Velama Sutta (AN 9:20) 

It would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love—even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder—than to undertake the training rules. 

It would be more fruitful to develop the perception of impermanence—even for as long as a finger-snap—than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”

https://suttacentral.net/an9.20/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

The Buddha concluded this sermon with the above stanzas. Let us recall the entire sutta in summary now. Looking back at the entire content, it is apparent that Buddha taught us the following:

1. How to make donation so that we will receive the best benefit from our action.
2. The various types of beneficiaries and how our merits differ significantly according to their caliber
3. Giving to the community of monastic practitioners is better than to an individuals
4. Building shared shelters meant for monastic co-living is better than (3)
5. Taking refuge surpasses (4)
6. It is better to practice the 5 precepts than (5)
7. It is better to have loving kindness than (6)
8. It is better to perceive impermanence in our life than (7)

Foremost, it is important for us to understand that Buddha wasn’t telling us to simply be mindful of impermanence and forget about practicing the rest. Moreover, if we examine ourselves truthfully, it will become apparent that constant perception of impermanence is impossible for most of us.

We prefer to spend our days heedlessly and the thought of impermanence can even be frightening or repulsive. Just thinking about impermanence is already uncomfortable for us, not to mention developing a perception of it. Perceiving impermanence means we obtain the wisdom to perceive everything as impermanent. This is actually, a type of wisdom!

Since we cannot do (8), we fall back to (7). Same thing, it is impossible for most of us to have loving kindness all the time. For most of us, that state of Metta comes and go. It is not an automatic positioning of our mental state.

Since we cannot do (7), we fall back or rely on (6). So on and so forth.

In this manner, it is clear that practicing Buddhism is really a relentless effort to keep on trying. We try to have a constant loving mind, and we try to have the wisdom to perceive Samsara as impermanent (A.k.a constantly changing) So we keep on fine-tuning our minds, disciplining our thoughts, and engaging in purposeful actions that lead to happiness.

A point worth noting is No.5. For many people, taking refuge is simply going through a ceremony or chanting refuge prayer, but in reality, it is more than that. To take refuge in Buddha means that we need complete faith in Nirvana. That means we will want Nirvana ourselves. Then we need complete faith in Dharma (the method to attain Nirvana). This is followed by complete faith that Dharma really works. Thus we believe in the existence of Sangha. Sangha refers to practitioners who relied on Dharma and had already experienced various results from their practice. If we really take refuge in the Triple Gems, then our every waking moment will be spent striving to attain Nirvana. That means trying to practice 7 and 8.

And if we really practice 7 and 8, we would be kind enough to give to charity! Isn’t it wonderful how every path is interlinked with one another?

Then we will want to make sure that we practice charity with the correct method to obtain the best benefit.

That concludes the exploration of this sutta

May all be well and hat is ippy.