In this life, every person is different. Today, they may speak to us one way, but tomorrow, their words and actions may be entirely different. Their behavior towards us may change with time and circumstances. While they may rely on us today and be grateful for our help, once their needs are met, they might no longer treat us the same. But that’s okay; we don’t need to be upset about it.
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The Illusion of Perfection
Think of it like this: every morning, before we go to work, we spend time getting ready, putting on makeup or dressing up to look presentable. We enhance our appearance, and everything looks fine. But when the day ends, we wash it all off, and no one sees us with the same made-up face anymore. We return to our natural state—what we look like without any external enhancements.
Sometimes, when we look at ourselves in the mirror after washing off the makeup, we barely recognize ourselves. The difference between the morning and the night is striking. But in truth, we were the same person all along. It’s just that the outer image we present changes according to what the world wants to see. When we dress ourselves up, we meet the expectations of what others consider “beautiful.” However, when we remove all the layers, we return to our pure, unaltered form.
The Perception of Beauty
What’s truly beautiful? Is it the image we create to fit into society, or is it our true nature, without any adornment? The beauty we see is often influenced by how the world perceives it, but when we strip away all the layers—whether it’s makeup, clothes, or external expectations—we are left with our true, unaltered self.
This is the essence of impermanence. Everything in life changes, including the way we look, the way people treat us, and even our own perceptions of ourselves. The key is to understand that no matter how much we change on the outside, our true self remains constant.
Conclusion: Embracing Impermanence
In the end, the external changes we experience every day, whether in our appearance or in how others view us, are all part of the impermanent nature of life. The most important thing is to accept both the changing and unchanging aspects of ourselves. By doing so, we can find peace in knowing that, at the core, we remain the same, regardless of what changes around us.
Lesson by Venerable Thích Pháp Hoà