Contemplation on the Body

Week of Nov 28, 2004 – Contemplation on the Body

It is written in the Mahasatipatthana Sutra:

Then the Bhagava said:

Bhikkhus, this is the one and the only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the cessation of physical and mental pain, for attainment of the Noble Paths and for the realization of Nibbana. That (only way) is the four satipatthanas .

What are these four? Here (in this teaching), bhikkhus, a bhikkhu (i.e. a disciple) dwells perceiving again and again the body just the body (not mine, not I, not self, but just a phenomenon) with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again feelings as just feelings (not mine, not I, not self but just as phenomena) with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind (not mine, not I, not self but just a phenomenon) with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again dhammas as just dhammas (not mine, not I, not self but just as phenomena) with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world.

It is emphasized here that body, feeling, mind and dharmas should be perceived again and again with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world. So much suffering occurs due to the wrongful perceptions of the body, feelings, mind and dharmas. Thus the first of the 37 Aids begins with the contemplation of the body.

In the Theravada tradition, the first base of Mindfulness is - Contemplation on the Body (as Body).

In the Mahayana tradition, the first base is elaborated as - Contemplation on the Body as Impure.

In the Mahasatipatthana Sutra, Contemplation on the Body is further divided into six sections. They are:

1) Section on In and Out Breathing
2) Section on Postures
3) Section on Clear Understanding
4) Section on Contemplation of Impurities
5) Section on Contemplation of Elements
6) Section on Nine Stages of Corpses

One way of practice is to follow these six sections and to learn them one by one. Another way of practice is to diligently perceive the body with clear understanding and mindfulness. All of us have lived with our body all of our lives. How much do we know about our body? Understand its needs? Listen to its calls? Are able to realize its full potential? The body is something physical that you own and if you cannot treat it with understanding and consideration, how will you be able to influence or control things that are more external and out of your control like your family and your career? Be good and gentle to your body; it is your best companion that has carried you through all your ups and downs, supported you all along and sustained all of your happiness and sorrow. Unfortunately, however, most of us either abuse our body with stress and overwork or spoil our body with non-essential greed and desires.

Are you eating according to what your body needs? Or you are eating because the food is too tempting, it is dinnertime, or you are depressed? Are you sleeping according to what your body needs, or just because it is bedtime, the doctors or specialists said we need to sleep so much a day, or are you simply lazy? Do you listen to your body? Can you distinguish between what is essential and what is self-indulgence? Do you know the full ability of your body? Are you able to contemplate the four elements that make up your body? Are you truly thankful for your body, or are you taking your body for granted till it becomes sick or death arrives? Investigate!

As always, we start with something that is physical and close – our body – and work our way up. In our meditation we isolate most of the variables and put ourselves in a quiet, steady state so that we can put our concentration and energy into clearly understanding our body, then our feelings, then our mind, and finally the dharma; in other words, into clearly understanding our existence, our five skandhas, our lives and the Truth.

Do not suppose that meditation is so simple that it is about just sitting and breathing. On the other hand, meditation is as simple as just sitting and breathing? Do not use your brain to think of the answers to all these questions. Use your life to realize the answers instead! Joyful meditation!