Impermanence - by any which way or form or name - nothing lasts

[Helena]

White Ashes
from Rennyo's Letters

translated by Hisao Inagaki et al

When I deeply contemplate the transient nature of human life, I realize that,
from beginning to end, life is impermanent like an illusion. We have not yet
heard of anyone who lived ten thousand years. How fleeting is a lifetime!
Who in this world today can maintain a human form for even a hundred years?
There is no knowing whether I will die first or others, whether death will occur
today or tomorrow. We depart one after another more quickly than the dewdrops on
the roots or the tips of the blades of grasses. So it is said. Hence, we may
have radiant faces in the morning, but by evening we may turn into white ashes.
Once the winds of impermanence have blown, our eyes are instantly closed and our
breath stops forever. Then, our radiant face changes its color, and the
attractive countenance like peach and plum blossoms is lost. Family and
relatives will gather and grieve, but all to no avail?
Since there is nothing else that can be done, they carry the deceased out to the
fields, and then what is left after the body has been cremated and has turned
into the midnight smoke is just white ashes. Words fail to describe the sadness
of it all.
Thus the ephemeral nature of human existence is such that death comes to young
and old alike without discrimination. So we should all quickly take to heart the
matter of the greatest importance of the afterlife, entrust ourselves deeply to
Amida Buddha, and recite the nembutsu.
Humbly and respectfully.

Source: http://allspirit.co.uk/dying.html#death


Life is but a melting snow.

Hence, we can never stop the process of it dissolving and its eventual demise.

What we can definitely control is how much we can salvage of our karma as this will continue to run for all eternity.

This is where Dharma plays the most pivotal role in all of our lifetimes - past, present and future.

Dharma is our only way out. Here, I mean Dharma to be the all-encompassing path - all the way to tantra.

And yet, in this world and age - so many people view Dharma as something irrelevant to them.

Some even believe that they do not need it at all.

Everything in our life is Dharma and can be used to practice more Dharma. It is beyond our prayer sessions, pujas and sadhanas - it is what we practise outside of all these.

Are the rest of our waking hours all spent in Dharma Practice or Worldly Practice?

Those who see worldly life as an obstacle to Dharma
see no Dharma in everyday actions.
They have not yet discovered that
there are no everyday actions outside of Dharma.

Dogen

Source: http://viewonbuddhism.org/resources/zen_poems.html

Is it any wonder we need a Supreme Dharma Protector, who is swift and powerful?

As it is, our samsara is already a living hell because it creates so much distractions that take us away from true Dharma practice.

Hence, our progress is slowed down. In some cases, even halted or stopped altogether.

And yet, because of Dharma - sometimes even HELL may not be necessarily a punishment. It could very well be the very training that we need to "wake up."

I am sharing these poems because they helped me reflect upon how my Guru has trained me.

I am beginning to understand why some things are just so darn difficult and downright painfully challenging.

Every day is a training. No matter where we are and what we are doing.

Every moment is a precious opportunity to be transformed.

Hence, our Gurus waste no time. They will not rest until we are truly awakened.

And I am inclined to think it is because they seriously understand impermanence, where as we only entertain the concept of it.

If there was no Dorje Shugden who would be so compassionate as to manifest to help us at this time, then we are definitely left to fend for ourselves. And the chances are, we might fail miserably.

A swift and powerful Protector takes us on an express route to a higher express route and that is, Tantra. One leads to another and everything is interdependent. 

Such is Dharma and life.

And when we realise the impermanence of all things - then a real sense of urgency will rise within us.

We will not only begin to care about our own salvation, but we will begin to care about others' salvation as well.

Then and only then we will realise that we do want as many people to know about Dorje Shugden as possible.

Why? Because we truly care for everyone to benefit and get out of samsara asap.

It is not a cult but the promise of the deliverance of hope that will never let us be left behind.

This is why we practice Dharma for. This is why we have a Protector for.

There is no hate, only love.

There is no sectarianism, because it is all inclusive and not exclusive.

Everyone deserves the chance to be saved and freed.

[triesa]

Thank you Helena for posting this thread on impermanence.

As true as it is, we still do not realise the nature of impermanence, and that is why we are still grasping on materials, objects or people that we feel secure about.

I am glad that I have met the precious Dharma in my life so I can slowly pull myself out from all these attachments which are infact all impermanent. Nothing matters in this life at the moment of death, all what we have achieved, owned and loved could not help us at the moment of death. We simply have to walk the path alone with our own karma.

May all be blessed with the realization of impermanence........sooner....

[pgdharma]

Everything beautiful will eventually fade and withered away. Nothing matters at the time of death. When death arrives, nothing helps, not our loved ones, our money, possessions can help us and bribed death. Our karma follows us like a shadow, and there is no escape from karma.

Thus it is so important now that since we have this opportunity to have met with the holy Dharma, we should put in the effort to do as much dharma practices/activities as we can before death catches up with us and its too late.

Like what triesa said, "we walked the path alone"...... Through our karma, we came to this existence alone and we leave this existence alone.

Life is uncertain, death is certain.

[WisdomBeing]

This is a story my grandfather told me when I was small... the concept of impermanence is not just for Buddhists

And This Too Shall Pass - a Jewish parable

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: _gimel, zayin, yud_, which began the words "_Gam zeh ya'avor_" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

[Big Uncle]

I think the teaching on impermanence is not just about accepting death and accepting the loss of things that we are attached to. It is not about becoming cold and numb to loss and things that they are attached to. I think it is really about going deeper and realising what's important in our lives and hence people who have realised impermanence will still be sad when they loss something but they channel their pain towards spirituality, towards the Dharma  and towards transcendence of life and death - the mastery of our reincarnation through the practice of Tantra. Once we have that, we automatically bless everyone that we are attached to - our loved ones.

[jessicajameson]

All easier said than done.

How can you not be pissed off when something you're attached to is taken away/broken/damaged/lost/stolen.

Yes, when the time of death comes nothing matters.

But it's hard to concentrate when you're frustrated, hurt, angry, just plainly annoyed etc, on death and how it's all impermanent and hence it shouldn't affect you.

Reading poems like the topic subject's first post, it is nice and inspirational. But when the moment comes when you're reacting to something that you're attached to being taken away...it's that point that really determines whether you understand that concept or not. And most of us don't understand it, or we do, but FAIL to apply it.

And to be honest, I'm not exactly passing with flying colours in that test. I still get damn pissed off when what I envision, want, plan all doesn't come true.

It shows me what my attachments are (if not, why else would I react). Like when someone steps on your new shoe (attachment) and it's forever marked, or when you've bought a new laptop (attachment) and some guy accidentally smacks your arm and it breaks, or when you're moving house and the mover loses half your things (attachment - AND JUST HAPPENED TO ME!!!) in the process........

The only thing that I'll think then is, "say impermanence when my foot is up your butt".

Our life is short. VERY short. These things, these "situations" and all of our "problems" is really nothing. And I say that with all honesty. We're like a speck of dust...and what's our problem as compared to say, a guru's who has aaaaalll of his students problem in his mind.

But really, thinking about impermanence is really the last thing on my mind when I'm reacting to something. It's reality. I'm sure that most people do go 'Oh, don't worry it's nothing, it's all impermanent anyways' when their new Mac laptop is cracked in all places and his/her important work is irretrievable.

I'm still working on tweaking my reactions during those moments.

I obviously have a long way to go.

Coz my foot is still halfway up that persons butt.

[Helena]

Yes, Jessica, you are right to say that all things are more difficult to do and it is easier said.

However, just because it is difficult does not mean that it should not be done.

If all things are easier said than done, then nothing would be accomplished.

The fact that you realise this and is consciously trying to overcome the natural desire to kick the person in the butt is a good start.

Yes, our emotions always get in the way and more often than not, they blind us to what is really there infront of us - the truth.

As with everything in life, it takes training - time and effort.

When we were born, we had to learn how to crawl and then walk and then run.

The key is not to give up just because it is harder.

And always try to apply all the things we have learnt, especially from the Dharma.

Sometimes, we do well and on other days, we may totally suck...but we do not stop. And we keep rectifying until we gain more control over ourselves and our emotions, instead of always being controlled by our own emotions and be taken on a roller coaster ride.

Being in control does not mean we do not feel and become robotic.

It simply means, we see beyond our own emotions and are no longer controlled by them. Because we know very well, everything changes.

So, today it's up someone's butt. Tomorrow, you can say sorry and make things better and things will eventually improve from there. Perhaps, you might even be less inclined to kick someone in the butt next time because to apologise afterwards and making it up to that person take so much more effort and time.

[Big Uncle]

Well, I think that's why it is called spiritual practice. Nobody said it would be a bed of roses although the pretty words does sometimes make it seem easy.

Having said that, it is not impossible either and when we keep saying it is hard, it will be hard and probably it will never get easy. So instead of getting in this defeatist mode, we do our best and get ourselves inspired by our Lama, his teachings and his life. That is why there is a whole genre of biographies of great Lamas that we can read to be inspired. What they went through is much more than we can ever imagine so there is no reason to whimper. That goes for all practitioners including myself.

[hope rainbow]

I heard this story from a buddhist teacher.
As he was a young monk and studying under his Teacher, he fell very ill, so much so that he was admitted into the ICU section of the hospital and that the doctor were not sure weither he would make it or not.
His Teacher came to visit him and found him in pain, and so his Teacher said this words:

"do not worry eventhough you are experiencing pain now, as you will either get better or die"

This monk said, in his later years, that after first being shocked to hear these words, he then reflected on them and experienced a great sense of peace, and that the pain became easier to deal with.

[WisdomBeing]

I heard this story from a buddhist teacher.
As he was a young monk and studying under his Teacher, he fell very ill, so much so that he was admitted into the ICU section of the hospital and that the doctor were not sure weither he would make it or not.
His Teacher came to visit him and found him in pain, and so his Teacher said this words:

"do not worry eventhough you are experiencing pain now, as you will either get better or die"

This monk said, in his later years, that after first being shocked to hear these words, he then reflected on them and experienced a great sense of peace, and that the pain became easier to deal with.

Thank you for this sharing, Hope. Everything depends on perspective, I guess. Since everything is impermanent, even suffering and samsara is impermanent. And fortunately for us, Buddha has shown us the way to permanent happiness, elucidated by the great Lamas of our lineage, under the protection of the King Dorje Shugden.

[Helena]

I heard this story from a buddhist teacher.
As he was a young monk and studying under his Teacher, he fell very ill, so much so that he was admitted into the ICU section of the hospital and that the doctor were not sure weither he would make it or not.
His Teacher came to visit him and found him in pain, and so his Teacher said this words:

"do not worry eventhough you are experiencing pain now, as you will either get better or die"

This monk said, in his later years, that after first being shocked to hear these words, he then reflected on them and experienced a great sense of peace, and that the pain became easier to deal with.

Thank you for this sharing, Hope. Everything depends on perspective, I guess. Since everything is impermanent, even suffering and samsara is impermanent. And fortunately for us, Buddha has shown us the way to permanent happiness, elucidated by the great Lamas of our lineage, under the protection of the King Dorje Shugden.

Brilliantly said, HR and WB!

I can't agree enough!

For me, the fact that everything is impermanent is most empowering. We can change our destiny so to speak.
With the right help and guidance and of course, under the protection of the Great King Dorje Shugden and Supreme Gurus - we do have a real chance at turning our lives around for all eternity.

That everlasting happiness becomes something attainable and not the stuff of fantasies or dreams.

Above all, we can achieve it with our own abilities - not some magic superpower or spell.

Yes, depending on one's perspective - it is how we do view life and ourselves.

Our results will show reflect the truth within and without.

[DSFriend]

We all go through crappy situations, yes...due to our karma! I do find focusing on impermanence helps bring hope as the purification process and creating of merits to bring about any tiny bit of change seems eternal..

[Helena]

A dear friend told me that even when we are going through a purification process, we should not just gladly go through it - although that is also important. We should also take time to reflect upon what is it that remains for us to work on and purify.

As we have accumulated so much bad karma from beginningless time or even in this lifetime alone, there is a lot to purify. So, when it does happen, we should make an effort to find out what is it that we still need to address and rectify. Or else, we can purify for our past bad karma but we would keep incurring new ones and then, it will not end.

Purification is always a good thing when it happens. As much as we may not like it or enjoy it when it happens, but it is definitely a blessing to be able to purify something at any given time then not.

Once we realise what we need to work on, and make that change - then yes, that change, be it big or small. becomes something better for us for our eternity.

[DSFriend]

Just recently, I had a journey by road with one of my dharma buddies. He's been in Buddhism much longer and is a very learned and sincere practitioner. We debated and shared the whole journey. We kept coming back to the topic of the First Noble Truth, that life is sufferings and the need for renunciation. Contemplating on impermanance makes a person wiser and the need to renounce the trappings of samsara arise...

[Helena]

A lot of people always think renunciation is a dirty word and abstinence is self-denial - how misunderstood they are!

Giving up is so painful for some people. They hold the belief that they are born with the right to enjoy themselves to the fullest while they are alive. That is what the whole society drums into an individual - you have only truly arrived when you have everything the material world has to offer. And living a great life is really all about self-indulgence.

I do not believe that there is anything wrong with having a good time and enjoying oneself - but giving up does not mean that we suddenly stop enjoying ourselves and we lose the essence of our lives.

Impermanence is like a sieve- it sieves through all the delusions and illusions and what remains is the truth.

Whether we want to see it or not, whether we want to believe it or not - that is entirely up to the individual.

In truth, what we are all renouncing from are the trappings of samsara as you so rightly said - but we are never renouncing from life and people. We renounce delusions, illusions, selfishness, attachements, etc so that we can care more and benefit others more - including ourselves.