Transcending the Stream of Life

The world is impermanent. Life flows on like a current, incessant and without end; only through awakening can one transcend this stream of existence. Should we seek to step beyond it? Reflect carefully: across generations, human life is continually replaced—shifts in power rise and fall day by day. Have we truly noticed this? Most remain unaware. The preceding generation are vanishing, while a new one continually emerges, yet this process passes unnoticed precisely because it is the very stream of life itself. Only through the study and practice of the Buddhadharma do we begin to perceive these realities, and gradually come to understand how to liberate ourselves from cyclic living and dying.

Do we consider birth and death to be dreadful? It is often said that this spiritual state of mind, when clothed in a human form, becomes a human; when clothed in the form of a bird, it becomes a bird; when clothed in the form of a fish, it becomes a fish; when clothed in the form of an insect, it becomes an insect; and when clothed in the form of a microorganism, it becomes a microorganism. This spirituality does not inherently “know” itself as human, animal, or any other being. One might ask: which of these is truly established as “I”? None of them is. When functioning as a human, it is designated “human”; when functioning as a bird, it is designated “bird.” Thus, there is no fixed form that can be identified as the self—no enduring inherent entity whatsoever. We must therefore understand the principle of selflessness: the stream of life unfolds in this manner, emerging in various forms of existence, yet none of these forms constitutes an intrinsic identity of “I.” Our life does not possess an independent, self-existing form; rather, it is formless. The forms we assume are merely contingently appropriated, arising under the convergence of causes and conditions. Therefore, we should not mistake these provisional forms for the self.

To transcend living and dying, it is essential to understand the nature of this spirituality—its awakened aspect, which is within every being. It is not something possessed exclusively by a monastic, nor solely by the Buddha; all beings possess it. However, we do not yet know how to realize it. For this reason, we learn from Buddha Shakyamuni, regarding him as a teacher and ourselves as students. The Buddha is not revered as a uniquely invincible being; rather, he serves as one who demonstrated the realization of this unarising and unceasing spiritual state of mind—a realization that every one of us can likewise experience, understand, and actualize. Thus, there is no need to be anxious; instead, we must diligently cultivate this primordial awareness.

In essence, the study and practice of the Buddhadharma entail two fundamental tasks: first, to transcend cyclic living and dying; and second, to eliminate afflictions. While the former is widely understood, how should one begin? One begins with the realization of awareness itself. This is the consistent teaching of the Buddhist scriptures. If one is parted from the primordial awareness, there can be no attainment of a life that is unarising and unceasing. Since this awareness is present within all beings, it can be uncovered by anyone who is willing to engage in genuine practice. However, a fickle and inconsistent approach will yield no realization.