Nothing Is Forever

Abstract

This chapter describes how Buddhists often talk about impermanence, an idea that covers a range of meanings. They all, however, highlight aspects of reality that an individual must face in order to solve the problem at hand. The composite nature of things entails some harsh truths: Things that are put together eventually come apart. When something is made up of pieces, it is only a matter of time before those pieces go their own way. Part of understanding the composite nature of things means seeing their fragility, their temporary nature. A particularly stark reminder of impermanence is death. Contact with death often prompts revaluation; being reminded that one's time is limited can make one rethink how an individual is spending it. Indeed, impermanence means that death is inevitable. Thus, many Buddhist texts warn against thinking of this life, this body, and this world as a home. It is not just that things will end eventually, someday. Even when they seem to remain, they are in a constant state of flux. One way to understand this type of impermanence is to think about what it means for something to persist through time, to continue, to endure.