The Three Marks of Existence - Buddhism

THE THREE MARKS OF EXISTENCE

Dukkha

• Dukkha means unsatisfactoriness or suffering and is an inescapable aspect of life.
• Dukkha comes from du (bad or ill thing) and cakka (wheel) referring to a badly fitted chariot wheel.
• Translates to "that which is difficult to endure"
• Idea of dukkha comes fromn the buddhas experience of the four sights
• It is a characteristic of "being" i.e. existence (along with anicca and anatta)
• It is the first of the 4 noble truths and act as the diagnosis to the human condition
• "life is characterised by suffering" - Buddha
• Story of Kisogotami
• 3 mental poisons cause Dukkha

Buddha distinguished between 7 different types of dukkha, these included:

Dukkha dukkha

• ordinary suffering
• it could be physical pain or mental distress
• examples include birth, old age, sickness, death (life is characterised by suffering)

Viparinama dukkha

• this is suffering which is produced when the things we enjoy come to an end/change (see anicca)

Samkara Dukkha

• attatchment to the conditioned states leads to dukkha (see anatta)

Patticchanna Dukkha - concealed suffering

• suffering which is not openly evident, only known to sufferer.

Apaticchanna Dukkha - exposed suffering

• suffering which is quite apparent

Anicca

• Suffering which is produced by change
• "everything is impermanent" - Gethin
• Nothing lasts forever, everything is changing
• Buddists may use a mandala to illustrate anicca (elaborate)
• Buddha believed peoples craving (tanha…