PureInsight | May 17, 2026
[PureInsight.org] “Overnight, a rosy youthful face becomes the teeth of old age; in but a moment, white hair replaces the locks of childhood. How many sorrows has one life held? If not dissolved at the gate of emptiness, where else can they fade?”
This is from “Lament for White Hair” by the Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei, likely written in his later years. Only one who has personally endured the vicissitudes of time can express such deep and genuine sorrow.
“Overnight, a rosy youthful face becomes the teeth of old age; in but a moment, white hair replaces the locks of childhood.” Yesterday one was still young and vibrant; in the blink of an eye, old age has arrived — features fading, teeth loosening, hair turning white. A head of dark hair seems to be frosted with age in an instant. The transformations of life are so swift and unrelenting.
Such realizations are difficult for those not yet in old age to fully grasp. Only when looking back from life’s twilight do past moments appear vividly, as if they happened yesterday. In later years, people often find present events growing hazy, while memories of the past become ever clearer—as though time flows backward, even as life itself quietly slips away.
“How many sorrows has one life held? If not dissolved at the gate of emptiness, where else can they fade?” As the years settle, a lifetime of grievances and joys alike comes to the surface. Only then does one understand: if one does not seek release through the “gate of emptiness,” where else can the burdens of the heart be resolved? The poet thus realizes that much of life’s suffering comes from attachment—to fame, gain, love, and resentment. Once these are let go, countless troubles may dissolve on their own.
Looking back through history, many accomplished individuals, in their pursuit of understanding the nature of the world, have turned toward contemplation of higher truths. Figures such as Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton, beyond their scientific achievements, also held deep reverence and curiosity about the universe and ultimate truth. This shift—from the rational to the metaphysical—reveals that human knowledge has its limits, while the quest for higher truth never ceases.
History also offers many examples of renowned individuals who turned toward religion, becoming lay practitioners or believers. This is not an escape from reality, but rather a search, at a deeper level, for inner peace and the source of wisdom.
Wang Wei himself was both a celebrated poet and a lay Buddhist, and in his later years he drew even closer to the Buddhist path. From life’s brevity and the impermanence of rise and decline, he came to understand the importance of spiritual cultivation, strengthening his resolve toward the Dao.
Such reflections are not uncommon in real life. Old acquaintances once radiant and full of life, when seen again after only a few years, may already be gray-haired, afflicted by illness, or even gone from this world. Only then does one realize that life is like a dream—fleeting and vanishing in an instant.
From this perspective, the brevity and impermanence of life serve as the most profound reminder: within our limited time, we should reflect on what is truly worth pursuing. Only by understanding where we are ultimately headed can we avoid wasting this life.
Now that DaFa is being spread, people have the opportunity to obtain the Fa and return to their true origin. Why, then, do so many still remain unaware?
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/302074
