Anicca represents the fundamental Buddhist insight that all conditioned existence is transient, arising and passing away in continuous flux. This principle, one of the Three Marks of Existence alongside dukkha (suffering) and anatta (non-self), points to the inherent instability within every phenomenon - from the subtlest mental formation to the most seemingly solid physical object. The Pali term derives from “nicca” (permanent) with the negative prefix “a-”, literally meaning “not permanent” or “inconstant.”
At its core, anicca describes not merely that things end, but that change operates at every moment of existence. Buddhist contemplatives observe this truth through direct investigation of experience: sensations arise and dissolve, thoughts emerge and fade, even apparently stable objects undergo molecular transformation. This recognition extends beyond simple observation of death and decay to encompass the dynamic process underlying all dependent origination - nothing exists in static isolation but rather manifests through ever-shifting causes and conditions.
The contemplation of impermanence serves as both philosophical foundation and transformative practice within Buddhist meditation. Recognition of anicca naturally loosens attachment to what cannot be permanently grasped, while simultaneously revealing the possibility of liberation from suffering. This insight connects directly to Sunyata (śūnyatā) in Mahayana thought, where the absence of permanent essence becomes a gateway to understanding the Middle Way. The principle finds parallel expression in Heraclitus’s flux doctrine and Process Philosophy, though Buddhism uniquely emphasizes its soteriological implications for ending samsara.