Essence Of The Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks On Impermanence《佛说无常经》之精华

【释迦牟尼佛】: 老病死于诸世间实不可爱、实不光泽、实不可念、实不称意。若…… 世间无者，如来…… 不出于世，为诸众生说所证法及调伏事。……

[Śākyamuni Buddha]: Ageing, sickness and death, in all worlds, are truly not lovable, truly not lustrous, truly not longed for, and truly not those matching intentions. If… this world is without those, the Thus Come One… will not appear in this world, for all sentient beings, to speak that realised Dharma and taming practices…

外事庄彩咸归坏，
内身衰变亦同然，
唯有胜法不灭亡，
诸有智人应善察。

External things adorned and splendid will all return to disintegration, with one’s own body weakening and degenerating, likewise the same thus, there is only the supreme Dharma that is not destructible, that all persons who have wisdom should well observe.

此老病死皆共嫌，
形仪丑恶极可厌，
少年容貌暂时住，
不久咸悉见枯羸。

This ageing, sickness and death are all together disliked, with forms and appearances ugly and repulsive, extremely loathsome, while youthful countenances temporarily abiding, will not long all become haggard and frail.

假使寿命满百年，
终归不免无常逼，
老病死苦常随逐，
恒与众生作无利。

Even if lifespan fills a hundred years, in the end unavoidably by impermanence compelled, with ageing, sickness and death’s sufferings always attached and following, constantly for sentient beings acting without benefits.