“The nature of composite phenomena is impermanence and disintegration; therefore death is a certainty for all who are born. The time of death is uncertain like a drop of dew on a blade of grass. Now is the time to swiftly make an effort for the essence of Dharma”

Even though we possess a precious human life filled with opportunities and abilities, it is not permanent. This life, like all things, is impermanent and changes continuously. Impermanence is not an external concept that we impose upon life; rather, it is an inherent aspect of the world that has existed since our birth. By studying and practicing impermanence, we come to understand the true nature of things and the transient nature of our existence.

The Illusion of Certainty: Death is Certain, but Time is Uncertain

While we are all aware that we will eventually die, we rarely think that death could come at any moment. We live as though we have an unlimited amount of time, planning for the future but neglecting the present. Even if we could live for a thousand years, we would still have to die eventually. Contemplating death is not negative or depressing but a wise and beneficial practice that prepares us for the unknown.

The Relationship Between the Body and Samsara

Many of us are attached to our bodies, viewing them as central to our existence. We work endlessly to maintain and protect our bodies, and this attachment forms the basis of samsara—the cycle of suffering. However, rather than clinging to the body out of attachment, we can use it as a tool for enlightenment. Great masters can face death with clarity and joy because they have practiced Dharma throughout their lives, always mindful of the impermanence of their bodies.

Ancient Scholars’ Thought on Impermanence

Shantidevas Thought on Impermanence

Death does not differentiate between tasks done and undone. This fleeting life is not reliable, and so I must now do good.

Shantideva, Bodhicaryāvatāra, Chapter 2, Verse 34

Shantideva reminds us that impermanence spares no one, regardless of our accomplishments or unfinished goals. Since life is fleeting and uncertain, the wise choice is to engage in virtuous actions now—especially Dharma practice—rather than delaying them.

Milarepa’s Teachings on Fear and Attachment

Milarepa said, “I escaped to the mountains in fear of death. I practiced Dharma persistently because of the uncertainty of the time of death. Therefore, I have captured the fortress of the unchanging mind. Now I am free from the fear of death.” 

Milarepa, the great Tibetan yogi, escaped to the mountains in fear of death and practiced Dharma to confront the uncertainty of life and death. He learned to embrace impermanence and achieved a state of fearlessness. Through his teachings, he demonstrated that fear and hope are the root causes of suffering. We, too, can achieve fearlessness through Dharma practice. Ordinarily, we have fear due to hope and expectation. We are trapped between hoping to gain something and fearing loss. Milarepa pointed this out clearly to a deer and hunting dog:

A deer rushed toward the entrance to Milarepa’s cave, trying to escape from a pursuing dog. It was running so hard that every hair was wet with sweat. As soon as the deer approached Milarepa, it felt great peace and fell at his feet.

Milarepa said, “You are wandering in samsara, caught between fear and hope. You hope to escape from the dog, and you fear that the dog will catch you.”

Moments later, the panting dog arrived, and Milarepa repeated the same teaching, saying, “You fear losing the deer and hope to catch the deer. Trapped between hope and fear, you, too, wander in endless samsara.”

If we examine our life, this is the way we, too, live, isn’t it? We all waver between fear and hope. The Dharma teachings contain wisdom that can free us from hope and fear, especially if we practice bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the best remedy for this and is the means to achieve fearlessness.

The Positive Power of Impermanence

Impermanence isn’t just about death; it has many refreshing and positive aspects. For example, understanding the philosophy of impermanence is an antidote to afflicting emotions because it dispels ignorance. Since our minds are constantly changing, we can see that anger, arrogance, jealousy, pride, attachment, and so forth are just momentary mental defilements. Application of this knowledge reduces the power of these thoughts and eventually leads us to eliminate them. When truly we know that everything passes with time, we won’t need to hold onto resentment and can learn forgiveness. Impermanence teaches us to endure hardships while we’re developing good qualities, because hardship, too, will eventually disappear. Without an awareness of impermanence, we tend to waste our lives thinking that there will be time for Dharma practice later. These are just a few of the great qualities and strengths we can build from reflecting on impermanence.

The past has passed and does not exist here and now. The future has not yet arrived, and the present passes by more quickly than we can comprehend. We can say that it, too, does not exist. If it did exist, then we would be able to identify a start, a middle, and an end. A single instant couldn’t pass if it were permanent. Nothing exists the way we customarily think it does. Therefore, the study and practice of impermanence can lead us to the basic nature of reality itself.

Flowing with Impermanence: Unlocking the Wisdom of Dzogchen and Mahamudra in Everyday Life

You may have heard the Mahamudra or Dzogchen instructions to relax into the natural state of mind free of fabrication. What does this mean? We have to return to our own inner home where we naturally belong and abide there. To capture the full meaning of this it is indispensable to contemplate the ever-changing nature of all composite phenomena. Whether we like it or not, impermanence is part of our life; we cannot separate from it. The moment we are born, we are changing and getting older every second. Because of this empirically everything is an illusion, like a flashing of light. We need to take full advantage of this precious human life and use our human intelligence to dispel the obscurations and negative emotions. Therefore we need to study the Dharma, understand its meaning, and apply it in practice to get substantial benefits. We can learn much from the life stories of the great masters that tell of their extraordinary efforts and accomplishments. Even so, they also were impermanent. This helps us to understand that we, too, will become stories just as they did. By understanding this, we have a better chance to release our attachment and grasping, and instead learn how to flow with impermanence. We have to accept this fact and live with it. In this way, Buddhism teaches a very practical way of living, not just theory.

Awareness of these basic principles is very important as we study and practice the Dharma. When we understand these teachings, we are introduced to natural joy and happiness. We then admire and appreciate the teachings, and develop profound respect for them. Sometimes we don’t enjoy studying and sometimes we put off practicing. This is due to our habitual tendencies of samsaric thought that don’t allow us to return to our Buddha nature. Our negative habits keep it from us. We should become aware of this so that we know how to work with our minds.

Milarepa’s Incident

Whether positive or negative, everything flows like a river without stopping, changing constantly. One day Milarepa was walking on a small trail holding his cooking pot in his hands. He fell, dropped the cooking pot, and it shattered. Right at that moment, recollection of his contemplation on impermanence arose vividly. He used this ordinary experience as an astonishing teaching and sang:

The pot that once was has broken into pieces.

This demonstrates that all composite phenomena are impermanent.

In particular, it shows human life to be the same.

So, I will meditate and practice Dharma harder than before.

This was the only wealth I owned.

When it shattered, it became my teacher.

Thank you for this fresh, priceless teaching.

By transforming the incident into a meditation practice, he came to understand the nature of all phenomena. We ordinary beings can take heart from this, and continue to develop dedication and strength of mind. Impermanence, a great light of wisdom that is always with us, can dispel the darkness of confusion.

If we contemplate carefully on this subject, it will allow us to free ourselves from attachment and aversion by realizing everything is an illusion. Use this special remedy for attachment to this life to inspire in yourself the pursuit of Dharma practice without wasting any time.

Conclusion

Impermanence is not just a theoretical concept but a practical tool for spiritual awakening. By contemplating the impermanent nature of all things, we free ourselves from attachment and aversion, and we learn to live more fully in the present moment. The teachings of impermanence offer a path to liberation from samsara, helping us to understand the true nature of reality and guiding us toward enlightenment. The time to practice is now, as we cannot escape the inevitability of change and the uncertainty of life.

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