Unsatisfactoriness

One of the Three characteristics of existence central to Buddhism. It describes the pervasive subtle suffering of life: one is always trying to escape thoughts, feelings, and concepts which are undesirable; or else one is grasping at objects of desire.

The Pali word for this is {dukkha}.

Buddhist texts divide this phenomenon into three categories:

• suffering from undesirable sensations of birth, aging, illness, and dying
• suffering from pleasant experiences ceasing
• suffering from a lack of satisfaction, things not measuring up