The Buddha Teaches About the Fleeting Nature of Existence : Sayadaw U Pandita.

The Buddha Teaches About the Fleeting Nature of Existence :
Sayadaw U Pandita.

"One should reflect ... on the fact that the whole world of beings is made up of nothing but mind and matter which have arisen but do not stay.

Mind and matter do not stay still for one single moment; they are in constant flux.

Once we find ourselves in this body and mind, there is nothing we can do to prevent growth from taking place.

When we are young, we like to grow, but when we are old, we are stuck in an irreversible process of declining.

We like to be healthy, but our wishes can never be guaranteed.

We are plagued by sickness and illness, by pain and discomfort, throughout our existence.

Immortal life is beyond our reach. All of us will die.

Death is contrary to what we would wish for ourselves, but we cannot prevent it. 

The only question is whether death will come sooner or later.  

[But] ...

People refuse to accept this fact ...

This is the main weakness of beings. Beings are devoid of security. There is no safe refuge from old age, disease and death. Look at other beings. Look at the animals. And, most of all, look at yourself.

If you have practiced deeply, these facts will come as no surprise to you...

You will know that there is no refuge anywhere.

There is no sanctuary  [however]  if your insight has  ...  reached this point, perhaps the precariousness of life will cause some sense of urgency to arise in you and will give you a strong impulse to practice.

Vipassana meditation can lead to a place beyond all of these fearsome things."

In This Very Life, Kandy: BPS (p.38-39)

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The goal is to be free of all shades of physical and of mental suffering.
Sayadaw U Pandita.

"Anyone can understand that painful mental states do not vanish just because we wish them to do so.

Who has not wrestled with a desire they knew would hurt someone if they indulged it?

Is there anyone who has not been in a irritable grumpy mood and wished they were feeling happy and contented instead?

Has anyone failed to have the experience of being confused?

It is possible to uproot the tendencies which cause pain and dissatisfaction in our lives, but for most of us it is not easy.

Spiritual work is as demanding as it is rewarding.

Yet we should not be discouraged.

The goal and the result of vipassana meditation is to be free from all kinds, all shades and  all levels of mental and physical suffering.

If you desire this kind of freedom, you should rejoice that you have an opportunity to strive to achieve it."

In This Very Life, Kandy : BPS, 1991 (p.36-37)

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And you should start early, while you still have the strength and the energy to do it.

Now, you have the chance to achieve liberation :
Sawadaw U Pandita.

"The best time to strive is right now.

If you are young, you should appreciate your good situation, for young people have the most energy to carry-out the meditation practice.

If you are older, you may have less physical energy, but perhaps you have seen enough of life to have gained wise consideration, such as a personal understanding of  life's fleetingness and unpredictability."

In This Very Life, Kandy: BPS. 1991 (p.37)