Spacious Passion

Chapter 5 – Infinite Impermanence

letting go

Questioner: Joy and appreciation die too…?

Ngakma Nor’dzin: It is interesting that we have a different relationship with death and impermanence depending on whether we’re talking about something we like or something we don’t like. When we see joy and appreciation naturally dissolve, we fear they will never arise again. When we see pain and sorrow naturally dissolve, we fear they will be back to trouble us again quite soon! Joy and appreciation in the present moment can be followed by joy and appreciation in the next present moment. There is no need to fear its natural dissolution. It can always arise again.

Q: Oh I see – yes I can see how we do that.

NN: Each mind moment can be joy and appreciation, but not if we cling to its dissolution. If we cling to that moment of dissolving, and try and grab the joy and appreciation to keep it with us, we have lost the reality of joy and appreciation and have clung to a concept of it. Our lives could be a stream of continually arising and dissolving moments of joy and appreciation.