Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 34 (6)

Original text:无常之性。云何数数寻思观察。谓先安立内外二事。言内事者。谓六处等。言外事者。有十六种。一者地事。谓城邑聚落。舍市廛等。二者园事。谓药草丛林等。三者山事。谓种种山安布差别。四者水事。谓江河陂湖众流池沼。五者作业事。六者库藏事。七者食事。八者饮事。九者乘事。十者衣事。十一者庄严具事。十二者舞歌乐事。十三者香鬘涂饰事。十四者资生具事。十五者诸光明事。十六者男女承奉事。如是名为十六种事。

Explanation: How should the nature of impermanence of all conditioned things be repeatedly contemplated and observed? First, establish the two categories of matters, internal and external, pertaining to the five-aggregate body. Internal matters refer to the six sense bases such as the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. External matters are the sixteen kinds concerning eating, clothing, dwelling, usage, and activity: the first is land affairs (bhūmi-vastu), including cities, villages, dwellings, marketplaces, and so on; the second is garden affairs (udyāna-vastu), including places where medicinal herbs, flowers, grasses, and trees are planted; the third is mountain affairs (parvata-vastu), including mountains of various sizes, such as high mountains and hills; the fourth is water affairs (udaka-vastu), including places where water gathers, such as rivers, seas, lakes, and ponds; the fifth is work affairs/occupational matters (karma-vastu); the sixth is treasury/storehouse matters (koṣṭhāgāra-vastu); the seventh is food matters (bhojana-vastu); the eighth is drink matters (pāna-vastu); the ninth is vehicle matters (yāna-vastu); the tenth is clothing matters (vastra-vastu); the eleventh is ornament matters (alaṃkāra-vastu); the twelfth is dance, song, and music matters (nṛtya-gīta-vādita-vastu); the thirteenth is incense, garlands, and unguents matters (gandha-mālya-vilepana-vastu); the fifteenth is various lights/illumination matters (pradīpa-vastu); the sixteenth is attendance by men and women matters (strī-puruṣa-upasthāna-vastu).

All these matters are impermanent things of the mundane world. The reason these dharmas are impermanent is that they are all conditioned, fabricated dharmas subject to arising, abiding, alteration, and cessation. After arising, they do not linger even for a moment, constantly changing until they perish. From childhood to adulthood, sentient beings are constantly engaged in these impermanent matters, yet they do not perceive their impermanence. After studying the teachings of the authoritative scriptural standard (āgama), the mind consciousness can easily understand the impermanence of these matters, but the manas is dull and not easily persuaded to accept it. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate precepts, meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom, and to engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) within meditative concentration, ultimately realizing the nature of impermanence. Realization means direct seeing; direct seeing means observing the impermanence of dharmas directly in the present, not relying on the deliberation and understanding of the mind consciousness. When the impermanent nature is clearly presented, one cannot help but be convinced; accepting it immediately constitutes realization, and meditative absorption (samādhi) then arises, with the mind abiding unwaveringly in the perception of the impermanence of dharmas.