--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To put it concisely, we suffer when we…" description: "\"To put it concisely, we suffer when we resist the noble and irrefutable truth of impermanence and death.\" — Pema Chodron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/pema-ch-dr-n-327_death_to-put-it-concisely-we-suffer-when-we-re_2228080.png" --- # To put it concisely, we suffer when we resist the noble… ![“To put it concisely, we suffer when we resist the noble and irrefutable truth of impermanence and death.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/pema-ch-dr-n-327_death_to-put-it-concisely-we-suffer-when-we-re_2228080.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/pema-ch-dr-n-327_death_to-put-it-concisely-we-suffer-when-we-re_2228080.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/pema-ch-dr-n-327_death_to-put-it-concisely-we-suffer-when-we-re_2228080.png) > “To put it concisely, we suffer when we resist the noble and irrefutable truth of impermanence and death.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resisting impermanence and death causes suffering; acceptance brings peace. **In simple terms:** Resisting change causes pain. Key Takeaway Accept change and mortality. Themes impermanence death acceptance Mood calm reflective Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - spiritual practice - daily mindfulness Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What truths about change can you embrace? - How does acceptance reduce suffering? A Different Perspective May be hard to apply in crisis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Impermanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impermanence/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Meditation is a vehicle for opening to the truth of this impermanence on deeper and deeper levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/meditation-is-a-vehicle-for-opening-to-the-truth-of-this-impermanence/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“The Buddha told his disciple Ananda to see impermanence, to see death with every breath. We must know death; we must die in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/the-buddha-told-his-disciple-ananda-to-see-impermanence-to-see-death/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Impermanence is a principle of harmony. When we don't struggle against it, we are in harmony with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/impermanence-is-a-principle-of-harmony-when-we-don-t-struggle-against/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The third noble truth says that the cessation of suffering is letting go of holding on to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-third-noble-truth-says-that-the-cessation-of-suffering-is-letting/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“I thought more and more about impermanence and death - not in the form of a depressing nihilism, but as a contemplation on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bowen/i-thought-more-and-more-about-impermanence-and-death-not-in-the-form/) Andrew Bowen > [How keen everyone is to make this world their home forgetting its impermanence It's like trying to see and name constellations in a fireworks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/how-keen-everyone-is-to-make-this-world-their-home-forgetting-its/) [Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/) > [“All systems, whether religious, philosophical, or scientific, are simply human constructions that express a psychological need for stability and control that protects us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-aho/all-systems-whether-religious-philosophical-or-scientific-are-simply/) Kevin Aho > [In the face of impermanence, if your next thought is good, this is what we call the realization body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-porter/in-the-face-of-impermanence-if-your-next-thought-is-good-this-is-what/) [Bill Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-porter/) > [Life is impermanent and in the face of that impermanence, cavort! 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And the permanence of the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/leaving-the-people-and-places-you-love-is-a-reminder-of-the/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [If you have the insight of non-self, if you have the insight of impermanence, you should make that insight into a concentration that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-have-the-insight-of-non-self-if-you-have-the-insight-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will garden on the double run, my rhythm obvious in the ringing rakes, and trust in fate to keep me poor and kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hugo/i-will-garden-on-the-double-run-my-rhythm-obvious-in-the-ringing/) [Richard Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hugo/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Realizing that I can't control or change the impermanence of things in human life is daunting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/realizing-that-i-can-t-control-or-change-the-impermanence-of-things/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [“Change is the very nature of Nature. if there's one thing that doesn't change, it is the fact that everything changes. In the Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/change-is-the-very-nature-of-nature-if-there-s-one-thing-that-doesn-t/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. 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Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. 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You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. 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