Once again, the Buddha puts his finger on it

Image by Wonderlane via Flickr

Once again, the Buddha puts his finger on it. As he is said to have said, as recorded in the Upajjhatthana_Sutta:

I am of the nature to grow old.
There is no way to escape growing old.

I am of the nature to have ill heath.
There is no way to escape having ill health.

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 of change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.

My deeds are my closest companions.
I am the beneficiary of my deeds.
My deeds are the ground on which I stand.