Often times have I heard this and even oftener have used it in some context or the other. Is there another phrase which is so apt at all times? How much does it express! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!!
Recently while watching a Julia Roberts movie, I heard this phrase for the umpteenth time. Well, this time I just felt the urge to look for it's genesis. I had known the meaning all along, but this time I wanted to know about the first time it was used and in what context. Though it seems to hold true in almost any.
Well there are a few stories that try to explicate the origin and most of them relate to King Solomon. Some say that the King once decided to humble his minister, Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, by asking him to get him a 'magical' ring which he knew never existed. When asked about the magical power, the King told Benaiah that it was a ring, seeing which a happy man becomes sad and a sad man becomes happy. The minister was in a fix now. Days passed and months. He wandered to find the ring without much success. Then one night, as he was taking a walk he passed an old shabby jeweler and decided to inquire if he had heard of such a ring, though he thought it was futile. But his luck was to change. The old guy took out a plain gold ring and engraved on it the letters, 'This Too Shall Pass' in Hebrew, and gave it to him.
The next day, to every one's surprise, Benaiah presented the ring to Solomon. And with it came to the King, the realization of the impermanence of all his might and wisdom.
So, that is one story. There are some others but the idea remains unchanged. What has come shall pass as well. The pinnacle of all accomplishments, the nadir of all defeats. The highest of all highs and the lowest of all lows, all would pass us.
When we are low, it makes sense to be an optimist and look forward to better times and work hard to get there. But what about the times of jubilation, times of success and achievement? Are we not supposed to be happy and take pride in our accomplishments? Of course we are. Everything we work on, everything we create is a piece of us and if we can't take pride in it, it's all of no use. But at the same time, there has to be a sense of "non-attachment" that we must have towards everything. Be it the work we do, be it our family, be it our friends, be it times of utmost happiness and be it the darkest dungeons of despair. All is transitory. All shall pass.
This sense of "non-attachment" if achieved could be the greatest of things. It does not stop us from going out and pursuing our ambitions and dreams, but saves us a lot of suffering. By realizing the fugacity of these things, we would not end up becoming a slave for them. Its probably much easier to sever ourselves from all earthly things and lead a monastic life. What is much more difficult is to be a part of this world and attain a sense of disengagement with all things transitory.
Buddha also recognized the same and hence his 'Five Remembrances' among other teachings include the following two:
- All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
- My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
"The fool goes on missing everything. The wise man enjoys everything. He enjoys the day and the night. He enjoys life and he enjoys death. He is a non clinger; in non clinging is bliss."
We need to be careful though in not looking at these teachings and developing a bleak outlook towards life. If anything, these teachings should help us realize their importance even more. People we love, work that makes us happy, things that we find pleasure in, they are all of paramount importance. They are all important facets of our lives. We should never shy down from enjoying these things for the fear of losing them one day, but being "non-attached" at a level would not really hurt.
So, here's hoping we can achieve this sense of "non-attachment". Hoping we succumb to neither glory nor despair !! Because everything shall one day pass !!
