FOUR CONTEMPLATIONS THAT TURN THE MIND TOWARDS THE DHARMA: FIRST CONTEMPLATION IMPERMANENCE & DEATH

Impermanence is the nature of all conditioned phenomena. Mountains, oceans, humans, animals all are subject to change and decay. We are always one breath away from death. Even in the protective environmental cocoon of our industrial techno-society, we are subject to air born viruses, automobile accidents, and a myriad of deadly internal and external conditions. Our rare and precious human birth can be destroyed at any moment. All of our pleasures and pains of our temporary conditions. These causes of suffering motivate us to practice Dharma. Why are we subject to this continuous fluctuation between pleasure and pain. This leads to the contemplation of accruing of positive and negative actions (karma) though our three gates of activity - Body, Speech, and Mind.