The subject today is the three universal characteristics of existence. This is an important part of the teachings of the Buddha. The teaching of three characteristics is part of what we might call the doctrinal contents of wisdom. In other words, when we talk about the knowledge and the understanding that id implied by wisdom, we have this in mind.

   The three characteristics of existence that we have in mind are the characteristics of :

    (Anitya), Suffering (Duhkha), and not self (Anatma). These three characteristics are always present in or are connected with existence, and they tell us about the nature of existence. They help us to know what to do with existence. What we learn to develop as a result of understanding the three characteristics is renunciation. Once we understand that existence is universally characterized by impermanence suffering and not self, we eliminate our attachment to existence, we gain the threshold of Nirvana. This is the purpose that understanding the three characteristics serve. It removes attachment by removing delusion, the misunderstanding to do with the self. This is why understanding the three characteristics is part of the content of wisdom.

       Everything that has a caused has a beginning and end: conditioned phenomena are transitory. But conditioned phenomena are also what the self attaches to and when there attachment to impermanent objects there will always be suffering.

    There are all kinds of suffering in life: birth, old age, sickness, death, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, separation from beloved ones and pleasant condition, not getting what one desire, grief, lamentation, distress-all forms of physical and mental suffering.

    Anatta is the view that there is no enduring self. All phenomena are conditioned-have a begging and end-so there is nothing to which they can attach. Suffering arises from the illusion that impermanent conditioned states are permanent and can be possessed by a self. Moreover, there is no self or soul, which carries on after death. Instead we are merely a collection of groups of grasping which are in a continual state of flux. Rebirth is possible only because our desires and volition drive us.

     Background from Fundamentals of Buddhism by Dr.Peter D. Santina for free distribution