The Impermanent Body and the Steady Heart

The Fragility of the Physical Form

You must understand, as a practitioner, that your physical body is merely a temporary vessel. It is a manifestation of Causal Conditions that arise and pass away according to the laws of nature. The cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death is an inevitable process. When these events will occur, how they will manifest, and how they will transform are entirely beyond your ability to grasp or control. In such circumstances, if your heart and spirit fluctuate with the same instability as your body, how can you hope to elevate your spiritual quality? Where would you find the foundation for meditative concentration? How could you possibly uphold the Precepts (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom?

The Unmoved Heart Amidst Suffering

In the routine of your daily life, if your body begins to change—if you are struck by illness, pain, or physical suffering—how will your heart and spirit face these challenges? If your heart remains "unmoved," and your spirit stays in a state of profound stability while facing these physical changes, this is the correct attitude for a practitioner to hold toward the impermanence of the body. If you can act in this way, your practice will have the opportunity to take a great leap forward. However, if you lose your confidence, or if you choose to escape or regress because of these difficulties, it is truly a great pity.

Leading with Wisdom and Clarity

Before one reaches the state of an awakened being, this impermanent body will naturally undergo changes such as aging and sickness, driven by the force of karma. During these times, your karmic creditors, attached spirits, and even demon crowds may participate in the process. Even though you cannot control the changes of this physical body, you must be able to ensure that your heart and spirit remain the masters of your life. You must regulate your heart; this means bringing it to a state of complete stability. Do not allow your heart to fluctuate or change simply because of the impermanent body or external interference. At such moments, the importance of the heart lies in its ability to take on a leadership role. You must take what you have learned and realised in your daily practice and apply it practically to this very moment. This is how you create the opportunity for further realisation, or even for great and thorough Awakening.

Awakening to the Truth Beyond Illusion

Although the physical body is impermanent, if your heart is steady and your spirit is clear, remaining free from interference, your spiritual quality will naturally be elevated. Everything in this world is illusory. The six realms of existence are illusory; the body is illusory and not the ultimate truth. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are illusory; karma is illusory. The emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, the meetings and partings of life, and the very nature of impermanence itself—all are illusory. Beings live within these illusions, performing different roles, and spending their lives chasing after the satisfaction of their desires. Only the realisation of your true nature is real. You must learn to see through these illusions and recognise the truth of the facts, so that you are no longer deceived by illusory environments or the tests that life presents to you. My children, practise diligently and chant Buddha's name with sincerity. The Buddha's blessings are present within your diligent practice and within the very act of chanting Buddha's name. Namo Amituofo.