The Cup Is Already Broken

The Buddha told his student, ‘Every morning I drink from my favorite teacup. I hold it in my hands and feel the warmth of the cup from the hot liquid it contains. I breathe in the aroma of my tea and enjoy my mornings in this way. But in my mind the teacup is already broken.’

Like The Buddha’s teacup, your hard drive has already failed. That file will already no longer open. That software is already obsolete. That hardware is already dead.

If one accepts that the hard drive is already failed, perhaps they will backup right now to prepare. Perhaps one will choose the file types they use carefully in order to assure the greatest longevity. Perhaps they will choose software that has stood the test of time. Perhaps they will choose hardware that is easy to maintain, repair, or replace.

The fact is that there is inherent impermanence in all things. That recognizing this impermanence helps us alleviate the suffering that comes from loss — for loss is inevitable. 

All we can do is accept and prepare for it.