The ( Kṣaṇikavāda ) is a radical philosophical extension of the core concept of impermanence ( anicca ). While early Buddhist teachings observed that all things eventually decay, the doctrine of momentariness posits that all conditioned phenomena exist for only an infinitesimally brief moment before vanishing and being replaced by a nearly identical successor. Core Tenets of Momentariness
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...
: 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 The ( Kṣaṇikavāda ) is a radical philosophical
: Nothing is static; the universe perishes and is "re-created" every instant. By realizing that the "self" is not a
: Asserted that only the present moment is real; past and future are mere mental constructs.