BPNB Winter Retreat.The Thought of Impermanence

The thought of impermanence, the inevitability of transformation and death, changes how you relate to everything. It is important to be mindful of it. Passing moments become days, passing days become months, passing months become years, and passing years soon turn into the passing of our very lives. There are so many things we all want to experience and do in our lives, yet so little of it gets accomplished. Think about how many years can go by without you even finishing one book you have set aside to read!

Life is like that. It simply passes without you noticing. Since this particular life is so precious, we shouldn’t waste our time following the whims of our wandering minds. Not knowing how long we will live and with no assurance of a good future rebirth: we just value the precious time we have right now and not waste it.

Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche in: “the path to awakening”.

In his book “The Path to Awakening”, Shamar Rinpoche emphasizes that contemplating impermanence and death is the essential foundation and primary motivation for authentic spiritual practice. He teaches that recognizing the transient nature of life helps to overcome laziness, reduce attachment, and focus on what truly matters: achieving awakening and helping others.