Conditioned vs Unconditioned | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Sankhata/Asankhata Lakkhanani AN 3.47

Ajahn Dhammasiha offers some reflections on the three characteristics of all conditioned phenomena, versus the three characteristics of the Unconditioned .

3 Qualities of all conditioned phenomena (sankhata-lakkhaṇāni):

1. Coming into existence can be discerned
2. Passing away can be discerned
3. Change while persisting can be discerned

3 Qualities of the Unconditioned (asankhata-lakkhaṇāni):

1. No coming into existence can be discerned
2. No passing away can be discerned
3. No change while persisting can be discerned

(Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Threes, #47 & #48)

Both groups are very unequal:

Conditioned phenomena is ablsolutely everything a unenlightened person has ever experienced: Whether one's own body, or other bodies, or material objects; whether feelings or thoughts or emotions; whether forms or sights or fragrances... all arise and pass away and change, which means they are conditioned.

The only phenomenon that's Unconditioned is Nibbāna, the experience of total freedom in the heart of those that have fully realized the Dhamma and are liberated from craving and suffering.

From this follows, that all we really have to do in vipassanā meditation, is checking out whatever comes up in our experince, if it has any of the 3 qualities of conditioned phenomena. If we can discern arising or passing away or change, it's only a 'sankhāra', a conditioned phenomenon, and the task is to let it go.

Once we can let go of everything conditioned, we experience the Unconditioned, realization of the Dhamma, resulting in at least the first stage of enlightenment, stream entry (sotāpatti).

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