Question from a disciple:
My question is, we know things are impermanent, however, how do we prevent from living in fear or being on edge in anticipation of things ending. It’s like the opposite of the delusion that things are permanent, but being aware of impermanence so much that you would rather not start things or have experiences, or constantly worrying about loved ones, health. How can we make peace between knowing things are impermanent but at the same time not living in anxiety over their impermanence. I hope my question is clear and makes sense.
Answer by Master Xuexiang:
The purpose of understanding impermanence is to make us aware of the reality of the world. Although impermanence happens every day, people always ignore it, if there is no one wise to point it out. So the purpose of thinking about impermanence is to eliminate our strong attachment to all temporary things, thus avoid getting our short lives entangled in these meaningless things.
It is necessary to understand the direction of death before it comes, or how to become enlightened in this life. In this way, our short and uncertain lives will become highly meaningful, and if we can seek enlightenment, this will not hinder our normal life, because Buddhism is exactly to help us to live a better life and die a better death.
Moreover, impermanence is not ‘nothing’. Instead, there is a bright side to it. In real life, impermanence can bring about freshness and renewal. Once we encounter painful matters, we can also comfort ourselves with the fact that all that exists is impermanent; that all these things will pass. While at the same time, when we encounter very exciting and happy things, we will not be overly attached to them, so as to cause further worry and attachment.
Therefore, impermanence allows us to perceive the essence of things and enjoy the present moment. There are many other layers of the meaning of impermanence, here I’ve just simply summarised a few points.