[AniccaSeeker]

Dear Dhamma friends,

I’ve been listening to many desanā by Theros who follow Waharaka Thero, and reading PureDhamma.net has been incredibly helpful in connecting the dots. I would be truly grateful if you could help me confirm whether my current understanding aligns with the true meaning of Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta.

Here is an example I’ve been reflecting on deeply:

🌼 First Scenario: Wanting my hair to stay

• Anicca: My hair doesn’t stay the way I wish — it falls or changes.
• Dukkha: Because I craved for it to remain, I experienced suffering.
• Anatta: Even though it feels like “my” hair, I have no control over it — so it cannot truly be mine.

🌾 Second Scenario: Wanting my hair to fall

• It falls — I get what I want, which appears as nicca.
• But then someone criticises the new look, and I feel upset.
• Even when things seem to go “my way,” the pleasure fades and turns into discomfort.
• Again, I see Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta — nothing to hold as ‘mine.’

🌿 I believe this is real vipassanā — observing how:

• Assāda (pleasure) → taṇhā (craving) → upādāna (clinging) → dukkha.
• Even when expectations are met, Anicca breaks the illusion.
• There’s truly no refuge in any saṅkhāra.

Have I understood this correctly? Kindly let me know if any part of this is off-track. I’m here to learn and correct myself if needed.

Teruwan Saranai 🙏

— AniccaSeeker

[Lal]

Yes. It is a simple yet good example to get the basic idea.

• Of course, we can extend to deeper issues.
• For example, if you like to eat ice cream, it seems that it is an action of “nicca nature” while eating it. Then you keep eating ice cream every day to get “more of it.”  Eventually, it will have adverse health consequences.
• Going a bit deeper, sensual pleasures, in general, seem to provide a sense of “nicca” or “satisfaction.” Yet, seeking sensual pleasures will keep one away from Nibbana; it is, thus, of anicca nature in the long term. Furthermore, if one engages in immoral deeds to obtain more sensory pleasures, it will have negative consequences even in this life.

2 users thanked author for this post.

jennydo, AniccaSeeker

[AniccaSeeker]

Dear Lal,

Thank you so much for your kind reply. I truly appreciate how you extended the ice cream example to show the deeper implications of anicca, especially how something that feels “nicca” in the short term can lead to suffering in the long run. That really clarified a lot for me.

Thank you again for creating such a helpful space for Dhamma discussion.

Theruwan Saranai 🙏

AniccaSeeker

[Christian]

It’s much deeper than that, but it is a good start – kinda. Anicca Dukkha and Anatta are the focal point, applying it to hair makes no sense because you can still have your hair the way you want it/like (at least to the extent it is possible), but have no problem with it. If you try to apply it to everything, you will get tired easily. It applies to everything, as long as you can understand it you do not need to go one by one. 

One thing may lead to all things too – there are certain examples in suttas when bhikku could not understand Dhamma so Buddha used example so he can grasp the nature of Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta and this is important to understand to focus on nature of it, not hair. 

[Author]

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