The Buddha taught that there are three essential marks of existence (tilakkhana/trilaknana in Pali/Sanskrit). These marks are also referred to as characteristics or seals.

1) Anicca (Pali) or anitya (Sanskrit) means impermanence, that all things that arise also eventually disintegrate. 2) Dukkha (Pali) or duhkha (Sanskrit) means suffering, that nothing has a truly existing essence. 3) Anatta (Pali) or anatman (Sanskrit) means selflessness, that all of our experience has an underlying quality of unsettledness or unsatisfactoriness.

These characteristics are common to everything that exists in the universe, including both animate and inanimate entities, as well as physical and mental phenomena.

Buddha encouraged his students to closely examine whether these seals are true and to provide evidence if they found otherwise. It is taught that if an idea contradicts these truths, then it does not align with the correct view that the Buddha taught.

Ignorance of the three marks and failing to see things as they truly are cause all suffering, as illustrated by the 12 links of dependent origination, or nidhanas.

In The Questions of Naga King Sagara, which is a Mahayana sutra, a fourth mark or seal is added to the other three stating that nirvana is peace, also translated as nirvana is beyond concepts, or extremes.

All conditioned things are impermanent. All conditioned things are unsatisfactory, imperfect, unstable. All dharmas (conditioned or unconditioned things) have no unchanging self or soul.

Reflect on their experience of dukkha, anicca, and anatta.

• Can you think of any experience in your life that doesn't have these three characteristics?
• In what ways do you notice perceiving things as permanent, free from suffering, or having a real self?

Analyze the three marks of existence by investigating specific examples of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness in personal experience, then evaluate how recognizing these characteristics transforms understanding of attachment and craving.