When You Know Impermanence, You Do Not Put Off Today's Practice
In Buddhism, we are told not to let each day pass vainly with nothing gained. This is because a passing day is not simply time; it is a part of life that does not return.
When we deeply feel impermanence, the world may seem as if it is within flames. Time keeps flowing, the body grows old, and someday we must meet death.
That is why practice is not something to postpone. In each moment, we need to care for ourselves well, look into the mind, and cultivate the habit of being awake. This is the way to save ourselves within flame-like impermanence.
Impermanence is not a teaching meant to create fear. Rather, it is a teaching that lets us live today more preciously. Watching the seasons change and leaves fall, we can notice what must be done now.
Today, try a small practice of caring for the mind. When you notice the breath, steady the mind, and live a wakeful day, even passing time becomes a path of study.
The teaching not to let a day pass with nothing gained awakens us to impermanence. Time passes, the body grows old, and the world can change at any moment. So do not put off practice; care for the mind in each moment. As you watch the seasons change, practice at least one habit of wakefulness today.
