Impermanence

Impermanence does not necessarily lead us to suffering.
Without impermanence, life could not be.
Without impermanence, your daughter could not grow
into a beautiful young lady. Without impermanence,
oppressive political regimes would never change.
We think impermanence makes us suffer.
The Buddha gave the example of a dog that was hit by a stone
and got angry at the stone. It is not impermanence that makes us suffer.
What makes us suffer is
wanting things to be permanent
when they are not.

We need to learn to appreciate the value of impermanence.
If we are in good health and are aware of impermanence,
we will take good care of ourselves.
When we know that the person we love is impermanent,
we will cherish our beloved all the more.
Impermanence teaches us to respect and value every moment
and all the precious things around us and inside of us.
When we practice mindfulness of impermanence,
we become fresher and more loving.

Looking deeply can become a way of life.
We can practice conscious breathing to help us be in touch
with things and to look deeply at their impermanent nature.
This practice will keep us from complaining that everything
is impermanent and therefore not worth living for.

Impermanence is what makes transformation possible.
We should learn to say,
“Long live impermanence.”
Thanks to impermanence,
we can change sufferings into joy.

~Thich Nhat Hanh~

    from No Death No Fear

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