Impermanence of Things
Buddhism has a lot of good suggestions for us to conduct our life. Now, I would not call myself a Buddhist, but just that I learned and found many of their concepts practical.
Impermanence is one of the pillar concept in Buddhism.
Why do we worry? Because we expect things to be as we think they should be. And often, we expect things to be the same as they are now, that they will last forever (namely, the good things). Intuitively, we know that cannot be if we stop denying it. When we deny impermanence, we make thousands of plans and let worry take over our life.
The next moment can never be the same as this moment. Things are always changing, whether they are visible to the eyes (or scientific means) or not. Not just the outer world, even our cells are constantly dying and being remade every second.
Yet, we seem to think that we are changing only when things change according to our measures and parameters. It’s as if we consider time flows because the clocks we make is ticking. Rather than the other way around.
Change is inevitable. Therefore, the notion of “we need to change” is off the point. Rather, the question we should ask is, “How do we want to change?”, both on a personal level and on a wider, cultural, societal level.
Another good question to ask now is, “Are we trying to change the outter world just so that we don’t have to change?” I am suggesting that, could some of what we are doing now be a demonstration of resistance to change masqueraded as desire to change?
“Change the world around us for us, but we are not going to change.”
Food for thought.
Here’s the practicality of understanding a bit about impermanence… Just as the good things will come and go, like water brushing by a rock in a stream, so do the bad things come and go. With this realization, we can fully enjoy the moment with good things and not hold on, and we can learn from the moment with bad things and let go. As such, we can take things lightly and enjoy and be in the moments of life.
Ultimately on an individual level, the inevitable impermanence is death. Thus, it really sucks that death has become such a taboo topic in modern days. It is a good thing to contemplate about death. “How do I want to die?” Meaning, and the key is, “What inner state do I want to have when I am leaving this world?” When one is about to die, that’s probably the last and only thing that matters. So…
How do we change to achieve such the inner state we want to be in before death?
Whatever the answer you find, it is a good idea that whatever the answer is, is what dictates your action.
For me, it is peace. Can I find peace underlying everything that I do?
What do you think about impermanence?
What is your answer?
Originally posted 2009-08-17 00:28:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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Ha ha that sum took me a few seconds… Gotta revise my mathematics!
I have just moved to Cairo as my partner is here to study… Nothing here happens as expected and luckily I had already prepared myself for this.
Plans can only be outlined at best and shrugging your shoulders and saying, oh well, happens at least one time every day…. But once you accept this you begin to love the chaotic nature of an ever changing landscape!
Thanks,
Forest.
Very thoughtfull post on impermanence of things. It should be very much helpfull.
Thanks,
Karim –
Positive thinking