The Five Remembrances
The Buddha advised us not to hold a false or imaginary view of life but to embrace the true nature of our human experience. "When you deny the reality of life, you appreciate it less," says Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. "Meditate on the Buddha’s Five Remembrances and rediscover the magic of life just as it is.”
- I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
- I am of the nature to become sick. There is no way to escape being sick.
- I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
I inherit the results of my actions of body, speech, and mind. My actions are the ground on which I stand. My actions are my continuation.