# Characteristics of reality

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio-313051/characteristics-of-reality
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio-313051/characteristics-of-reality.md
Podcast: [Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio-313051)
Published: 2026-03-20T13:15:00+00:00
Episode link: https://dharmabytes.libsyn.com/characteristics-of-reality
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dharmabytes/Dharmabytes_-_Characteristics_of_Reality_1417.mp3?dest-id=1271147
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio-313051/episodes/characteristics-of-reality
Duration seconds: 335

## Resource

Suryadarshini gives an account of the Buddha's teaching of the three lakshanas, the marks of conditioned existence. He taught that all phenomena have three characteristics: they are impermanent, insubstantial, and imperfect. Expectations can help or hinder our view of reality, and reflecting on the lakshanas can move us towards freedom rather than disappointment, both in meditation and in our lives. Excerpted from the talk entitled Expectations Versus Reality given at Norwich Buddhist Centre , 2017. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB

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## Transcript

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