Three marks of existence

Buddhism
Part of a series on

History Timeline Gautama Buddha Councils Later Buddhists
Dharma Concepts Four Noble Truths Five Aggregates Impermanence Suffering Non-self Dependent Origination Middle Way Emptiness Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Cosmology
Practices Three Jewels Buddhist Paths to liberation Morality Perfections Meditation Mindfulness Wisdom Compassion Aids to Enlightenment Monasticism Laity
Nirvāṇa Four Stages Arhat Buddha Bodhisattva
Traditions Canons Theravāda Pāli Mahāyāna Hinayana Chinese Vajrayāna Tibetan Navayana
Outline Buddhism portal

In Buddhism, the three marks of existence are three characteristics (Pali: tilakkhaṇa; Sanskrit: trilakṣaṇa) shared by all sentient beings, namely impermanence (anicca), dissatisfaction or suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā). These three characteristics are mentioned in verses 277, 278 and 279 of the Dhammapada.

Description 1
Explanation 2
- Anicca 2.1
- Dukkha 2.2
- Anatta 2.3
Application 3
See also 4
References 5
Sources 6

Description

The three marks are:^[1]

sabbe saṅkhāra aniccā — "all saṅkhāras (conditioned things) are impermanent"
sabbe saṅkhāra dukkhā — "all saṅkhāras are unsatisfactory"
sabbe dhammā anattā — "all dhammas (conditioned or unconditioned things) are not self"

Explanation

Anicca

Anicca (Sanskrit anitya) means "inconstancy" or "impermanence". All conditioned things (saṅkhāra) are in a constant state of flux. The appearance of a thing ceases as it changes from one form to another. When a leaf falls to the ground and decomposes its relative existence and appearance transform, and its components go into a different form, perhaps a new plant. Regarding permanence, Buddhism teaches the middle way, avoiding the extreme views of eternalism and nihilism.^[2]

Dukkha

Dukkha (Sanskrit duhkha) means dissatisfaction, "dis-ease", "suffering" "stress". As all things are impermanent, nothing in the physical world or the mind can bring lasting satisfaction. Dukkha is thus the dissatisfaction, suffering or stress experienced by all sentient beings that are not fully enlightened, not free from saṃsāra.^[3]

Anatta

Anatta (Sanskrit anatman) means "not self". While anicca and dukkha apply to "all conditioned phenomena" (saṅkhārā), anattā has a wider scope because it applies to "all phenomena" (dhammā) without qualification.^[4]^[5]

Application

Insight into the three marks of existence can bring an end to suffering (dukkha nirodha or nirodha sacca, the third of the Four Noble Truths). The Buddha taught that all beings conditioned by causes (saṅkhāra) are impermanent (anicca) and suffering (dukkha) and that not-self (anattā) characterises all dhammas, meaning there is no "I" "me" or "mine" in either the conditioned or the unconditioned (i.e. nibbāna).^[6]^[7] The central figure of Buddhism, Siddhārtha Gautama (Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) is believed to have achieved Nirvana (Pali: nibbāna) and awakening after much meditation (bhāvanā), thus becoming the Buddha Shakyamuni. With the faculty of wisdom (paññā) the Buddha directly perceived that all conditioned phenomena are marked by these three characteristics.^[8]

References

^ Walsh 1995, p. 30.
^
^
^ See the Pali: sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā, sabbe saṅkhārā dukkha, sabbe dhammā anattā
^ SN 22.90, AN 3.136 [AN 3.134], Dhp 20. 277-279
^ Nārada, The Dhammapada (1978), pp. 224.
^
^ Dhammapada Verses 277, 278 and 279 - primary source, but a source - cf. any commentary..

Sources

Buddhism topics

Foundations	Three Jewels Buddha Dharma Sangha Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Nirvana Middle Way

The Buddha	Tathāgata Birthday Four sights Physical characteristics Footprint Iconography in Laos and Thailand Films Miracles Family Suddhodāna (father) Māyā (mother) Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother) Yasodhara (wife) Rāhula (son) Ānanda (cousin) Devadatta (cousin) Places where the Buddha stayed Buddha in world religions

Key concepts	Three Marks of Existence Impermanence Dukkha Anatta Pratītyasamutpāda Skandha Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Saṅkhāra Kleshas Ignorance Craving Five hindrances Ten Fetters Indriya Enlightenment Parinirvana Tathatā Two truths doctrine Śūnyatā Bodhicitta Bodhisattva Buddha-nature Mindstream Dzogchen

Cosmology	Ten spiritual realms Six realms Heaven Human realm Asura realm Hungry Ghost realm Animal realm Hell Three planes of existence

Practices	Refuge Buddhist devotion Puja Offerings Prostration Chanting Merit Paritta Dāna Nekkhamma Śīla Five Precepts Bodhisattva vow Prātimokṣa Threefold Training Śīla Samadhi Prajñā Brahmavihara Mettā Karuṇā Mudita Upekkha Pāramitā Bodhipakkhiyādhammā Seven Factors of Enlightenment Sati Dhamma vicaya Pīti Passaddhi Vīrya Four Right Exertions Iddhipada Five Strengths Faith Mindfulness Satipatthana Dhyāna Bhavana Satya Sacca Meditation Mantras Kammaṭṭhāna Recollection Smarana Anapanasati Samatha Vipassana movement Shikantaza Zazen Kōan Mandala Tonglen Tantra Tertön Terma

Nirvana	Buddhahood Pratyekabuddha Bodhisattva Four stages of enlightenment Sotāpanna Sakadagami Anāgāmi Arhat

Monasticism	Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni Śrāmaṇera Śrāmaṇerī Anagarika Ajahn Sayadaw Zen master Rōshi Lama Rinpoche Geshe Tulku Householder Upāsaka and Upāsikā Śrāvaka The ten principal disciples Shaolin Monastery

Major figures	Gautama Buddha Kaundinya Assaji Sāriputta Mahamoggallāna Mulian Ānanda Mahākassapa Anuruddha Mahākaccana Nanda Subhuti Punna Upali Mahapajapati Gotamī Khema Uppalavanna Asita Channa Yasa Buddhaghosa Nagasena Bodhidharma Nagarjuna Asanga Vasubandhu Atiśa Padmasambhava Nichiren Ambedkar Songtsän Gampo Emperor Wen of Sui Dalai Lama Panchen Lama Karmapa Shamarpa Naropa Xuanzang

Texts	Tripiṭaka Mahayana sutras Pāli Canon Chinese Buddhist canon Tibetan Buddhist canon

Branches	Theravada Mahayana Chan Buddhism Zen Seon Thiền Pure Land Tiantai Nichiren Madhyamaka Yogacara Navayana Vajrayana Tibetan Shingon Early Buddhist schools Pre-sectarian Buddhism Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna

Countries	Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan Myanmar Cambodia China India Indonesia Japan Korea Laos Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Philippines Russia Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan Thailand Tibet Vietnam Middle East Iran Western countries Argentina Australia Brazil France United Kingdom United States Venezuela

History	Timeline Ashoka Buddhist councils History of Buddhism in India Decline of Buddhism in India Greco-Buddhism Buddhism and the Roman world Buddhism in the West Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Persecution of Buddhists Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal Buddhist crisis (Vietnam) Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism Buddhism in the West Buddhist modernism Vipassana movement 969 Movement Women in Buddhism

Philosophy	Abhidharma Logic Buddhology Eschatology Reality God Secular Buddhism Humanism Eight Consciousnesses Engaged Buddhism Socialism Economics Atomism Evolution Ethics The unanswered questions

Culture	Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple of the Tooth Art Greco-Buddhist art Poetry Buddha statue Budai Symbolism Dharmachakra Flag Bhavacakra Swastika Thangka Prayer wheel Mala Mudra Mantra Om mani padme hum Funeral Music Holidays Vesak Uposatha Magha Puja Asalha Puja Rains retreat Kassaya Architecture Vihara Wat Stupa Pagoda Candi Thai temple art and architecture Pilgrimage Lumbini Maya Devi Temple Bodh Gaya Sarnath Kushinagar Bodhi Tree Mahabodhi Temple Calendar Cuisine Vegetarianism

Miscellaneous	Lineage Maitreya Avalokiteśvara Guanyin Amitābha Brahmā Māra Comparison of the rise of Buddhism in China and Japan Dhammapada Vinaya Sutra Koliya Hinayana Sacred languages Pali Sanskrit Dharma talk Kalpa Abhijñā Ṛddhi Siddhi

Buddhism and:	Science Psychology Hinduism Jainism Judaism East Asian religions Christianity Influences Comparison Theosophy Gnosticism Violence Western philosophy

Lists	Buddhas Twenty-eight Buddhas Bodhisattvas Buddhists Suttas Books Temples Candi

Outline Portal Category Glossary Index Wikiquote

Three marks of existence