Three Marks of Existence

Why This Matters

The Three Marks of Existence aren't just philosophical concepts to memorize—they're the diagnostic tools Buddhism uses to explain why humans suffer and how liberation is possible. When you understand these three characteristics (anicca, dukkha, anatta), you unlock the entire logic of Buddhist practice: why attachment causes pain, why the self isn't what we think it is, and why the path to enlightenment requires seeing reality clearly rather than escaping it.

You're being tested on how these three marks interconnect and reinforce each other. Exam questions often ask you to explain how one mark leads to or depends on another, or how misunderstanding these truths creates suffering. Don't just memorize definitions—know what each mark reveals about the nature of existence and how recognizing it transforms one's relationship to life and death.

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The Nature of Reality: What Exists and How

Buddhism begins with a radical claim about what reality actually is. These marks describe not how things should be, but how they already are—whether we recognize it or not.

Impermanence (Anicca)

• All conditioned phenomena are in constant flux—nothing that arises from causes and conditions remains static, from thoughts to mountains to civilizations
• Anicca underlies samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, making it the foundational observation from which other Buddhist insights flow
• Recognizing impermanence cultivates mindfulness—when you truly see that this moment will pass, you engage with it more fully rather than grasping or avoiding

Non-Self (Anatta)

• No permanent, unchanging self or soul exists—what we call "I" is actually a collection of five aggregates (skandhas): form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness
• Anatta directly challenges Hindu concepts of atman, the eternal soul, making it one of Buddhism's most distinctive and radical claims
• Understanding non-self reduces ego-driven suffering—when there's no fixed self to defend or promote, compassion for others arises naturally

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The Human Condition: Why We Struggle

Understanding what exists leads to understanding why we suffer. Dukkha isn't pessimism—it's a diagnosis.

Suffering/Unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha)

• Dukkha encompasses all forms of dissatisfaction—not just obvious pain, but the subtle stress of impermanent pleasures and the inherent incompleteness of conditioned existence
• Three types of dukkha appear on exams: dukkha-dukkha (obvious suffering), viparinama-dukkha (suffering from change), and sankhara-dukkha (suffering from conditioned existence)
• Dukkha is the First Noble Truth—it serves as the starting point for the entire Buddhist path, making it impossible to understand the Four Noble Truths without grasping this mark first

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How the Marks Work Together

The three marks form an interlocking system. Misunderstanding any one of them generates the others' negative effects.

The Causal Chain

• Failing to see Anicca leads to attachment—we cling to things, people, and experiences as if they'll last, setting ourselves up for inevitable loss
• Attachment to an illusory self (ignoring Anatta) amplifies suffering—we defend, promote, and fear for an "I" that doesn't exist in the way we imagine
• Dukkha results from resisting reality—suffering isn't caused by impermanence itself, but by our craving for permanence in an impermanent world

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. How does misunderstanding Anicca (impermanence) directly lead to Dukkha (suffering)? Trace the causal relationship.

2. Which of the Three Marks most clearly distinguishes Buddhism from Hinduism, and why?

3. Compare and contrast the three types of Dukkha—how does sankhara-dukkha differ from ordinary pain?

4. If someone argues "Buddhism is pessimistic because it says life is suffering," how would you correct their understanding using the concept of Dukkha?

5. Explain how recognizing Anatta (non-self) could lead to greater compassion for others. What's the logical connection?