The identical structure as SN 23.12, with impermanence in place of Māra
Length
Very short — the closing formula elided
Northern parallel
Completes the anicca/aniccadhamma pair, mirroring SN 23.11-12's own Māra/māradhamma pair
Difficulty
Approachable — best read directly after SN 23.13
Why this discourse
Closes this vagga's second pair, applying the same bare-identity-to-inherent-nature grammatical shift already seen between SN 23.11 and SN 23.12, now to impermanence rather than Māra.
Reading guide
The same shift, a new term
"They speak of having 'impermanent nature'. What is of impermanent nature?" — aniccadhamma, exactly paralleling SN 23.12's own māradhamma, applied here to impermanence.
The identical content, restated once more
"Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are of impermanent nature" — the same five aggregates, confirming that "is impermanent" (SN 23.13) and "is of impermanent nature" (this discourse) describe the identical underlying fact from two grammatical angles.
A completed pair, mirroring the vagga's own opening
With this discourse, the second of this vagga's paired terms is complete, following exactly the same two-question shape (bare identity, then inherent nature) as the Māra/māradhamma pair that opened the vagga.
Moving to the third pair: suffering
SN 23.15 and SN 23.16 will apply this same paired structure to dukkha, "suffering" — the second of the three marks, continuing this vagga's systematic progression.
Key terms
aniccadhamma — liable to impermanence, of impermanent nature — this discourse's own subject, paralleling SN 23.12's māradhamma
anicca — impermanent — SN 23.13's own bare term, the counterpart to this discourse's grammatical variant
dhamma — nature, quality — the shared suffix marking both this discourse and SN 23.12's shift to inherent quality
dukkha — suffering — the term SN 23.15-16 will examine next, continuing this vagga's progression through the three marks
peyyāla — an elision mark, compressing the standard closing formula throughout this vagga
The text
The complete discourse as given in the source, mirroring SN 23.12's own grammatical shift, now applied to impermanence. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha said to the Buddha: “Sir, they speak of having ‘impermanent nature’. What is of impermanent nature?
§2“Rādha, form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are of impermanent nature.
§3Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What earlier discourse's grammatical shift does this discourse repeat, now for a new term?
Correct: A. The identical shift, now applied to impermanence instead of Māra.
Question 2 of 10
What does this discourse ask about?
Correct: A. Completing the anicca/aniccadhamma pair.
Question 3 of 10
How does the Buddha answer?
Correct: A. Confirming the same underlying fact from a different grammatical angle.
Question 4 of 10
What does completing this pair mirror from earlier in the vagga?
Correct: A. Bare identity, then inherent nature — the same pattern repeated.
Question 5 of 10
What term will the vagga's next pair (SN 23.15-16) examine?
Correct: A. The second of the three marks, continuing this vagga's systematic progression.
Question 6 of 10
How many aggregates does this discourse's identification apply to?
Correct: A. Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Question 7 of 10
How is the closing formula presented in this discourse?
Correct: A. Compressed throughout this vagga after SN 23.11's own full statement.
Question 8 of 10
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. Matching SN 23.11-13's own setting.
Question 9 of 10
What do "is impermanent" and "is of impermanent nature" describe, according to this pair of discourses?
Correct: A. Confirmed by the identical content given for both questions.
Question 10 of 10
Who asks the question in this discourse?
Correct: A. Continuing this saṃyutta's own central questioner.
