Ever-Replacing Phenomenon
What I want to explain to you today is the concept of a rising and passing away that can be substituted. This is a very important point in the foundation of Vipassanā. When most of us hear the words "rising and passing away," we want to see the destruction of physical matter or witness the decay with our eyes. However, the rising and passing away of ultimate reality (paramattha) is not like that.
Hutvā Abhāvatā – Having Arisen, It Is No More
In Pāli this is called “hutvā abhāvatā.” Its meaning is: having arisen, it no longer exists. What must be noted carefully is that this does not mean “it is destroyed,” but rather “it is no more.” This is the point that most people usually fail to understand or fully grasp.
When we hear the phrase “arising and passing away,” we tend to look for destruction. With material objects—things, substances, possessions—we feel satisfied only when we can actually see their destruction. If we hear about “passing away” but cannot see anything being destroyed, we feel dissatisfied and confused.
I want to give an example. Suppose you are riding a car or a motorcycle. You pass by trees, houses, and people on the roadside. Did all those objects you passed remain in your Mind? Just look back. Nothing remains. That is seeing Anicca. But if you cling saying, "How beautiful this is," it has remained inside you. If so, it is no longer Anicca, it has become Nicca.
Paccayato Udayabbaya – Observing Arising and Passing Away Through Conditions
It is difficult to see khaṇato udayabbaya—arising and passing away moment by moment. This requires strong mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. However, paccayato udayabbaya—seeing arising and passing away through conditions—is easier to understand.
When conditions come together, phenomena arise. When conditions cease, they no longer exist. Simply contemplating this principle allows understanding to develop.
To explain further: suppose you see with the eye. Eye-consciousness (cakkhu-viññāṇa) arises. That seeing consciousness only sees visible form. It cannot know the arising and passing away of visible form. However, when one mindfully notes “seeing,” insight can know the arising and passing away of the seeing consciousness itself.
When the arising and passing away of consciousness is known, it is said—according to the method of the suttas—that the arising and passing away of the object taken by that consciousness is also known.
The Nature of Continuous Replacement
The most important point is this: the world consists of material and mental phenomena that are constantly replacing one another. As soon as something arises due to conditions, it ceases right there. As long as conditions are present, new phenomena continuously arise and replace the old ones.
Because this replacement happens extremely fast, we cannot directly see the continuous cessation. It does not appear as “passing away” because the replacement is too rapid.
Even when mind-and-matter cease, Nibbāna replaces them. There is no break, no gap, no solidity, no permanence—only continuous replacement. When this is understood, self-view (atta-diṭṭhi) falls away.
With this understanding, insight knowledge arises and defilements temporarily cease (tadaṅga-pahāna). As wisdom matures further, defilements are eradicated completely.
Replacement Through the Preceding Mind and the Subsequent Mind
I would now like to explain a very important point. When wholesome intention (kamma-kusala cetanā) arises in the preceding mind, and the subsequent mind mindfully recognizes it, this becomes wisdom-based merit.
When wisdom-based merit arises, it abandons kamma. This single point is crucial: wisdom abandons kamma.
Why is this so? Because when the wholesome kamma of the preceding mind has already ceased, and the subsequent mind becomes intellectual merit, craving that grasps kamma is abandoned. When craving that clings to kamma is abandoned, the results of kamma—mind and matter—no longer arise.
When mind and matter do not arise, it does not mean that nothing exists. Nibbāna replaces them.
For the Removal of Clinging (Upādāna)
Whether one contemplates arising and passing away, uses bodily gestures, or contemplates emptiness (suññatā), all of these practices have a single purpose: the removal of clinging.
This is the abandoning of the Truth of Origin (samudaya), which is clinging itself. Therefore, contemplation is the practice of the Noble Path, undertaken in alignment with the Four Noble Truths.
What I want to emphasize is this: look carefully and see that nothing remains within you after phenomena have passed. Vipassanā means looking within—observing internal objects, contemplating the internal domain.
Nothing remains inside. That is death. Only when impermanence is seen, when clinging ceases, will kamma not arise on the other side. When kamma does not arise, there is no next life, no next aggregate. That is cessation (nirodha). This is vipassanā—nothing more, nothing less.
Pīti and the Defilements of Insight (Upakkilesa)
Some meditators report that while mindfully attending to bodily sensations and the breath at bedtime—using the distinction between preceding and subsequent minds—after 15 or 20 minutes, awareness remains only with continuous contact.
At that point, the sense of a solid body disappears, and only conditionality remains. Insight reflects on non-self, and waves of joy (pīti) arise repeatedly.
From a theoretical standpoint, these experiences are called defilements of insight (upakkilesa). When insight into arising and passing away appears, these defilements naturally arise. Pīti itself is not something to suppress—it also arises and passes away.
However, when one becomes attached to that joy, craving returns, and it becomes a defilement. Clinging is dangerous—it grasps whatever it can.
Beyond Time and Place
Finally, I want to speak about an extremely important point. Since material and mental phenomena arise and pass away continuously, can we still assign them a place and look at them?
The moment we say “this place,” that phenomenon is already gone. When arising and passing away is clearly seen, one goes beyond time and place.
It arises and passes away; in that, there is no longer time. Because it arises and passes away, one cannot say or show how long it lasts; it is impossible anymore, it passes away every time it arises. So, because it passes away every time it arises, since it cannot be shown, it transcends places and times. If there is no near or far—near and far mean Place. If there is no near or far, there is no long or short duration, nor is there fast or slow. In that case, if there is no Place, there is no Time. Then, it ends up Beyond Place and Time. You simply obtain a view that transcends the world.
This is indeed Lokuttara. What I really like is Beyond Time and Place. This is a view that transcends the world.
Starting from the Basics
Most people worry about how they will die, but rarely reflect practically on how they are living right now. This is because we usually view life only from the standpoint of escape from existence.
The Buddha’s teachings come from the highest perspective—the omniscient wisdom and the standpoint of arahantship—so they often feel very distant to us.
Therefore, we must learn how to live. If we know how to live properly, we need not worry about how we will die—we will know how to die naturally.
Living is done within life itself. If we understand how to live this life properly, that is already a great success. For that, we owe profound gratitude to the Buddha.
Conclusion
The main point I wish to convey is an understanding of the Ever-Replacing Phenomenon—that mind and matter are constantly replacing one another.
According to one’s spiritual faculties, ultimate realities will gradually become clear in insight. As wisdom matures, both their specific and universal characteristics become evident, vipassanā insight deepens, and when conditions are fully fulfilled, one may realize Nibbāna through path and fruition knowledge.
One comes to see phenomena as functioning according to their own nature, free from personal will. This is equanimity (upekkhā), which can arise only when clinging is removed.
Only when clinging ceases does equanimity arise. Only then can one truly see things as they are.
I encourage you to observe this carefully: once something is contacted, it no longer exists. That is arising and passing away. Only by understanding this can one truly comprehend the nature of the Ever-Replacing Phenomenon.
Dr. Soe Lwin (Mandalay)