恢复正常并不正常
疫情过后，我们希望一切“恢复正常”。但这在现实中是不可能的。正常的是无常：变化不断流动。当我们接受这种自然流动时，我们就可以开始看到变化带来的新机遇。我们可以抓住这些机会，并创造性地利用它们。
- By 竹庆本乐仁波切
由于疫情，世界经历了许多变化。这些变化带来了许多挑战：隔离、戴口罩和摘口罩。在经历了这么多变化之后，我们发现自己身处一个后疫情时代。这个疫情时期相当令人困惑。因为我们有回归的想法。每个人都在谈论回归，回归。谈论“恢复正常”。但实际上，“回归”是不可能的，不是吗？当我们这么说的时候，我们是在谈论做不可能的事情。因为回到过去是不可能的。要做到这一点，我们需要一台时光机。
所以回到过去的想法本身就是一个问题。事实上，从佛法的角度来看，这是一个非常好的教义。因为我们现在可以非常清楚地看到我们对过去有多么执着。我们可以看到我们多么想维持我们熟悉的事物——我们多么想维持现状。而这反过来又向我们展示了我们心灵执着的习惯，我们的心灵如何试图使某些事物永恒。我们想要无常吗？如果有人自发地问我们，我们会说我们更喜欢永恒。
当你在找一份好工作时，你在找什么？一个永久的职位，对吧？没有人在寻找无常的职位。我们想要一份好工作，从而获得一个永久的职位。当然，现实是没有永久职位这样的东西。所以，我们应该考虑一下。我们在寻找一些不存在的东西。
我们有很多这样矛盾的想法——我们想长寿，但我们不想变老。这两件事是不可能的，不是吗？我们想要哪一个？长寿还是永葆青春？我们希望事物保持原样。因为永恒给人一种安全感。
我们付出了巨大的努力来避免改变。我们依靠医疗公司来治疗疾病。或者我们服用人参。或者我们尝试只吃有机食品。但如果我们认真思考，我们过去已经尝试过所有这些事情。皇帝尝试过人参和有机食品。英国人和美国人也尝试过各种方法。但他们无法阻止变化。
生活就是变化
如果我们认真思考，生活就意味着过着变化的生活。我们都知道没有永恒的生活。在整个生命中，我们经历着转变。我们看着我们的身体形态从童年到成年、老年、疾病、死亡而变化。这样的转变一直在发生。
我们在工作中也会经历转变。我们的工作生活总是在变化。我们在人际关系中也会经历转变。即使我们不想要那样，它也会发生。因为关系会发生变化，无论是朋友之间还是伴侣之间。
我们在佛法之路上经历转变。这样的转变是好的，不是吗？否则我们就无法成佛。如果没有改变，那么我们将永远困惑，永远受苦。但因为转变是不可避免的，我们有机会成为伟大的菩萨。我们有机会成为一个非常善良的人。我们有机会有一天成为佛。所以，转变一直在发生是一件好事。
我们可以看到，变化实际上对我们是有帮助的。如果好事发生了，但它变成了坏事，别担心。现在很糟糕，但它肯定会改变。也许几天内我们会下大雨，真的是暴风雨天气。空气感觉非常潮湿和沉重，我们不喜欢那种感觉。但别担心——太阳会出来的。所有的变化都是这样的！无论现在发生了什么，它都会变成别的东西。
有时我们会说坏事永远不会改变，但好事总会改变。但当然，如果我们仔细观察，就会发现事情并非如此。
当我们的身体衰弱时，没有哪个地方是好的。当你到了一定年龄，情况就是这样。也许现在一切都很好：你的身体状况良好，你对此感到高兴。但是当你高兴时，当你快乐时，不要骄傲。我们必须在事情顺利时和遇到挑战时都记住佛法，因为我们的幸福总是会改变的。当你的身体衰弱时，也要记住佛法。
要了解更多信息，请查看 freshmind.info 上的冥想、短片和课程
How can we get it right?
We have to correct our wrong view about the way things are. Of course, that only applies if you have a wrong view. Maybe you’re lucky and you don’t have that. Our typical wrong view is that we think permanence is normal. Instead, when you think of “normal,” think about things changing. Then when change inevitably comes, you will see it as normal.
Change is normal. For things to remain unchanging would not be normal at all! But somehow we got it wrong somewhere. One day it’s raining, and then the next day the sun comes out. That’s change, and that’s normal.
So we have to be prepared for change. Buddha taught that the way to work with our mind in preparation for death and dying is to be prepared for change. Then we’ll be prepared for the biggest change.
We can begin by trying to see any change as an opportunity. Because every situation, any situation at all, actually carries an opportunity to turn that situation into something wonderful, for oneself and for others. That is what I mean by opportunity: the chance to create something that is wonderful not only for ourselves but for others.
And it wouldn’t be possible to get a good opportunity if things were not impermanent.
From the worldly point of view, without impermanence young people could not become new millionaires and billionaires. We could not have new billionaires if things always stayed the same. And from a dharma point of view, without change there also could not be any new bodhisattvas, new buddhas, or new compassionate beings to help our world.
要了解更多信息，请查看 freshmind.info 上的冥想、短片和课程
Three ways to cope with change
So, how can we cope with change? How do we learn to live with impermanence?
- Accept impermanence as normal. Normal is not permanence. Normal does not mean unchanging. Normalcy is change.
- Embrace change. Nobody can stop change. So, embracing it is much better than longing for what isn’t here. For example, when I arrived in Hong Kong, right away I went to the place where I like to eat curry. But it seems to have changed and now the food’s not so good. So I will find a new curry place.
When we embrace change, we can see it as a fresh new opportunity: what is there for me to discover here? This is very simple to understand. For example, don’t try to ignore death and dying. Our big change is coming, you know. We cannot ignore that. We have to accept it and be able to embrace it. The more we accept and embrace that big change, the smoother our journey will be.
- See change as an opportunity. We go through big changes and small ones – so many changes all the time. When I see a young child, it’s clear that no one can stop them from growing and changing.
When the sun is setting, you cannot stop it. And when the sun is rising, you cannot prevent it. Sometimes I don’t want the sun to rise because I want to sleep longer. When I was growing up in the monastery, I especially hated sunrises because I wanted to sleep in. I wanted to sleep without the change of the sun coming up.
We cannot stop change, but at the same time, it’s so beautiful. It can be beautiful if we look for opportunity in the change. For example, death and dying. Practitioners see death as their last opportunity to be enlightened. Not only the last opportunity in this life, but a great opportunity. As the great yogi, Milarepa, said in his song, dying is not just dying – for a yogi, dying is a mini-enlightenment.
We Buddhists talk about dharmakaya, the true nature of mind. And right now we cannot see dharmakaya, or we may see it now and then, indirectly. But at the moment of dying, it is taught that boom! dharmakaya appears to you directly. So if we become familiar with it right now, in our meditation practice, then at the time of dying, we will recognize it. We’ll say “Oh, dharmakaya!” And we can be liberated on the spot. That’s a great opportunity.
Every situation – whether it is a beautiful one or a painful one – carries a hidden opportunity. Impermanence, change, always brings us some kind of opportunity. Once we recognize this, we can work skillfully with impermanence.
How to work with impermanence now
As you see, impermanence is not bad. Impermanence is not our enemy. And, the way to work with impermanence is to be present. In other words: be here, now.
Sometimes we get pulled into the future too much, and we forget to be present. If you forget to be present, you don’t observe what’s happening around you. When we tune out like that, we’re missing the whole experience of now. We miss the whole precious thing, such as being with your child, being with your parents, or being with your partner.
To seize the opportunity, we have to be in the present. Being present is not only applicable in our meditation but for any moment of our daily life. Most accidents happen when we’re not present.
If we succeed in working with impermanence, then we can experience actual success, both in day-to-day life and in our spiritual path. And this is very important for us, especially at this point, as we are entering this new, post-COVID world. As I mentioned earlier, everywhere I go – Seattle, Kathmandu, New York, California, Taipei, Hong Kong, everywhere – people are talking about “going back to normal.” But there’s no such thing as “back to normal,” in my opinion. Let’s not think of going “back to normal” because that will just bring us a lot of suffering.
Let’s enjoy this new post-COVID world and embrace it. We can say, “Okay, let’s see what our new world is like.” Here is our new world, after all of the pandemic challenges. I hope we all can enjoy our world and be happy. I wish you a peaceful mind, joy, and happiness in this post-pandemic world. And don’t torture yourself too much. Remember that any challenge we face is also impermanent, so don’t worry. It will change.
Clouds will pass, and again we will see the blue sky. So don’t worry. The clouds cannot stay in the sky forever. So, relax. Make sure you meditate every day. That will change your world in a positive way.
I try to meditate every day. And so almost every day I do meditation with my daughter. We do between 3 and 5 minutes – it’s up to her. And personally, I can really see a difference in her when she meditates and when she doesn’t.
Meditation is really helpful for coping with impermanence, embracing change. It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can sit for just 3 to 5 minutes like I do with my daughter. Or if you can, do it for longer. It’s fine to sit quietly for just 15 minutes. It will make a positive difference; it will be a welcome change.
The teachings in this article were given by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche at Nalandabodhi Hong Kong in April 2024.