Visualising the impermanence and fleeting nature of life

SN 1.3 Upanīyasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

At Sāvatthī.

Standing to one side, that deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“This life, so very short, is led onward;
one led on to old age has no shelter.
Seeing this peril in death,
do good deeds that bring you to joy.”
“This life, so very short, is led onward;
one led on to old age has no shelter.
Seeing this peril in death,
a seeker of peace would drop the world’s bait.”

SN 1.51 Jarāsutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

“What’s still good in old age?
What’s good when grounded?
What is people’s treasure?
What’s hard for thieves to take?”

“Ethics are still good in old age.
Faith is good when grounded.
Wisdom is people’s treasure.
Merit’s hard for thieves to take.”

SN 3.3 Jarāmaraṇasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, “Sir, for someone who has been reborn, is there any exemption from old age and death?”

“Great king, for someone who has been reborn, there’s no exemption from old age and death. Even for well-to-do aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain—when they’re born, there’s no exemption from old age and death. Even for mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—their bodies are liable to break up and be laid to rest.”

That is what the Buddha said. …

“The fancy chariots of kings wear out,
and this body too gets old.
But goodness never gets old:
so the true and the good proclaim.”

The Buddha is sharing to drop the world’s bait as life is very short, and guides to do good deeds that brings one to joy.

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