What Kind of Impermanent Thing Is This?
A human being's life is no more than a short act in a play. When the act ends our consciousness, which makes happiness, anger, sadness, and pleasure, disappears without a trace. The flesh dissolves into rot. What kind of impermanent thing is this? Also, did you experience even one second of freedom during this brief moment of impermanence? Death comes suddenly. You may die before you swallow the rice you are now chewing. Due to fire, you may never enjoy the fancy house you are building. This is impermanence. Isn't it sad that people cannot control even their own lives and yet they go on to create groups and even nations? If you want true freedom you must know its basis. People may clamor for freedom, but if they don't know its source, it's like talking about eating well without having any rice.
From The Teachings of Zen Master Man Gong, tr. and ed. by Zen Master Dae Kwang, Hye Tong Sunim, and Kathy Park.