Think About the Impermanent
世間萬物變化莫測，今有後無，迴旋不定。《無常經》云：「大地及日月，時至皆歸盡，未曾有一事，不被無常吞。」
古往今來，公侯將相輪迴無蹤，人事有代謝，財富與妻兒，不久皆如是。故：世間一切人、事、物，皆難逃無常的大網。
娑婆中一期的生命長短不一，有的朝生暮死，長壽者亦少有超過三萬六千日的。日月如梭，時間就在不知不覺中流逝，既知壽命無常，當知生死事大，失人身易、得人身難。故：當于靜處，精勤修出離。提持正念、恆不忘失，精進修行。
當思：
名譽地位無常故， 言說話語無常故，
因緣聚合無常故，人事萬法無常故。
人易受外境誘惑，難斷迷思，這樣會讓自己耗廢人生。修行勿放逸，不要被無明遮蔽了智慧，應策勵自己精進用功。
撒手空明無一物
何勞謾說各諍持
悟玄處處遍應心
心心無住本如如
資料來源：心靈甘露(四)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平。
Think About the Impermanent
Everything in this world is changeable and unpredictable. Being unsteady, it may exist today and disappear tomorrow. The Anityatā Sūtra says, “The mother earth, the sun, and the moon will all be extinct when their time comes. There is never a thing that is not devoured by the impermanent.”
Since ancient times, aristocrats, generals, and prime ministers have been reincarnated and have disappeared. Human affairs are changeful, so one’s wealth, wife, and children will soon be gone. Hence, none of the people, matters, and objects in this world can escape from the net of the impermanent.
People in the Saha World have different lifespans. Some are short lived, and very few of those who enjoy longevity live longer than 36,000 days. How time flies! Since we know life is short, we should also know that the issue of life and death is important. It’s easy to lose the human body, although it‘s rare to be born human. Therefore, in order to get out of afflictions, we should cultivate diligently in a quiet place and always keep the right thoughts.
The following are worth pondering:
Reputations and social ranks are impermanent.
Speeches are impermanent.
Affinities and gatherings are impermanent.
Human affairs and all dharmas are impermanent.
People are easily enticed by exterior circumstances and misconceptions are difficult to sever. Your life will be wasted if you are like them. A cultivator should not seek an easy and comfortable life. Wisdom should not be obstructed by ignorance and afflictions. So, encourage yourself to work hard.
When things are let go of, there is nothing under the clear skies.
There is no need to take the trouble to deceive and argue.
When mysteries are realized, everything will be congenial to your heart,
Which abides by nowhere and is innately untouched.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. IV), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.