Part of a series on Buddhism
History Buddhism History of Buddhism Timeline Councils Gautama Buddha Later Buddhists Category: Buddhism
Teachings concepts Dharma Four Noble Truths Five Aggregates Impermanence Suffering Non-self Dependent Origination Middle Way Emptiness Karma Rebirth Samsara Cosmology Category: Buddhist terms
Practices Threefold Training Three Jewels Noble Eightfold Path Morality Meditation Wisdom Perfections Mindfulness Compassion Aids to Enlightenment Monasticism Laity
Nirvana Nirvāṇa Four Stages Arahant Buddha Bodhisattva
Traditions Schools of Buddhism Hinayana Theravāda Mahāyāna Vajrayāna Tibetan
Texts Buddhist texts Pali Canon Chinese Buddhist canon
Buddhism by country General Countries India India Southern Transmission Sri Lanka Thailand Cambodia Laos Burma Eastern Transmission China Japan Korea Vietnam Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Northern Transmission Tibet Bhutan Mongolia Nepal Russia Western Transmission Western countries USA
Outline Buddhism portal view talk edit

Impermanence (Pāli: अनिच्चा anicca; Sanskrit: अनित्य anitya; Tibetan: མི་​རྟག་​པ་ mi rtag pa; Chinese: 無常 wúcháng; Japanese: 無常 mujō; Korean: 무상 musang; Thai: อนิจจัง anitchang, from Pali "aniccaŋ") is one of the essential doctrines or three marks of existence in Buddhism. The term expresses the Buddhist notion that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is in a constant state of flux. The Pali word anicca literally means "inconstant", and arises from a synthesis of two separate words, 'Nicca' and the "privative particle" 'a'.^[1] Where the word 'Nicca' refers to the concept of continuity and permanence, 'Anicca' refers to its exact opposite; the absence of permanence and continuity.

Impermanence[link]

Anicca or impermanence is understood by Buddhists as one of the three marks of existence, the others being dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta (non-selfhood).^[2] All things in the universe are understood by Buddhists to be characterised by these three marks of existence. According to the impermanence doctrine, human life embodies this flux in the aging process, the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara), and in any experience of loss. This is applicable to all beings and their environs including devas (mortal gods). The Buddha taught that because conditioned phenomena are impermanent, attachment to them becomes the cause for future suffering (dukkha).

Conditioned phenomena can also be referred to as compounded, constructed, or fabricated. This is in contrast to the unconditioned, uncompounded and unfabricated nirvana, the reality that knows no change, decay or death.

Impermanence is intimately associated with the doctrine of anatta, according to which things have no fixed nature, essence, or self. For example, in Mahayana Buddhism, because all phenomena are impermanent, and in a state of flux, they are understood to be empty of an intrinsic self (shunyata).^[3]

Practical implications - meditation[link]

One method Buddhists use to cultivate awareness of the true nature of reality is that of vipassana meditation. The practice of vipassana meditation involves the development of a heightened state of awareness whereby one is able to understand clearly the true nature of reality. Here, 'true nature' refers to an understanding of the three marks of existence (see above), the true nature of impermanence, the true nature of unsatisfactoriness and the true nature of insubstantiality or the non-self or soul. The contemplation of impermanence (anicca-nupassana) refers to seeing conditioned phenomena arising and passing away while observing their individual characteristics. According to the Visuddhimagga, one should understand three aspects of this contemplation: impermanence (anicca ), the characteristic of impermanence (anicca -lakkhana), and the contemplation of impermanence (anicca-nupassana). The commentaries say that we should know three things regarding the contemplation of impermanence (anicca-nupassana):^[4]

Quotes[link]

The five aggregates, monks, are anicca, impermanent.

All is impermanent. And what is the all that is impermanent? The eye is impermanent, visual objects [ruupaa]... eye-consciousness... eye contact [cakku-samphassa]... whatever is felt [vedayita] as pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant, born of eye-contact is impermanent. [Likewise with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind] (SN 35.43/vol. iv, 28)

All formations are impermanent

Whatever is subject to origination [samudaya] is subject to cessation [nirodha] (MN 56)

In arts and culture[link]

• Akio Jissoji's Buddhist auteur film Mujo (also known as This Transient Life) owes its title to the doctrine of Impermanence.

Further reading[link]

• Hodge, David and Hodge, Hi-Jin. Impermanence: Embracing Change Snow Lion Publications.

See also[link]

Buddhism[link]

• Three Marks of Existence
• Reality in Buddhism

Japan[link]

• Hōjōki
• Mono no aware
• The Tale of the Heike
• Wabi-sabi

European[link]

• Heraclitus
• Omnia mutantur
• Tempora mutantur

References[link]

External links[link]

• All About Change by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• Three marks of existence by Nyanaponika Thera

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008)

Kruder & Dorfmeister, named after members Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, is an Austrian duo most known for their downtempo-dub remixes of pop, hip-hop and drum and bass songs.

Style[link]

Their mixes are usually flavored with sampler-processed vocals, deep bassline dub, trip-hop elements, bossa grooves and smoothly-shaped echoes. Some of their better-known works include "High Noon," "Original Bedroom Rockers," and remixes of Madonna's "Nothing Really Matters," Depeche Mode's "Useless," Count Basic's "Speechless" and Roni Size's "Heroes". Many of their remixes are collected on the double album The K & D Sessions.

Although best known internationally for their remixing work, the duo gained their primary reputation in Europe for their live DJ performances and their DJ mix album for the DJ Kicks series DJ-Kicks: Kruder & Dorfmeister. Kruder and Dorfmeister have their own recording studio in Vienna, and label G-Stone Recordings through which they release many of their own albums.

Discography[link]

• 1996 - Conversions: A K&D Selection (Mix album) Spray Records/BMG Records
• 1996 - DJ-Kicks: Kruder & Dorfmeister (Mix album) Studio !K7
• 1996 - G-Stoned EP (12") G-Stone Recordings
• 1996 - Black Baby EP Studio !K7
• 1998 - The K & D Sessions (Mix Album) Studio !K7
• 2002 - G-Stone Book (Mix Album)
• 2008 - Shakatakadoodub (Online EP)
• 2010 - Sixteen Fucking Years Of G-Stone Recordings (Studio !K7)

Other aliases[link]

• Tosca (Dorfmeister, with Rupert Huber)
• Peace Orchestra (Kruder)

Richard Dorfmeister vs. Madrid De Los Austrias (w/ Heinz Tronigger & Michael "Pogo" Kreiner)

• 2004 - Valldemossa Sunshine Enterprises
• 2006 - Boogie No More (12") Net's Work International
• 2006 - Grand Slam (CD) G-Stone Recordings
• 2006 - Valldemossa Remixed (12") Sunshine Enterprises

Voom:Voom (w/ Christian Prommer & Roland Appel)

• 2000 - Poppen / Influenza (12") Compost Records
• 2001 - Ginger & Fred / Influenza Forte (12") Compost Records
• 2003 - Baby 3 (12") Compost Records
• 2006 - Peng Peng LP Studio !K7

External links[link]

• Official website
• Kruder & Dorfmeister at Discogs
• Kruder & Dorfmeister discography at MusicBrainz
• Tosca - No Hassle website
• DJ-Kicks website