Enlightenment by seeing Impermanence

Sometimes the Buddha signaled he was teaching.

What is "enlightenment"? It is awakening (bodhi) to the Truth and thus being set free. Indeed, the ultimate truth sets one free, making it possible to let go and not cling to all of our attachments. That's good. I want that. How do I get that? If one saw the "true nature of reality" (ti-lakkhana), one would let go of all things and be set free. One need not "try" to let go. That doesn't work. The heart/the mind turns away from all things on seeing the Truth. It lets go, like a feather of plastic bag recoils when dropped into a fire. It does it all on its own. We need only find the Truth the Buddha pointed out.

What is impermanence (anicca), that quality which seeing it for even an instant one might gain a tremendous store of merit (punya, kusala-karma) superior to the greatest generosity and giving? What is impermanence, that quality by which perceiving one might be able to finally let go? What is impermanence?

It's saddening that so many people misunderstand the meaning of this Buddhist term and therefore roll their eyes thinking that the Buddha was not saying anything remarkable to talk about impermanence.

What is NOT impermanence (anicca)? There was a newly built house that, after a time, started to deteriorate (fall apart) and decay (turn to dust), until years later there was no trace of it. That's what the Buddha was talking about just so he could say, "we shouldn't be attached or cling to it"? No, no, no.

We are the Three Fates, the Strange Sisters, and it's time to get enlightened with the Buddha.

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If this were all the Buddha meant, there would little reason to say it. Yawn. He would be uttering a commonplace, a dull observation, a nearly pointless thing to mention. Yet, in one place he says that seeing "impermanence" for an instant, for the duration of a finger snap, generates more merit and skillful karma than heaping gifts and offerings on everyone as a ruler with everything to give.

This one realization (knowing and seeing) is that heavy, that good, that beneficial. We should all strive to see it for it is of great fruit beyond what we can imagine. He is not talking about the realization that eventually a house will collapse, or this body will give out, or a relationship will go sour.

One would generate that tremendous quantity of merit by insight (vipassana) if one penetrated the real meaning of anicca, which is "radical impermanence," knowing it and seeing it. For this, one has to gain a glimpse of reality. What is "reality"? Aren't houses, bodies, and relationships reality? No, all of these are illusory.

Pa Auk Sayadaw taught Susila and Seven edited.

"Reality" is behind all things and means "ultimate materiality" and "ultimate mentality" -- the mundane stuff (what we call reality) at the level of particles (kalapa) and mind-moments (cittas) -- the elements of physics and consciousness -- which are constantly hurtling toward destruction.

• So important is this to see and realize that the Buddha made it his final utterance, "All things are hurtling towards destruction; work out your liberation with diligence."

Details (Sayalay Susila+Seven)

Sometimes a very strong jolt or shift can so emotionally jar and mentally shake us down to our foundation that, for a precious moment of clarity, there is an opportunity to understand the Three Marks of All Existence -- that every conditioned thing (which is everything other than nirvana, which is known as the amata or "deathless" and asankhata or the "unconditioned") is impermanent (anicca), disappointing (dukkha), and impersonal (anatta).

Seeing how things are constantly liable to change and go even though we wish for them to stay and remain unchanged, we are disappointed, pained, aggrieved, dissatisfied, and it leaves open the possibility that we see they are not ours, not me or mine, not  under our control, not personal.

But no one's interested in philosophical details (Abhidhamma); we want general stories (suttas)!

Dhammapada verses and parables

1. Impermanence (anicca)

無常品第—Samuel Beal (trans. into archaic British English), Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

How Sakka became a stream-enterer

Reborn in Tavatimsa (Realm of the Thirty-Three)

The first parable in this section of the Dhammapada relates that [the person who is now] Sakka, King of the Devas (aka Śakra, Sakka Devanam Indo, Indra, Magdha of Macala, Saint Michael the Archangel), was once reborn in the womb of a mule that lived in the household of a potter. The mule's task as a beast of burden was to turn the potter's mill.

The mother mule, overjoyed at the prospect of becoming pregnant and finally expecting a baby, kicked up her heels in joy and accidentally broke all the potter's pots.

The potter, angry, took a stick and beat the mule to such a degree that the newly-formed fetus was destroyed. The prospect of offspring was cut off. On this occasion, the Buddha repeated these lines:

“Whatever exists (samskāra, formations) is without endurance.

Hence, we have the term 'flourishing' and 'decaying.'

A human is born then dies.

Oh, what happiness is escape from this cycle

(this miserable condition of ever arising and perishing)!

For the life of humans is but as clay vessels made in a potter's mill;

formed with such care, they are all destined to break apart.”

Sakka [in an emotional and receptive state remembering that former rebirth], hearing these wise words, was able to enter the first path (magga) of Buddhist enlightenment (called "stream entry") and obtain peace.

The king loses his beloved queen-mother

On a certain occasion the Buddha was residing in Savatthi (Śrāvastī). King Pasenadi (the Rāja Prasenajit) had been celebrating the funerary and cremation rites of the queen-mother, aged more than 90 years.

Returning to his royal city, he visited the forest grove where Buddha was staying and respectfully saluted him.

About this the great teacher said (after inquiring as to the reason for the king's visit): “There are four things, O king, which from the first until now have been the causes of constant anxiety and fear to humans:

1. the fear of old age,
2. of disease,
3. of death, and
4. of loss (the grief that comes as a consequence of death).

Alas, the life of a human is but as the perishing of things we see all around us: Today they flourish, tomorrow they are gone. Just as the waters of the five rivers are ever flowing on incessantly day and night, such is the case with a human. Life is ever ebbing away.” Then the World-Honored one spoke these words:

“As the waters of a river ever hasten on and flow away and, once gone, never return, so is the life of a human. That which is gone knows not any return.”

The Buddha further expounding on this subject resulted in the king and his attendants dismissing their grief and, filled with great joy, they entered the “Paths.”

• [These are the supramundane Paths and Fruits, the various stages of enlightenment, usually counted as four, but admitting a few more intermediate degrees in the first two stages. They are contrasted in the earlier Path to Freedom (Vimutti-magga) and the later Path of Purification (Visuddhi-magga), with the former making more sense but the two not really differing except in additional details left out of the latter.]

The cowherd fattens his cattle

On a certain occasion, when the Buddha was abiding in the Bamboo Grove near Rajagaha (Rājagriha, modern Rajgir, India, the Royal City Ringed by Seven Hills), he had been teaching in the city and was returning homewards with his followers when he met a man driving a herd of fatted cattle towards the gates of the city.

On this the World-Honored One took up the subject and said the following:

“As a person with staff in hand goes along tending and pasturing cattle, so are old age and death. They also watch over the life that perishes.

"And of all whom they watch over, there is not one of whatever caste or class, male or female, rich or poor, who shall not in the end decay and disappear.

"Every day and night takes from the little space given to each one born. There is the gradual decay of a few years, and all is gone, as the waters of a pool are cut off (or become exhausted).”

The Buddha, having arrived at the grove, washed his feet, and arranged his robes, sat down. On this occasion, Ānanda respectfully asked the Buddha to explain the inspired verses he had just uttered.

The World-Honored One explained that the oxherd they had just seen sent the cattle forth day by day to feed in the pasture order that, when fattened and conditioned, they might be killed one by one.

“Such,” he explained, “is the fate of all that lives; it flourishes for a moment then dies.” On this utterance, more than 200 of his hearers (in the audience) obtained spiritual powers, let go, and became arhats (fully awakened ones).”

I've lost my precious daughter!

On another occasion, the Buddha was residing in Savatthi, in the garden donated by the multi-millionaire (Anāthapindika) when a certain celibate renunciate (brahmachārin or sannyasin), having lost his only daughter, who was 14 or 15 years of age and very beautiful and much beloved, being nearly deprived of reason because of his grief, came to see him

The celibate man had heard news of how wise this Holy One, the Buddha, was. So he came to see him and state the cause of his great unhappiness. On hearing this the teacher took up a sutra (discourse) by saying: "Brahmachārin, there are four things in the world that cannot permanently endure. What are these four?

1. Thinking we have obtained something and that it will last, we must find that it will actually not continue.
2. Being rich for a time, we must find that we will be deprived of it and impoverished again.
3. Being united and in agreement, there will be division and separation.
4. Being strong and healthy, there will come death."

Then the World-Honored One added these lines:

“What appears permanent will perish;

what is high will be brought low;

where there is agreement, there will come division;

wherever there is birth, there will be death."

On [penetrating the truth of] this, that celibate man awakened [to the first stage of enlightenment], and asking for and receiving the saffron robes of a wandering ascetic (bhikshu), he in no long time became an arhat.

The sexy courtesan wishes to be a nun

Once when the Buddha was residing on Vulture's Peak (Gridhrakūta Hill), near the City of Rājagaha, there was a certain famous courtesan in the city called “Lotus" (Pundarī, Padma, Lien-hwa).

She was most beautiful in form and incomparable in grace. This woman, wearing of her way of life, resolved to join the Buddha and become a female wandering ascetic (bhikshunī). Accordingly, she proceeded towards the place where he was on the peak, having half ascended the hill, she halted awhile at a fountain of water to drink.

While lifting the drink to her hips, she saw her beautiful face reflected in the fountain. She could not help but notice her incomparable beauty, the brightness of her complexion, her glossy hair, her graceful figure. Seeing herself, she changed her mind and said:

"Shall one born so beautiful as I was leave the world to become a recluse? — No! I'd rather have my fill of pleasure and be satisfied."

Making her new resolution — she was ready to turn around and go home.

Meanwhile, the Buddha, perceiving what was happening and knowing that Lotus was ready (possessed the necessary and sufficient causes and conditions) to realize the truth that would set her free, magically transformed himself into a beautiful female, infinitely more attractive and charming than Lotus.

Passing her on the road as they walked in the same direction, Lotus the courtesan was astounded by the beauty of the stranger. So she asked her, “Where do come from, fair lady? Where is your family from? Why are you traveling alone without attendants?”

How did you get so beautiful?

Hearing this, the stranger replied, “I am returning to that great city over there, and although we are unacquainted, let us join company and walk together.”

Accepting the offer, they went on their way until they came to a spot along the road, where they sat down to rest. At length, after a long and charming conversation, the beautiful stranger rested herself on Lotus' knees and fell asleep.

Girl, you've changed, no longer hot like before.

After a time Lotus the courtesan, while gazing at her companion in admiration, was amazed to behold her form entirely changed. She had become as loathsome and repugnant as a corpse. Her face was pallid, her teeth had fallen out, hair had dropped from her head, and insects had begun feeding on her squalid flesh.

Aghast at the sight and frightened, Lotus ran away, heading toward the Buddha exclaiming, “How transient is human beauty!” She hurried back in the direction of the hill, where the Buddha was dwelling, and having arrived, she cast herself at his feet. She related to him all that she had just seen. The Buddha addressed her:

"Lotus, there are four things that will always cause disappointment and sadness.

1. That someone, however beautiful, must age;
2. that one, however firmly established in life, must die;
3. that one bound by the closest ties of a relationship and affection, must nevertheless be separated from those one loves; and
4. that wealth, heaped up in profusion, must nevertheless scatter and be lost.”

Then the World-Honored One added:

“Old age brings with it loss of bodily attraction;

through decay and disease a person perishes;

with body bent and flesh withered,

this is the end of life.

What use is this body when it lies rotting

beside the flowing river Ganges?

It is but the prison-house of disease

and of the pains of old age and death.

To delight in sensual pleasures,

greedy and self-indulgent,

is but to increase the load of unskillful karma,

forgetting the great change that must come:

The inconstancy of human life.

With no son to depend upon,

without father or brother,

Death presses at the door — 

without a friend (or relation)

to look toward for aid.”

The courtesan hearing these words was able to see that life dwindles like a flower, that there is nothing permanent but nirvāna [the deathless, unconditioned element beyond all things]. So she requested permission to become a female wandering ascetic. It was readily granted, and she donned the saffron robes and soon became an arhat.

And all the rest [devas and humans] who heard the words of the Buddha were filled with inexpressible joy.

Four yogis vow to seek and destroy the Demon of Impermanence

In days of old when the Buddha was dwelling in the Bamboo Grove near Rājagaha, teaching the Dharma, there was a certain celibate renunciate (brahmachārin) and his three brothers who had obtained some spiritual perception. They thereby knew that after seven days they would die.

Realizing this they said, "By our spiritual power we can overturn heaven and earth, touch the sun and moon, move mountains, and stop the flowing torrent; yet, for all that, we cannot stop death.”

Then one said, “I will seek out in the depths of the ocean this Demon of Impermanence and destroy him!”

Another said, “I will tear Mt. Sumeru in half and enter it to seek out this Demon of Impermanence to destroy him.”

Another said, “I will mount [a flying transport] into remotest space to seek the Demon of Impermanence and destroy him!”

Another said, “I will enter the bowels of this earth [enter the hollow realm of Agartha] to seek and destroy him!”

The king of the land, having heard of these men, went to the Buddha to inquire with respect to this.

The World-Honored One explained that there are four things which, while we are in the world, cannot be escaped:

1. It is impossible to avoid rebirth in some form or other;
2. Having been reborn, it is impossible to escape aging;
3. When old, it is impossible to escape infirmity and disease;
4. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to escape death.

Then he added these verses:

“Neither in space, nor in the depths of ocean,

nor in the hidden caverns of the mountain,

nor in any other place can death be escaped.

It is by knowing this and reflecting upon it

that a wandering ascetic (Buddhist monastic)

is able to overthrow all of Māra's Army

and obtain liberation from rebirth and death.”

• T 211.1: 無常品第一Samuel Beal (trans. into old British English from Sanskrit and Chinese sources of the Agamas), suttacentral.net; updated into modern American English and Pali by Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly, Fall 2024