How to Contemplate the Impermanence of All Phenomena (Part II)

Furthermore, there are eight causes of transformation: 1. Accumulation over time and storage. 2. Damage by others. 3. Diminishment through use. 4. Change due to seasons. 5. Burning by fire. 6. Sweeping away and rotting by water. 7. Drying and withering by wind. 8. Encounter with differing conditions.

1. Accumulation over time and storage: This means that material phenomena, even when placed and guarded in favorable conditions, naturally deteriorate over a long period. Their color fades, diminishes, and transformation becomes evident. 2. Damage by others: This means that various material forms, when subjected to various kinds of beating and damage by others, immediately undergo various transformations in shape and appearance. 3. Diminishment through use: This means that various material objects belonging to specific owners diminish and transform due to the force of the user's utilization. 4. Change due to seasons: This means that in autumn and winter, the flowers, leaves, fruits, etc., of groves and medicinal herbs wither, turn yellow, and fall off. In spring and summer, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits become verdant, luxuriant, and abundant. 5. Burning by fire: This means that when a great fire rages, burning villages, cities, and royal capitals, reducing them entirely to ashes. 6. Sweeping away and rotting by water: This means that when a great flood inundates, sweeping away villages, cities, and royal capitals, submerging them entirely. 7. Drying and withering by wind: This means that when a great wind blows, it dries wet clothes, wet ground, crops, and groves, causing them to become parched and withered within a day.

8. Encounter with differing conditions: 1. When encountering a painful contact while experiencing a pleasant feeling due to a pleasant contact. 2. When encountering a pleasant contact while experiencing a painful feeling due to a painful contact. 3. When encountering a pleasant contact while experiencing a neutral feeling due to a neutral contact. 4. Or encountering a painful contact. 5. Furthermore, one with greed encounters anger. 6. When the affliction of greed ceases, the affliction of anger arises. 7. Similarly, it should be understood that for one with anger or delusion, encountering conditions giving rise to different categories of afflictions is also like this. 8. Thus, while eye-consciousness is presently manifesting, encountering objects of sound, smell, taste, touch, etc. These are called the eight causes of transformation. All transformations of material and immaterial phenomena arise due to these eight causes. The above is the contemplation of the fifteen aspects of impermanence in internal phenomena and the impermanence due to the eight causes of transformation, performed with the power of mental engagement intensified by pure faith.

Regarding the observation and confirmation of the impermanence of all phenomena, internal and external, besides the contemplation performed with the power of mental engagement intensified by pure faith as described above, there is also contemplation performed with the power of mental engagement intensified by direct perception. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says: By means of such transformative activities as previously described, through the power of mental engagement intensified by direct perception, one observes all internal and external phenomena as appropriate, perceiving everything as having the nature of impermanence through transformative activity. For this reason, regarding the nature of transformative impermanence, one directly perceives it without contradiction, not relying on others, not led by others, but observing through recollection with thorough investigation and certainty. Precisely because of these reasons stated, it is called mental engagement intensified by direct perception. 'Direct perception' means seen by direct perception (pratyakṣa); all internal and external phenomena are not contradictory to the nature of impermanence; the transformation of all phenomena does not arise from other conditions, nor is it caused by external conditions.

Precisely through this power of mental engagement intensified by direct perception, having observed the impermanence of transformation, although those activities of form are presently manifesting, their momentary arising, ceasing, and perishing—being impermanent—are too subtle to be directly perceived. Therefore, based on mental engagement intensified by direct perception, one should correctly apply inferential judgment. How to apply inferential judgment? It means that those activities must have momentary arising, ceasing, and perishing for them to be possible; there must be transformation from prior to later states. They do not remain static and yet undergo transformation. Therefore, activities must necessarily have momentary arising and ceasing. Because of the coming together of specific conditions, such and such activities arise. Having arisen, they naturally cease without waiting for a cause of destruction. Such causes of transformation cause the activities to change and arise.

(Inferential judgment, that is inference (anumāna), can only yield a true result when based on correct inferential judgment grounded in direct perception (pratyakṣa). That is, the basis for inference must be a fact seen by direct perception; only then can the result of the inference possibly be factual. Otherwise, it is incorrect inferential judgment, and the result is not true and cannot be trusted.) (Activities of form are the functioning of the form aggregate (rūpa-skandha). Although the activities of form are present and directly perceptible, the moment-to-moment arising, ceasing, and transformation of form, due to insufficient meditative power and wisdom, cannot be directly perceived. One needs to apply correct inferential judgment based on the activities of form perceived directly and as they truly are. Form continuously arises, ceases, and perishes; only then can form exist and manifest, only then can there be activities of form, and transformation from prior to later states, only then can there be activities of form. If form did not transform, there would be no activity, and thus the phenomenon would not exist. Therefore, the momentary arising, ceasing, and transformation of activities of form require correct inferential judgment based on the direct perception of form, in order to realize and know correctly.)

These are the causes for the arising of transformation, not the causes for the destruction of activities. Why is that? Because when those activities perish along with the causes of destruction seen in the world, a subsequent dissimilar arising becomes possible. It is not that they all cease to arise entirely. Or, there are activities that, having perished, completely cease to arise altogether, like water boiling away until it is entirely consumed. After a conflagration burns the vessel-world, not even ashes remain, nor even a trace can be found. That too is due to causes and conditions; subsequently, through gradual, step-by-step reduction until exhaustion, finally nothing at all remains. It is not that the fire accomplishes this by itself. Therefore, transformation arises due to the eight causes previously mentioned, causing transformation to arise and naturally cease. (The cause for the arising of activities is the transformation of phenomena, not their destruction. After destruction, there is no phenomenon, no activities. The destruction of activities also represents impermanence and suffering.)

Thus, through the power of mental engagement involving inferential judgment, by observing the activity of destruction, one gains certainty regarding the momentary arising, ceasing, and perishing—the impermanence—of those activities. Having gained certainty regarding such matters, one should then correctly apply inferential judgment to the arising of activities in other lifetimes, which are not directly perceived. How to apply inferential judgment? It means that currently, various differences among sentient beings are observable: some have good forms, some have bad forms; some are of high caste, some of low caste; some are wealthy, some are poor; some belong to great lineages, some to minor lineages; some have long lifespans, some short; some are dignified, some are not; some are sharp by nature, some are dull by nature. All such distinctions among sentient beings are necessarily established based on differences in their actions (karma); it is not without actions. Thus, the distinctions in the types of sentient beings are certainly due to the various kinds of wholesome and unwholesome actions performed and accumulated in previous lives. (Correct inferential judgment is based on direct perception that has already led to certainty, for comparison and reflection. If it is not based on direct perception, the comparison and reflection constitute incorrect inferential judgment. Incorrect inferential judgment is not included within wisdom; correct inferential judgment obtains wisdom.)

Through the power of mental engagement intensified by such inferential judgment, one gains certainty regarding the arising of activities in other lifetimes. When it is necessary to contemplate the impermanence of the five aggregates in past and future lives, one needs to base it on the direct and true perceptual observation of the five aggregates in the present life, and then correctly apply inferential judgment to contemplate the five aggregates of past and future lives, in order to gain realization. The two phenomena being compared should be of the same category; phenomena of different categories cannot be compared. Based on the direct perceptual observation of the present five aggregates as they truly are, one can correctly apply inferential judgment to contemplate the five aggregates that have already passed and those that will appear in the future. In this way, one can gain realization, achieve certainty of mind regarding the impermanence of all activities, and confirm it.

Dedication Verse: We dedicate all the merit from Dharma propagation and group practice on our online platform to all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm, and to the people of the world. We pray for world peace, that wars may cease; that conflict and strife may never arise, and weapons be laid down forever; that all disasters may completely subside! We pray that the people of all nations may unite and help one another, treating each other with kindness; for favorable weather and national prosperity with peace for the people! May all sentient beings deeply believe in cause and effect, harbor kind hearts and refrain from killing; widely form good affinities, widely cultivate wholesome karma; believe in the Buddha and learn the Dharma, increasing their wholesome roots; understand suffering, abandon its origin, aspire to cessation, and cultivate the path; close the door to the evil destinies and open the road to Nirvana! We pray that Buddhism may flourish forever, and the true Dharma abide eternally; transforming the burning house of the Triple Realm into the lotus land of Ultimate Bliss!