A Young Monk Realizes Impermanence
Something to imagine for inspiration...
The gentle lapping of the river's waves against the shore has stirred something deep within me. As I sit in stillness, the sunlight dancing across the ripples on the water's surface has revealed a profound truth. I am Bodhi, a young monk on a journey of discovery, and in this moment, I have caught a glimpse of the impermanence that underlies all of existence.
The river, which had seemed so constant and unchanging, now appears to me as a ever-flowing, ever-changing entity. The water that flows before me is not the same water that was here just a moment ago. It has moved on, flowing effortlessly to its destination, leaving behind only the faintest whisper of its presence.
And yet, despite this impermanence, the river remains, its essence unchanged. It continues to flow, to nourish, and to sustain all that lives along its banks. In its ongoing cycle of change, I see the reflection of our own lives. We, too, are like the river's water, constantly in flux, with each moment giving way to the next.
This realization has awakened a sense of detachment within me. I see that all things, including myself, are but temporary manifestations, rising and falling like the waves on the river's surface. The fear of loss and the desire for permanence, which had once bound me, now seem to fade away like the ebbing tide.
In the river's flow, I have seen the reflection of the ancient wisdom: "everything changes, nothing remains without change." This truth, though simple, holds the power to transform my very being. I feel my heart and mind expanding, as if the waters of the river have washed away the rigid boundaries of my perception, revealing the limitless expanse of the present moment.
As I sit here, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature, I am filled with a sense of wonder and awe. The river's wisdom has reminded me that life is precious, fleeting, and sublime. In its impermanence, I have discovered a profound and abiding peace, one that will stay with me long after the waters of this river have flowed on, carrying the memories of this moment into the vast and mysterious sea of existence.
I have been inspired to write this poem:
Time passes by,
Things; they come and go,
Nothing lasts for ever,
Melting quick like sun-lite snow.
Why weep for the wind as it passes you by?
Why follow the sun as it moves through the sky?
Why long for a day as it fades in the week?
As a fool full of thirst chases water down the creek.
Shed not a drop of tear my love,
Be never crippled by your fear,
Winter's wonder my be gone now,
Yet summer's warmth is ever near.
Who knows not what goes up must come down?
Just as clouds in the sky, rise high,
That rich rain my reach the ground,
Who knows not what was emptied must be filled?
For it is the nature of Nature,
To replace fruits that have been peeled,
For it is the nature of Nature,
To replenish crops of a farmed field,
Thus it is the nature of Nature,
To mend broken hearts until healed.
Fear not never more my love,
Trust in the hands that hold you.
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