As the teachings on dependent origination show, clinging to the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, consciousness, and mind) is caused by ignorance. Based on this ignorance and its effects, the notion that the five aggregates are permanent, a true source of happiness, and a self or the accessories of a self arise. The antidote required to break the spell of this delusion is wisdom (panna) or knowledge (vijja), which means knowing and seeing the five aggregates as they really are: as impermanent (anicca), as suffering (dukkha), and as not-self (anatta). These are known in the Buddhist tradition as the three characteristics (tilakkhana).

The characteristics of phenomena and existence, as defined in Buddhism, show the relative nature in three ways in the teachings:

These three characteristics are important when practicing insight meditiation regarding the five aggregates of becoming and the six sense bases. These characteristics are both viewed independently, as well as together:

All the different explanations of the three characteristics eventually point back to the eradication of clinging towards an object or mind-object by showing, with regard to each aggregate, “This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.”

In the Anguttara Nikaya (AN V.105) ten perceptions of the 5 aggregates are used as antidotes for practicing and viewing the five aggregates.

These ten perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as their end result. To explain them in detail, here are the ten listed through the various suttas:

Here, a monk reviews this very body upward from the soles of the feet and downward from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, as full of many kinds of impurities:

Thus he dwells contemplating unattractiveness in this body.” — AN V.109

(2) “When a monk often dwells with a mind accustomed to the perception of death, his mind shrinks away from attachment to life,turns back from it, rolls away from it, and is not drawn toward it, and either equanimity or revulsion becomes settled in him.” — AN IV.48

(3) “When a monk often dwells with a mind accustomed to the perception of the repulsiveness of food,his mind shrinks away from craving for tastes,turns back from it, rolls away from it, and is not drawn toward it,and either equanimity or revulsion becomes settled in him.” — AN IV.49

(4) “And what is the perception of non-delight in the entire world?

Here, a monk refrains from any engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies in regard to the world, abandoning them without clinging to them.” — AN V.111

(5) “And what is the perception of impermanence?

Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a monk reflects thus:

‘Form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional activities are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.’ Thus he dwells contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates subject to clinging.” — AN V.109

(6) “When a monk often dwells with a mind accustomed to the perception of suffering in the impermanent, a keen perception of danger becomes settled in him toward indolence,laziness, slackness, heedlessness, lack of effort, and un-reflectiveness, just as toward a murderer with drawn sword.” — AN IV.52

Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a monk reflects thus:

‘The eye is not-self, forms are not-self;

the ear is not-self, sounds are not-self;

the nose is not-self, odors are not-self;

the tongue is not-self, tastes are not-self;

the body is not-self, tactile objects are not-self;

the mind is not-self, mental phenomena are not-self.’

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Thus he dwells contemplating not-self in these six internal and external sense bases.” — AN V.109

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(8) “And what is the perception of abandoning?

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Here, a monk does not tolerate an arisen sensual thought; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of harming; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate arisen bad unwholesome states whenever they arise; he abandons them, dispels them, terminates and obliterates them.” — AN V.110

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(9) “And what is the perception of dispassion?

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Here, having gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, a monk reflects thus:

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, nibbana.’” — AN V.110

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(10) “And what is the perception of cessation?

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Here, having gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, a monk reflects thus:

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbana.’” — AN V.111

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TThe Twelve Links Of Dependent Origination

THINGS to DEVELOP and THINGS to AVOID

The First Noble Truth

The Second Noble Truth

The Third Noble Truth

The Fourth Noble Truth

10 Fold Path Series

EATING MEAT — WHY THE BUDDHA WAS NOT A VEGETARIAN

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