That which is impermanent attracts compassion. That which is not provides wisdom. (116)

About This Quote

This is about the power of impermanence to reveal the true nature of things. This is a profound statement in Mahayana Buddhism. In fact, it is a direct quote from the Theravada Pali Canon, one of the earliest scriptures in the Buddhist canon. The Buddha uses two terms—impermanence and non-impermanence—to distinguish between true and apparent realities.

Impermanent phenomena are those that come and go in a moment, while impermanent phenomena are those that do not come and go so quickly. Impermanent phenomena have an effect that lasts only a moment before they cease to exist. Impermanence is about change, which makes impermanent phenomena temporary or fleeting.

However, non-impermanence is not just another word for permanence, since permanence already implies change and change implies impermanence. Non-impermanence describes things that continue through time without coming into existence or ceasing to exist. Non-impermanence is like permanence on steroids, with its implications of lasting forever.

It’s like the idea that everything that comes into existence comes into existence only temporarily; it has some kind of lifespan (a dewdrop on a tree does not live forever).

Source: A Year To Live: How To Live This Year As If It Were Your Last

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