The nature of reality

In Buddhism, the ultimate reality is considered unnameable and inconceivable, beyond the scope of worldly concepts and language.
The nature of reality in Buddhism is intertwined with the doctrines of Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha (suffering), and Anatta (no-self).
This reality is understood primarily through the practice of meditation and the path of mindfulness.

Anicca holds that everything in the universe is impermanent and changing; nothing lasts forever.
This flux and change is inherent in all things, including the self, making it futile to attempt to permanently hold onto anything.
Understanding Anicca allows followers to detach from worldly attachments, a major source of suffering (Dukkha).

Dukkha is usually translated as ‘suffering’, but it also covers dissatisfaction, stress, and the basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all forms of life.
Dukkha arises from craving, attachment, and ignorance about the nature of reality.
The awareness of Dukkha is what led Gautama Buddha to seek and ultimately find the path of enlightenment.

Anatta refers to the doctrine of ‘no-self’, claiming that there is no permanent, unchanging self or soul within individuals.
It argues that we are made up of a constantly changing flow of physical and mental energies, also known as the Five Aggregates: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.
Anatta directly challenges the belief in a permanent self or ego, suggesting instead that the sense of self is an illusion created by our thoughts and desires.

Sunyata, or ‘emptiness’, is a central concept in Mahayana Buddhism, noting that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence.
This means that things do not exist independently of other conditions and causes; everything is interconnected and interdependent.
Recognising the emptiness of all things helps alleviate attachment and thus, reduces suffering.

Meditation is a key practice to understand the nature of reality in Buddhism, allowing practitioners to directly experience the principles of Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta.
Following the Noble Eightfold Path, the Buddha’s guide to ending suffering, is a practical approach to realise the ultimate reality.
The Four Noble Truths, which deal with suffering and the path to end it, provide deep insights into the Buddhist understanding of reality.

Buddhist cosmology describes a multi-dimensional universe, with multiple realms of existence.
It includes the concept of Samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, where beings wander until they achieve enlightenment.
Buddha described an infinitely recurring cycle of universes each of which lasts for a cosmic period (a ‘Kalpa’), which again brings the fundamental principle of impermanence - even universes are not eternal and are subjected to cycles of birth, development and destruction.
Despite its grand and diverse cosmological narrative, Buddhism always stresses that understanding and realizing the emptiness (Sunyata) and impermanence (Anicca) in our daily life is much more important than contemplating abstract cosmological concepts.