The gist of Buddha’s teaching---9

The gist of Buddha’s teaching---9

Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia

4. The three characteristics

Impermanence of all phenomena

All phenomena regardless whether they are physical or mental are impermanent, subject to change by the various conditions, they are inconstant, and they are very fragile indeed. People without proper instruction on the Dhamma, do not know about this fact, or do not know how to contemplate their nature, and so, they are constantly fooled by outer appearances, could not let go of the attachment to those various forms around them.
Death is around us, it happens to our relatives, friends, people whom we don’t know, it will affect everyone who is alive and well, yet the ignorant takes no notice of it. People are falling all around us, and yet we never think one day we will also die! The Blessed One said in Pabbatopama Sutta illustrated this with a simile of the mountain, he declared loudly: “I inform you, great king (King Pasenadi), I announce to you, great king: aging and death are rolling in on you. When aging and death are rolling in on you, great king, what should be done? (King Pasenadi:) As aging and death are rolling in on me, Lord! what else should be done but Dhamma conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds.” The Blessed One reiterated that by saying in stanzas :
“So a wise person,
seeing his own good,
steadfast, secures confidence
in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
One who practices the Dhamma
in thought, word, and deed,
receives praise here on earth
and after death rejoices in heaven.”
It is indeed that we have been wandering in samsara for such a long time, and we have shed much tears enough to fill the four great oceans to the brim, that it’s time to wake up to this fact. The Blessed One said in Assu Sutta : ‘From an inconceivable past comes transmigration, a beginning point is not evident, though beings blinded by ignorance and fettered by craving are wandering on. It is far too long that you have experienced suffering, pain (when meeting the unfavorable conditions), loss (of the loved one), filling the cemeteries. It is enough to be disenchanted with all composite things (the five aggregates), enough to be dispassionate, enough to be released.’

In order to fully realized and awakened to this truth, one needs to practice frequently so as to quench the fire of the three poisons. The Blessed One said: ‘The perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence(in a form realm), removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am. Just as in the autumn a farmer, ploughing with a large plough cuts through all the spreading rootlets as he ploughs; in the same way, bhikkhus, the perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence, removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am.’ (SN XXII 102)