When those who are wise dwell in contemplation
on the transient nature of the body-mind,
and of all conditioned existence,
they experience joy and delight
seeing through to the inherently secure.
Dhammapada v. 374
All the Buddha's teachings are pointing to that which is unchanging, undying, inherently satisfactory. We dwell in contemplation on the changing, dying, unsatisfactory nature of conditioned existence to wake us up from the dream we live in. In our dream world we believe that attaching to things as if they were ultimate will make us happy. The Buddha with his ready access to the unconditioned reality knew that clinging to any aspect of conditioned reality was a direct route to disappointment. And he didn't teach this so we would create a philosophy about how unreliable and regrettable everything is. He lived in this world as we do but didn't suffer and go on about how sad it all is. Life can seem sad and regrettable so long as we are identified as the body-mind. The Buddha's identity was undefinable because he didn't cling to anything and his happiness was unshakeable because it didn't depend on anything.
With Metta,
Bhikkhu Munindo
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