (s. ka^ma). It is one of the 4 wrong paths (s. agati).
3. As a good quality it is a righteous will or zeal (dhamma-chanda) and occurs, e.g. in the formula of the 4 right efforts (s. padha^na): "The monk rouses his will (chandam janeti)...." If intensified, it is one of the 4 roads to power (s. iddhipa^da).
contemplation of: one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (vipassana^, q.v.) .
of action (wholesome or unwholesome): kammapatha (q.v.).
nissarana (s. paha^na).
a^rammana (q.v.); as condition s. paccaya (2).
up rags, wearing robes made from: s. dhutanga.
jha^na (q.v.).
”speech”. On right sp., s. magga (3), sacca (IV.3). - Low talk, s. tiraccha^na-katha^.
natthi-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, (q.v.).
”sphere”, realm. The 3 spheres of existence are: the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara), the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara), the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)."Which things are of the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Avi^ci-hell and above by the Paranimmitavasavatti-heaven (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included, to wit: the groups of existence, the elements, bases (s. khandha, dha^tu, a^yatana), corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, all these things are of the sensuous sphere. - But which things are of the fine material sphere (rúpa^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Brahma-world and above by the Akanittha-world (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included ... and also consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (fine-material) absorptions, or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his life-time is living in happiness (of the absorptions), all these things are of the fine-material sphere. - Which things are of the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)? Consciousness and mental factors arising within the interval bounded beneath by the beings reborn in the sphere of unbounded space and above by the beings reborn in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jha^na 5-8), and consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (immaterial absorptions), or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his lifetime is living in happiness (of the immaterial absorptions), all these things are of the immaterial sphere." (Cf. Dhs. 1280, 1282, 1284; Vibh. XVIII). (App.).
ka^ma^vacara is already met with in the oldest sutta texts (e.g. D. 1). Rúpa^vacara and arúpa^vacara, however, occur probably for the first time in Pts.M. (I. 83ff.), while in the Abhidhamma Canon and the Com. all the 3 terms are frequently mentioned and explained.