T H E W I S D OM O F S E E I N G 'NOTHING LASTS'

"Everything flows and nothing abides, everything gives way and nothing stays fixed." ~Heraclitus~

That nothing is static or fixed, that all is fleeting and impermanent, is the first mark of existence. It is the ordinary state of affairs. Everything is in process. Everything—every tree, every blade of grass, all the animals, insects, human beings, buildings, the animate and the inanimate—is always changing, moment to moment. Pema Chodron

When death finally comes you will welcome it like an old friend, being aware of how dreamlike and impermanent the phenomenal world really is. Dilgo Kyentse Source: Graceful Exits: How Great Beings Die

This existence of ours is as transient as autumn clouds To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance. A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, Rushing by, like a torrent down a steep mountain. Buddha (563 - 483 BC)

“ A warrior chooses a path with heart, any path with heart, and follows it; and then he rejoices and laughs. He knows because he sees that his life will be over altogether too soon. He sees that nothing is more important than anything else.” Carlos Castaneda

A corporeal phenomenon, a feeling, a perception, a mental formation, a consciousness, which is permanent and persistent, eternal and not subject to change, such a thing the wise men in this world do not recognize; and I also say that there is no such thing. Buddha

If we ponder on the imminence of death repeatedly, arriving at some understanding of it, then the obstructions to practice such as laziness, attachment to pleasure, and procrastination will automatically be dispelled, and one will not remain without practicing from this moment on, just as one would not remain comfortable if one’s head were on fire. – Thulku Thondup

Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed -- that is human. When you are born, Where do you come from? When you die, where do you go? Life is like a floating cloud which appears. Death is like a floating cloud which disappears. The floating cloud itself originally does not exist. Life and death, coming and going, are also like that. But there is one thing which always remains clear. It is pure and clear, not depending on life and death. What, then, is the one pure and clear thing? Unknown Source: Ancient Zen poem

Everything in samsara is composite. As it comes together, so it falls apart. Reflect on these things and ordinary reality becomes but a series of dreamlike appearances, mirages, bubbles. Whether those appearances bring joy or sorrow, we need not grasp at them – they are not reliable, permanent, inherently true. Thoroughly exploring the nature of impermanence eventually brings us to a view beyond the extremes of existence and nonexistence, a view of appearances inseparable from their own empty nature.” – Chagdud Khandro, Ngöndro

Good fortune is not permanent; consequently, it is dangerous to become too attached to things going well. An outlook of permanence is ruinous. When the present becomes your preoccupation, the future does not matter, which undermines your motivation to engage in compassionate practices for the future enlightenment of others. An outlook on impermanence helps. By seeing that the true nature of things is disintegration, you will not be shocked by change when it occurs, not even death. The Dalai Lama

The End May we realize the truth of Impermanence as we strive on diligently along The Path to Happiness, Peace and Freedom With Metta, Bro. Oh Teik Bin