As long as it is a living sentient being,
then it will experience birth.
With birth, then ageing is inevitable.
Birth, aging, sickness and then passing away,
this is life.
Understanding Impermanence
If we are born,
we will most definitely die.
Some people live to 100,
some people might not reach 50.
This is the reality of impermanence.
In terms of physical space,
or the circumstantial space in which we live,
impermanence manifests in four stages: arising, abiding, cessation, and emptiness.
Now, modern scientific knowledge tells us
that there are countless extraterrestrial planets, among which our planet is one,
all coming into existence several billions years ago.
But one day, our planet will die and disappear.
It undergoes arising, abiding, cessation, and emptiness.
Earth might not disappear after one or two years,
it might take millions of years, but one day it will die.
Thus, because of impermanence, the earth will die, will evaporate into nothingness.
On a more subtle level,
our mind and our thoughts
are constantly arising and ceasing whenever and wherever we go.
A thought arises
and my mind immediately changes.
Right now, we think, “Yes!”
And the next moment we think, “No!”
Change happens very quickly.
Especially with friendship circles, or boyfriends and girlfriends,
we change our minds often.
Right now, we say, “Yes,” and the next moment we say, “No.”
Change happens very swiftly! This is change.
So our thoughts are changing, changing, changing, all the time and wherever we are.
Most people can’t really see it,
but through meditation,
we can see very clearly how the mind is constantly changing, always transforming.
By observing this process of change, we can perform a kind of introspection.
When we see that we have unwholesome thoughts,
we can work to reduce them,
and we can try to cultivate good thoughts,
like compassion and wisdom.
Unwholesome thoughts indicate that we have too much desire.
The desire that fulfils basic needs is fine,
but when we have too many wants, it brings us a lot of trouble.
The most subtle and minute form of impermanence is that of the mind’s constant changing.
Therefore, the Buddha taught us that our perception is suffering.
The meaning of suffering here isn’t a negative pessimism,
it’s just a judgment of value.
Because everything is changing,
you can never grasp or catch hold of any specific thing,
and so the result is that we definitely suffer.
Suffering doesn’t mean that eating ice cream is suffering.
That’s not what it means. We’re eating something sweet, and you can’t say that it is suffering!
But the Buddha’s teachings tell us
that even if we eat until we’re full, we still need to eat again for the next meal;
there is no such thing as a perfectly filling meal.
That is impermanence.
This is why perception is suffering.
Contemplating one’s mind as impermanent, that our minds are constantly changing,
we can begin to control our minds, to be the driver of our minds,
so that it doesn’t just run around everywhere.
To be in control of one’s own mind is the happiest state.
When our mind runs amok outside,
we have a saying that goes, “Unable to find home,”
because of wandering around everywhere.
But happiness is at home,
when we find the home of our mind.
When our mind runs around outside,
it may be windy and rainy out there, there are a lot of dangers!
Finding one’s home is the safest and happiest state.
This is contemplating one’s mind as impermanent.
And finally we contemplate all phenomena as without a self.
To understand this, one needs to really understand the Dharma,
the law of cause and effect, as well as causes and conditions.
Ultimately, we’ll know that everything really is empty of inherent existence.
Then, what is there to be afraid of,
and what is there to be attached to?
The Heart Sutra tells us,
“There is no fear, having transcended all illusions,”
and “There is no wisdom and no attainment.”
Even this thing called wisdom doesn’t truly exist,
so there is really nothing to grasp!