Someone asked the Buddha whether all of His teachings could be summarized as briefly as possible. The Buddha replied: “Sabbé dhammá anaññévesá” (สัพเพ ธัมมา นัง อภิ นิ เวสา ยะ), which is a fundamental teaching of Buddhism.

A more detailed translation of the meaning (long version) is:

“All phenomena should not be clung to.”

The deeper meaning of this teaching is that the Buddha reminds us to see that all things in the world—whether physical or mental, happiness or suffering, thoughts or feelings, and even the Dharma itself—are impermanent and should not be regarded as our self. Not clinging to them is the path to peace and letting go.

In the shortest possible form, it can be expressed as:

“Do not cling.”