The Three Characteristics are often considered the core teaching of the Buddha and the basic building block of the rest of the teachings. In this program we will examine these three characteristics—dukkha, anicca, and anattā (suffering, impermanence, and not-self)—from both the phenomenological perspective, i.e. seeing how they define and explain our world, and from the practical perspective, i.e. how they inform and deepen our practice. We will do this by examining texts from the Pali canon and related literature that deal with this central topic. The intention of the program is to enrich participants’ ongoing practice through a better understanding of the three characteristics.