Anicca – Belief that nothing is permanent

(Pronounced ah-nik-uh)

Note: Anicca is one of the Three Marks of Existence.

To remember the meaning of the Buddhist term Anicca, use the following mnemonic:

A knicker (anicca) elastic never lasts: it's never permanent.

Anicca is the Buddhist belief that nothing is permanent – nothing stays the same and absolutely everything is subject to change.

It is one of the three characteristics that Buddhists say are common to everything in life. The other two are Anatta (see previous page) and dukkha, which is frustration and dissatisfaction due the fact that life doesn't necessarily provide people with what they want.

Buddhists come face to face with the impermanence of themselves through meditation. They say this enables them to realise that we have no control over the impermanent nature of everything, and that any attempt to manipulate this situation creates suffering.