Dharma is the ultimate truth of this universe. A truth must be universal（普遍如此）, inevitable（必然如此）, true in the past（本來如此）, and true in the future（永恆如此）. In Buddhism, what proves whether a Dharma complies with these crite-ria is called the “Three Dharma Seals.”

1)All phenomena are impermanent 諸行無常

“All phenomena” refers to every matter and happening in this world. ‘Phenomena’ also means shifting and transforming. No phenomenon in this world is eternal or unchanging; and nothing can be exempt from the rule of change which takes place from moment to moment. This is because all condi-tioned dharmas（有為法）arise due to the gathering of causes and conditions. What depends on causes and conditions to arise is empty in nature, and will extinguish once the causes and conditions scatter and disappear. For example, beings in this sentient world experience the phenomena of birth, old age, sickness, and death; the mountains, rivers and lands of this physical world go through the process of formation, continuance, destruction, and emptiness （成住壞空）;our thoughts also experience the changes between existence, abiding, decay, and extinctio（生住異滅）. Therefore, no phenomenon abides in the mo-ment but arises and ceases between each thought. The past has ceased, the future is yet to arise, the present arises and ceases simultaneously. It continues to shift between the three periods of time, which is why we say that all phenomena are impermanent.

2)No phenomenon has a self 諸法無我

The ‘self’ means control and entity. In order for something to have a ‘self’, it must be perma-nent, dominative, unchanging, and unrestrained. However, no conditioned or unconditioned dharma in this world is an independent, unchanging entity, or dominator. For example, what most of us become attached to as ‘my’ body is only a conglomeration of delusions, karma and five aggregates. It is illusive and unreal. Just as a house consists of beams, pillars, tiles and eaves, without any of these it can no longer be a house; this ‘I’ is only a false name, and has no real entity. Every phenomenon in this world also depends on several criteria, causes and conditions to arise; and none has an independent nature. Thus it is empty in nature, or that no phenomenon has a self.