Page 21 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

existence, of the Unconditioned, and of the Path leading from
the one to the other.

(e) The Three Characteristics of Conditioned Existence.
These are: (i) That conditioned existence is suffering, (ii) That it is

impermanent, (iii ) That it is devoid of true selfhood.

(i)Conditioned Existence is Suffering. According to Buddhism
there are three kinds of suffering. There is (a) actual suffering, as
when you have a toothache or cut your finger, etc; (b) potential

suffering, as when you possess something which is a source of
enjoyment to you. Even though it is a source of enjoyment to you

at present, potentially it is suffering, in that you may — indeed
must — have to give it up one day, (c) metaphysical suffering, in
the sense that nothing mundane, earthly or conditioned can give

full or final satisfaction to the human heart and spirit — that true
and lasting satisfaction can be found only in the Unconditioned,

in Truth itself. Everything short of that, therefore, is in a sense a
very subtle kind of suffering. This means that one will never be
truly happy until one is Enlightened.

(ii)Conditioned Existence is Impermanent. As we know only too

well, every conditioned thing is impermanent. Every day, every
hour, every minute we are being made aware of the fact that
nothing lasts, nothing stays. Everything flows on. Nothing

remains the same even for two consecutive seconds. We are
growing old all the time, and the things around us are wearing

out all the time. There is no stability, no security. We like to think
we have got something for ever, but this 'for ever' may be a
few

21