As we know, not only consciousness is a conditioned thing or sankhata but also it is impermanent, temporal or kalika. The term temporality is used to connote the fact of change as well as the subjective experience of temporaity, temporal continuity or momentariness. According to Buddhism, consciousness is not only momentary but it is also the material object, which perpetually changes every moment. This conception is under the law of common characteristics, and consequently the Buddhists do not regard time [ kala ] as an all - pervading principle, which governs everything. Buddhism regard that universal time is a mere concept and has no objective existence. Time is eventuating or happening, no such thing as time exempt from events.
According to Buddhist philosophy, the concept of time is immaterial and is a succession of the events. It is said that the division of time into past, present, and future is only conventional without any basis of reality. There is no ontological basis for the time distinctions. The past and the future have no existence. Only the present has existence. If Buddhist grant existence to the past and the future, then they have to admit that thing has existence all the time, that means its existence is extend to both the past and the future. This would amount to admitting that the thing is eternal. Such a position would be inconsistent with the Law of Common characteristics.
According the Buddha, the present exists in the sense of becoming [ bhava ]. For the Buddhist, the present alone is real, the past and the future are unreal. It is necessary to mention here that by the term " present [ pacuppanna ]" it means the " momentary present [ khanapaccuppanna ]". For example, the moment of consciousness, which reaches genesis, development and dissolution is the momentary present. It is said in the Visudhimagga.
" Just as a chariot wheel, when it is rolling, roll only on one point of [ the circumference ] its tyre, and when it at rest, rest only on one point, so too the life of living beings lasts only for a single conscious moment. When that consciousness has ceased, the being is said to have ceased..."
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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