Ten articles on subtle impermanence.
Extract: First, a question to ask ourselves:
How much energy do I spend dwelling in the past or thinking about the future?
Extract: Relating to yesterday’s person and not today’s gives rise to problems as the assumptions we make about them, and the ways we then interact with them, are completely false.
Extract: We need to drive home to ourselves that not even an atom remains of us, others, or the world from one moment to the next.
4. Breaking the ties that bind
Extract: You have rope burn, and one day you think, “I am just going to let go!” There is relief and lightness as you both sail off, wishing each other well on your way.
Extract: The past is no more substantial than last night’s dream. How many dreams have we had in this life, let alone in countless previous lives?
Extract: Today is your first day. It may also be your last.
Extract: By remembering subtle impermanence and that we may die today, we build a wall around today.
Extract: According to Buddha’s teachings on subtle impermanence, production and cessation happen simultaneously. A moment doesn’t remain even for a moment.
Extract: We don’t have to cover everyone and everything with the superglue of permanent grasping so that they cannot change and/or so that we cannot see them differently.
10. Life is like a flash of lightning
My main meditation on the middle way is meditation on subtle impermanence. ~ Geshe Potowa