Both for Anne Gregory and The Sermon at Benares confront the short-lived nature of external attributes.
In the poem, the speaker's shifting perception of Anne's beauty, from cherishing her hair and face to valuing her inner qualities, highlights the transient nature of physical appearance.
Similarly, in The Sermon at Benares, the Buddha's teachings emphasise the inevitability of death and the impermanence of life, urging listeners to recognise the fleeting nature of existence. Both texts suggest that external attributes, whether beauty or life itself, are fleeting and subject to decay, prompting contemplation of deeper truths beyond the surface.