Three Characteristics (ADA)

The Three Characteristics (ADA)

Anicca
Dukkha
Anata


According to the Buddha there are "three characteristics" (Pali: tilakkhana; Sanskrit: trilakshana) of existence, namely, inconstancy (anicca, usually translated as "impermanence"), suffering (dukkhā,) and not-self (anattā, and that by observing them, suffering is brought to an end (dukkha nirodha,).


According to tradition, after much meditation, Siddhartha achieved Nirvana and awakening thus becoming the Buddha Sakyamuni. With the faculty of wisdom the Buddha directly perceived that everything in the physical world (and everything in the phenomenology of psychology) is marked by these three characteristics:


Anicca (Sanskrit anitya) "inconstancy" or "impermanence".


This refers to the fact that all conditioned things (sankhara) are in a constant state of flux. In reality there is no thing that ultimately ceases to exist; only the appearance of a thing ceases as it changes from one form to another. Imagine a leaf that falls to the ground and decomposes. While the appearance and relative existence of the leaf ceases, the components that formed the leaf become particulate material that may go on to form new plants. Buddhism teaches a middle way, avoiding the extreme views of eternal ism and nihilism.


Dukkha (Sanskrit duhkha) or "unsatisfactoriness" (or "dis-ease"; also often translated "suffering", though this is somewhat misleading).


Nothing found in the physical world or even the psychological realm can bring lasting deep satisfaction.





Anatta (Sanskrit anatman) or "non-Self"


is used in the suttas both as a noun and as a predicative adjective to denote that phenomena are not, or are without, a permanent self, to describe any and all composite, con substantial, phenomenal and temporal things, from the macro cosmic to microcosmic, be it matter pertaining to the physical body or the cosmos at large, as well as any and all mental machinations, which are impermanent.


By bringing the three into moment-to-moment experience through concentrated awareness Sammadhi, we are said to achieve Panna (Wisdom) , which is a step towards Nirvana(Ceasing to Exist, like a fire that has been put out).


Having seen Panna or wisdom through Meditative practise we Drive out Avijja or Ignorance from the Subconscious mind.



The two layers in Mind are Conscious and Subconscious.

While typing this Blog i am using my conscious mind mostly and at times my subconscious mind, because i do not search for the Keys , by practise i hit them correctly.

When we sleep well the conscious mind rests, but the Subconscious does not rest , what more its blind too, even when we are in sleep it interacts with the External Stimuli Producing a Reaction of Craving or Aversion.This happens always , when we sleep , when we sit, when we are awake , when we do our work ..always.......

You might say that when we sleep there is no External Stimuli , but the Subconscious mind Rakes up the Mind and asks it to Grab incidents from the Past or Expectations or Fears from the Future, so that it can continuously react with them with craving or aversion as it does not know how to stop.


Not Knowing this fact is what the Buddha called as Ignorance.

Summing up the Great one's Definition of Ignorance or Avijja :
"Ignorance is Not knowing the fact that our so called Sub conscious mind is always conscious and it reacts blindly with craving /Aversion when encountering a Pleasant or unpleasant Sensation."

Sources :
Three Characteristics :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence
Avijja : My Understanding of Ven.Goenkaji's 5th Day Lecture


P.S: Mistakes in this blog if any is mine and not the Source's.