<p>Stuffs turn Vaṭṭa on (vaṭṭa) = appearing stuffs in paṭiccasamuppāda  = non stopping cycling of stuffs = <strong>anicca (unstable) &amp; dukkha</strong> = <strong>cala (unstable)</strong> = <strong>whole 5 aggregates</strong> (stuffs)</p>

<p>Stuffs turn vaṭṭa off (vivaṭṭa) = disappeared stuffs in paṭiccasamuppāda = stopped cycling of stuffs = <strong>niccatā (stable) &amp; sukkha</strong> = <strong>acala (stable)</strong> = <strong>nibbāna</strong></p>

<p>Whole 5 aggregates and nibbāna are anatta.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-12T14:24:48.803Z
2017-11-12T14:24:48.803Z
Bonn
<p>The <a href="http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:1424.pali" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PTS dictionary</a> says,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Cala</strong> (adj.) [see calati] moving, quivering; unsteady, fickle, transient S iv.68 (dhammā calā c' eva vyayā ca aniccā, etc.); J ii.299; iii.381; v.345; Miln 93, 418; Sdhp 430, 494.<br>
  -- <strong>acala</strong> steadfast, immovable S i.232; J i.71 (ṭṭhāna); Vv 514 (˚ṭṭhāna=Ep. of Nibbāna); acalaŋ sukhaŋ (=Nibbāna) Th 2, 350; cp. niccala motionless DhA iii.38</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So <em>cala</em> means "unsteady", <em>acala</em> means "not unsteady", and <em>acala sukha</em> means "unwavering happiness" i.e. nibbana.</p>

<p>The phrase is in some of the suttas, e.g. the last line of <a href="https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.10.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ud 8.10</a>; and the end of the first verse of <a href="https://suttacentral.net/en/thag3.16" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Thag 3.16</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-12T13:29:03.750Z
+1 with one caveat, sukha is rather something like "peace", the (quiet) state of no trouble, than a rapturous type of happiness. Maybe "nonquivering peace"...
Andriy Volkov
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-12T13:37:55.763Z
I hoped the OP would already know *sukha* (see e.g. [PTS definition here](http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4:1:262.pali) and [Wikipedia here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha)).
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-12T12:47:22.133Z
2017-11-12T12:47:22.133Z
ChrisW
<p>What is the exact meaning of '<em>acala sukha'</em>? Is it mentioned in the Pali-canon? If so, where ? In what context ?</p>

<terminology>
What is the meaning of 'acala sukha'?
# What is the meaning of 'acala sukha'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-12)

What is the exact meaning of '*acala sukha'*? Is it mentioned in the Pali-canon? If so, where ? In what context ?

**Tags:** terminology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-11-12. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

The [PTS dictionary](http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:1424.pali) says,

> **Cala** (adj.) [see calati] moving, quivering; unsteady, fickle, transient S iv.68 (dhammā calā c' eva vyayā ca aniccā, etc.); J ii.299; iii.381; v.345; Miln 93, 418; Sdhp 430, 494.  
> -- **acala** steadfast, immovable S i.232; J i.71 (ṭṭhāna); Vv 514 (˚ṭṭhāna=Ep. of Nibbāna); acalaŋ sukhaŋ (=Nibbāna) Th 2, 350; cp. niccala motionless DhA iii.38

So *cala* means "unsteady", *acala* means "not unsteady", and *acala sukha* means "unwavering happiness" i.e. nibbana.

The phrase is in some of the suttas, e.g. the last line of [Ud 8.10](https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.10.than.html); and the end of the first verse of [Thag 3.16](https://suttacentral.net/en/thag3.16).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: +1 with one caveat, sukha is rather something like "peace", the (quiet) state of no trouble, than a rapturous type of happiness. Maybe "nonquivering peace"...  
> **username_2**: I hoped the OP would already know *sukha* (see e.g. [PTS definition here](http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4:1:262.pali) and [Wikipedia here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha)).  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-12. Score: 0

Stuffs turn Vaṭṭa on (vaṭṭa) = appearing stuffs in paṭiccasamuppāda = non stopping cycling of stuffs = **anicca (unstable) & dukkha** = **cala (unstable)** = **whole 5 aggregates** (stuffs)

Stuffs turn vaṭṭa off (vivaṭṭa) = disappeared stuffs in paṭiccasamuppāda = stopped cycling of stuffs = **niccatā (stable) & sukkha** = **acala (stable)** = **nibbāna**

Whole 5 aggregates and nibbāna are anatta.


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