Nothing is Permanent

"Change is the only thing that is permanent" - Buddha

It's the most common dilemma in the western society, we lose someone or something causing us to feel a variety of pain. Some pain we forget, some we know we will someday. There are some pain however, where we feel will never go away, that it will be permanent for the rest of our lives.

There was once a powerful king who lavished himself with the fanciest things in the world money can buy. There was not a prize he can not meet. However, despite all his riches he realizes that he is not overall happier than everyone else. Although there is nothing in the world he can't buy, women, people, objects, he still experiences occasional sadness and sorrow.

So he sought out to find a solution for this. His money can buy anything, why not he thought, buy sadness and sorrow out of his life. He consulted with the wisest among his men and told him of his mission. The wise man agreed to solve his problem.

Three days later the wise man came to the kings palace met with the king and gave him a ring. Carved in the ring is the phrase "this too shall pass". This way no matter how sad, how angry, how bitter, how happy, how fulfilled the king may be, he will know that it is only temporary and it will change in time.

This folklore is a fantastic story teaching listeners that nothing is permanent. The moral of this story can be best applied to emotions. Emotion is one of the best example of impermanence. It's very nature is meant to change over time. Emotions are not meant to be static. The trouble is we sometimes confuse it to be.

Some people involve themselves with drug abuse because of this. They are determined to keep the spurt of dopamine in their brains permanent so they can remain happy all the time. Urging them to take more and more of it to sustain the high. However, this does nothing but destroy the abusers life. Their brain end up needing more drugs to sustain the high to a point where it becomes a real problem. For most abusers, they soon can't afford it so they engage in unlawful act to obtain what they want.

This is just one of the common problem coming from being ignorant of the universes impermanence. I feel it's important to realize and accept the universe's impermanence because it opens you up for a happier more fulfilling life. Life doesn't have to painful, you can choose it not to be, just understand that whatever you feel, no matter how bad it may seem; it too shall pass.