The Buddhist Doctrine Of Momentariness: A Surve... -

: Nothing is static; the universe perishes and is "re-created" every instant.

The doctrine serves as a vital tool for . By realizing that the "self" is not a permanent soul but a collection of momentary physical and mental aggregates ( skandhas ), practitioners can dismantle the attachments that lead to suffering ( dukkha ). Description Kṣaṇa The Buddhist doctrine of momentariness: A surve...

: Instead of objects enduring over time, existence is seen as a rapid succession of discrete, momentary entities. : Nothing is static; the universe perishes and

: Buddhist logicians argued that only momentary things are real because real existence requires the ability to produce an effect. A permanent, unchanging entity would be causally inert and therefore non-existent. Historical Development Description Kṣaṇa : Instead of objects enduring over

: We perceive stable objects (like a table or a person) because the series of moments ( santāna ) occurs too fast for ordinary perception to detect the breaks, similar to how a movie film creates the illusion of smooth motion.

The doctrine was not present in the earliest discourses of the Buddha, which were more pragmatic about change. It emerged as a systematic theory during the and was later refined by prominent scholars such as Vasubandhu , Dignāga , and Dharmakīrti .

: Later incorporated momentariness through commentaries like Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga , particularly to explain how karma continues across the threshold of death. Philosophical and Ethical Implications