Contents – The brevity of life, the certainty of death, living meaningfully within the short span of life, abandoning evil and unwholesome actions, the uncertainty of existence, nurturing life with virtues despite its end in death, living joyfully, appreciating peace, and finding contentment with what one has.
Discover the Buddhist perspective on the shortness of life, impermanence, and mindfulness. Learn how to live meaningfully by embracing the teachings of the Buddha.
Introduction
Even if someone harms us—be it a thief, an enemy, or anyone who commits evil—that harm is far less destructive than the damage caused by our own corrupted mind steeped in the ten unwholesome deeds. Human life in this world is extremely short. Life exists only for a brief moment in time, and within this short span, human beings are constantly subjected to suffering. Life is full of sorrow and hardship. That is why, even for a brief moment, one should live with the Dhamma and cultivate wholesome qualities. This eternal teaching must be understood with wisdom.
No one who is born can escape death. One day or another, death is certain.
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The Dark Side of Life
Every person must recognize that they are mortal. Those who fail to accept the truth of death and instead attempt to cling to life forever end up engaging in delusion. This delusion is where the ten unwholesome actions thrive—killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, harsh speech, divisive speech, idle gossip, greed, hatred, jealousy, pride, and cruelty. Such actions only fill this brief life with greater suffering, ending finally in death.
Some believe that death is the end of everything. Buddhism, however, teaches that the wholesome deeds done in this life lead to a fortunate rebirth, while unwholesome deeds result in great suffering and rebirth in the four woeful states.
Learn more:
· BBC: What Buddhists Believe Happens After Death
· Tricycle: What Do Buddhists Believe Happens After Death?
Living Meaningfully in a Short Life
No matter where you live, what language you speak, or what religion you follow, none of these prevent you from living a virtuous, moral, and disciplined life. Instead of wasting life on the ten unwholesome deeds, one can cultivate the ten wholesome actions. By doing so, one may attain peace and even face death calmly.
Whenever possible, one should practice generosity, morality, and meditation—the threefold merit-making. Observing the Eight or Ten Precepts helps restrain the mind from evil. Sharing Dhamma with others helps them gain wisdom too. This is not merely a religion, but a philosophical path toward liberation.
The Brevity of Life
Life is uncertain. No one knows when, where, or how death will occur. More destructive than enemies or disasters are the inner defilements—greed, hatred, delusion, jealousy, conceit—that consume our short existence. Therefore, every moment should be used to cultivate virtue and maintain morality, rather than wasting time on disputes and divisions.
The Araka Sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya beautifully illustrates this reality. The Buddha recalled how the sage Araka once preached to thousands of disciples, reminding them that human life is short, full of suffering, and uncertain, urging them to live even a brief moment wisely and cultivate virtue.
Araka used many similes to describe life:
· Like a dewdrop on a blade of grass, vanishing in the morning sun.
· Like a water bubble on the surface of a pond, bursting instantly.
· Like a line drawn on water, disappearing as soon as it is made.
· Like a swift river, never pausing but flowing toward the sea—just as life flows ceaselessly toward death.
· Like a lump of flesh on a hot iron plate, quickly burning away.
· Like cattle being led to slaughter, each step drawing them closer to death—so too, each step in life brings us nearer to our end.
All these images remind us that life is fleeting and fragile, urging us to live virtuously.
the fleeting nature of life.
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The Human Time Cycle
Consider the lifespan of a hundred years:
· A person lives through 300 seasons (100 winters, 100 summers, 100 rainy seasons).
· This equals 1,200 months.
· Or 2,400 half-months (fortnights).
· Or 36,000 days and nights.
· Within that, roughly 84,000 meals are consumed.
From this, we can see how brief life really is. Half of it is spent in sleep, and much of the rest in trivial pursuits. When we reflect on how few meals we have left to eat, we may realize the futility of killing, stealing, lying, or engaging in hatred and greed just for temporary survival.
Conclusion
Each day, each moment, is precious. Instead of wasting this short life on quarrels, jealousy, or violence, we should cultivate the ten wholesome actions and gather merit. The Dhamma advises us to live wisely, to let go of evil, and to fill our fleeting lives with goodness, generosity, and peace.
Source: Araka Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya, Sattaka Nipata
2. Impermanence in Buddhism: Lessons on Life’s Shortness
3. Why Life is Short – Buddhist Teachings on Impermanence
4. Buddhism and Life’s Fragility: Living with Awareness
5. The Shortness of Life According to Buddhism – Mindfulness Insights
6. Embracing Impermanence: Buddhist Wisdom for Daily Life
7. Buddha’s Teachings on the Shortness of Life and Mindfulness
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