The correct option is 1 and 3 only.
Explanation
The core philosophy of early Buddhism is grounded in the Three Marks of Existence (Tilakkhana): Impermanence (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha), and Non-Self (Anatta). These teachings, along with the Four Noble Truths, define the Buddhist worldview regarding the nature of reality and the path to liberation.
Statement 1 is Correct:
The Buddha taught the doctrine of Anatta (non-self), asserting that there is no permanent, unchanging soul or self. According to this teaching, the world is transient (Anicca) and soulless because nothing within it-neither material nor mental-is permanent or eternal. The individual is viewed as a temporary combination of five changing aggregates (skandhas).
Statement 2 is Incorrect:
The First Noble Truth (Dukkha-ariya-sacca) explicitly states that existence in the samsaric world is intrinsically characterized by sorrow or suffering (Dukkha). Birth, aging, disease, death, and attachment are all cited as forms of suffering. Therefore, the Buddha taught that sorrow is inherent to conditioned existence, not extrinsic to it.
Statement 3 is Correct:
The Buddha propounded the Middle Path (Madhyam Marg) as the solution to worldly troubles. This path avoids two extremes: the pursuit of sensual self-indulgence and the practice of severe self-mortification. Following the Middle Path, articulated through the Noble Eightfold Path, leads to enlightenment and the cessation of suffering.
Key Takeaway:
Buddhism posits that the world is soulless (Anatta) and transient, and that existence is characterized by suffering (Dukkha). The method to transcend this suffering is the Middle Path, avoiding extreme asceticism and indulgence.