Watching the breath or counting the breath is, in fact, contemplating impermanence. Breath, body movement, and numbers: all continuously change from moment to moment. Thoughts, as much as anything else, continuously arise and perish. The idea of self is generated by thoughts; or rather, from attachment to thought. How do we attach to thoughts? We identify with our opinions and defend them, for instance. But tomorrow our opinions and point of view will change.


Excerpted from "Subtle Wisdom" by Sheng-yen