The Sutra on Impermanence – The Teachings of Impermanence

The earth, the sun, and the moon will perish in due time.
Nothing escapes impermanence's grasp.
–Excerpt from the Sutra on Impermanence
 
Flowers bloom and wither; day turns into night. Even in one breath, thoughts arise and fade away. Aging, sickness, and death… impermanence is woven into the very fabric of our daily life. Are you aware of it, or are you turning a blind eye to it?
 
We often mistake everything in life for the eternal. On the presupposition that there is a truly existing "I", we believe that today's "I" is the same as yesterday's. Only when faced with lessons of living and dying and loss and upheaval, do we lament the impermanence of life.
 
Impermanence weaves through our daily life, and daily life alike through impermanence. Due to impermanence, we can make a change, and because of impermanence, we must cherish and seize the present moment to benefit both ourselves and others.



Related articles:

The Sutra on Impermanence – The Teachings of Impermanence

Contemplation of the Mind in Practicing Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Living in Impermanence – Embrace Impermanence with an Even Mind

A Brief Introduction to the Sutra on Impermanence

Learning the Contemplation on Impermanence from the Masters – Master Class for Living with Impermanence



Resource: Issue 428 of Humanity Magazine (April 2019), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Translation: Li Siang-ling
Editing: Keith Brown, Claire Wang