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emotions. When certain emotions arise within our hearts and minds, tion takes place over time. When we reduce vast passages of time down
they create an immediate disturbance, which isn t only temporary but to very brief ones, we can realize that things are actually changing from
can lead to negative long-term consequences, especially when we inter- moment to moment. Modern technology helps us see some of these
act with other people. These negative emotions can also damage our changes; the development of a biological organism, for example, can be
physical health. observed through a microscope. Also, at a subtle theoretical level, certain
When other types of emotion arise, however, they immediately induce observations indicate the extremely dynamic nature of physical reality. It
a sense of strength and courage, creating a more positive atmosphere in gen- is this fundamental law of nature impermanence that creates the
eral and leading to positive long-term consequences, including our health. potential for our own change, development and progress.
Putting aside the question of spiritual practice for the moment, we can see This transient and impermanent nature of reality is not to be under-
that even from the perspective of mundane day-to-day life, there are stood in terms of something coming into being, remaining for a while
8 ILLUMINATING THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT GENERAL INTRODUCTION 9
and then ceasing to exist. That is not the meaning of impermanence at ness and light and so forth are opposing forces enhancing one auto-
the subtle level. Subtle impermanence refers to the fact that the moment matically diminishes the other. In some cases this is a gradual process, in
things and events come into existence, they are already impermanent in others, instantaneous. For instance, when you switch on a light, dark-
nature; the moment they arise, the process of their disintegration has ness in a room is immediately dispelled.
already begun. When something comes into being from its causes and If you look at the mental world of thoughts and emotions in the
conditions, the seed of its cessation is born along with it. It is not that same way, you will again find many opposing forces, such that when you
something comes into being and then a third factor or condition causes encourage and develop certain types of emotions, those that contradict
its disintegration. That is not how to understand impermanence. them automatically diminish in intensity. This natural fact of our con-
Impermanence means that as soon as something comes into being, it has sciousness, where opposite forces contradict one another, provides
already started to decay. another premise for the possibility of change and transformation.
If you limit your understanding of impermanence to something s When we take two types of thought or emotion that directly oppose
continuum, you will comprehend only gross impermanence. You will one another, the question arises, which reflects the true state of affairs
feel that when certain causes and conditions give rise to something, it and which is a false way of relating to the world? The answer is that
remains unchanged as long as the factors that sustain its existence those thoughts and emotions that are strongly grounded in experience
remain unchanged, and begins to disintegrate only when it encounters and reason are the ones with truth on their side, whereas those that are
adverse circumstances. This is gross impermanence. contrary to the way things exist, no matter how powerful they may be
If, however, you deepen your understanding of impermanence by at any given time, are actually unstable. Since they lack valid grounding
approaching it at the subtle level the moment-to-moment change in experience and reason, they do not have a firm foundation.
undergone by all phenomena you will realize how as soon as some- Also, if we take two kinds of emotion that directly oppose one other
thing comes into being, its cessation has also begun. and examine them to see what distinguishes one from the other, anoth-
At first you might feel that coming into being and coming to cessation er feature we notice is that they differ in their long-term effects.
are contradictory processes, but when you deepen your understanding of There are certain types of emotion that give us temporary relief or
impermanence, you will realize that coming into being (birth) and cessa- satisfaction, but when we examine them with our faculty of intelli-
tion (death) are, in a sense, simultaneous. Thus, the fundamental law of gence the insight that enables us to judge between long- and short-
impermanence (the transitory nature of all phenomena) gives us one basis term benefits and shortcomings we find that in the long run they are
for the possibility of transforming our minds. destructive and harmful; they cannot be supported by reason or insight.
The moment the light of intelligence shines on destructive emotions,
The second premise for the possibility of transforming our minds is they no longer have any support.
again one that we can perceive in the reality of the external physical There are other types of emotion, however, that may seem a bit dis-
world, where we see that certain things are in conflict with others. We turbing at the time but actually have long-term benefits, and are, there-
can call this the law of contradiction. For example, heat and cold, dark- fore, reinforced by reason and insight, supported by intelligence.
10 ILLUMINATING THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT GENERAL INTRODUCTION 11
Therefore, positive emotions are ultimately more powerful than negative You cannot maintain a point of view simply because you like it or
ones because their potential for development is greater. because it accords with your preset metaphysical or emotional preju-
These two premises the laws of impermanence and contradic- dices. If your view of reality is based simply on fantasy or conjecture,
tion allow us to see the possibility of bringing about transformation there will be no possibility of your being able to cultivate that view to
within ourselves. an infinite level.
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