Question: “This is silly, but I’m reading all about impermanence, especially with life, so I’m wondering why do people cure illnesses if they’re going to die no matter what? At least from the Buddhist point of view.”
Life is ridiculously impermanent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it! After all, if you don’t care about getting well if you’re sick, or getting old enough to read and comprehend, or enjoying the joys and chaosness that is life, how are you going to become enlightened?
Buddha never said don’t enjoy life. On the contrary, he said do what makes you happy, just don’t attach to them and don’t overindulge. As Buddhists, we would want to do everything in our power to cure illnesses, to give everyone longevity, and to do everything we can to lessen the suffering of others. Life and everything and everyone in it is impermanent, okay, whatever. But life and everything and everyone in it are also the tools towards achieving Buddhahood. Without the interdependence of everything and everyone around us, we will never be able to achieve our ultimate goal.
Meditation on and truly understanding impermanence is extremely important, because when the time of you or someone you love’s death is near, it will help you cope and will not affect you as much because you have a strong understanding that death is inevitable regardless of our efforts to be immortal. However, trying too hard to grasp the concept or trying to over-understand it will only confuse you more. Take subtle steps, even if you don’t notice them, and when the time comes, that’s when all your practice and understanding will come into play.
A simple impermanence practice I regularly do is meditating on death. I meditate on the death of my parents, siblings, family, friends, co-workers, strangers, and all sentient beings. I won’t lie, done properly, this meditation is a tear-jerker. Not only is it an important and powerful meditation on death and impermanence, but it is also a reminder of the beauty we do have in the world and that we should enjoy it before it finally ages, gets sick, and dies.
Smile and be well!