Reading guide
A question tripled across three time frames
Where SN 22.37 asked a single question, this discourse asks essentially the same question three times over, once for each time frame: what showed these characteristics in the past, what will show them in the future, and what shows them now. The Buddha poses all three variations together before Ānanda answers, giving the hypothetical exchange a more elaborate, formally structured shape than SN 22.37's single exchange.
The past described through what has already ended
Ānanda's answer for the past time frame is phrased distinctively: whatever form “has passed, ceased, and perished” showed evident arising, vanishing, and change while persisting. The past is characterized not by what it once was in the present moment of its occurrence, but specifically by its having already come to an end — impermanence applied retrospectively.
The future described through what has not yet appeared
The future time frame is described correspondingly: whatever form “is not yet born, and has not yet appeared” will show the same three characteristics once it does arise. This is a striking claim in its own right — that impermanence can be predicated in advance of something that does not yet exist, simply on the grounds that whatever eventually arises will be subject to the same three-part pattern.
The present described through what has already appeared
The present time frame completes the set: whatever form “has been born, and has appeared” shows these three characteristics now, in the ordinary sense already familiar from SN 22.37. Taken together, all three time frames close the same argumentative gap the earlier vagga discourse SN 22.9 opened — that impermanence holds “in the three times,” not merely in whichever moment happens to be observed directly.
Key terms
The text
§1“Ānanda, suppose they were to ask you: ‘Reverend Ānanda, what are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident?’ How would you answer?”
§2‘Whatever form has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. These the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident.
§3Whatever form is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. These are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident.
§4Whatever form has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting is evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. These are the things for which arising is evident, vanishing is evident, and change while persisting is evident.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.”
§5“Good, good, Ānanda. Whatever form has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. These the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident.
§6Whatever form is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. These are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident.
§7Whatever form has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. These are the things for which arising is evident, vanishing is evident, and change while persisting is evident. That’s how you should answer such a question.”
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