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The Buddhist Canon - Southern Transmission 10
Impermanence is of three kinds: instantaneous impermanence is the transformation in every moment necessary for life; periodic impermanence is the change through stages such as birth, old age, sickness, and death; and impermanence as an unexpected accident. The Buddha taught us to accept impermanence in order to live mindfully in the present moment, to cherish what we have, and to transform suffering. Contemplating impermanence helps us see the nature of nonself, thereby transcending birth and death and no longer being afraid of death.
The talk covers Sutras 41 through 70. Sutra 41 divides the ten actions into three groups: bodily actions comprising killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; verbal actions comprising lying, exaggeration, divisive speech, and abusive speech; and mental actions comprising craving, anger, and ignorance. Sutra 43 outlines five practices to develop insight: precepts, study, discussion, stopping, and looking deeply. Sutras 45 and 46 speak of four methods of practice regarding suffering and happiness in the present and the future. Sutra 55 mentions the Five Contemplations before eating: food is a gift of the earth and sky; vowing to live worthily; preventing unwholesome habits; regarding food as medicine; and eating to realize the path of practice.
Sutra 56 affirms that mental action is the most fundamental. Sutra 57 classifies four kinds of karma: dark action with dark fruit, bright action with bright fruit, action that is both dark and bright, and action that is neither dark nor bright. Sutra 61 uses the images of a basin of water and a mirror to teach about honesty and self-reflection. Sutra 62 guides the contemplation on the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Sutra 63 uses the example of a poisoned arrow to emphasize the practice of liberation instead of getting lost in metaphysical questions. Sutra 70 lists seven types of persons: one liberated in both ways, one liberated by wisdom, a body-witness, one attained to view, one liberated by faith, one following the Dharma, and one following faith.