Contemplation On Own Body
1
When the serious meditator is trying to concentrate on his breath or at some point in his body, he may fail to do so. He may miss recognizing his body positions. He may go on meditate without full understanding of what are hapening inside and around him.
This has to happen because of the characteristic of Tanha or craving. This is human character. We have been looking for what we want since we were born. Even though we did not understand fully what were happening at our own birth, we had to cry because we were looking for breath cravingly.
The first breath was gone. There was a sudden change and this could not resist and we had to cry. Then still for a while. Next cry came when there was something which was in need. That crying baby was satisfied with his mom's breast-feed. We were moved here and there and as the environment changed, we had to cry because of difference in the temperature and so on. This again was satisfied by wrapping and so on.
Throughout maturition, we have learned to look for things that we want cravingly. Before the age of 7 this happens in nearly all children. If a special maturition does not arise, this will go on and on and clinging binds us with sensual things all the time.
This effect of craving and clinging is carried along all the time unnoticed. When we experienced our mind and its hostility at our first meditation activity, we could not resist the movement of the mind as it is looking for the things it wants cravingly. So, not getting the right concentration at earlier attempts is quite understandable.
However, we need to fight against this powerful mental enemy ' craving '. When in sitting in meditation, beginners may find their mind frequently follows sensual pleasure. This is the habit of our own mind. It has to be tamed well through Bhavana or mental cultivation.
Sometimes quite a wild mind arises through sensual thinking. To tranquilize down these thoughts, we have to contemplate on our own body. When we contemplate on our own body, watching of breath, watching of body position, watching of all activities have to be suspended for a while. There are different ways of contemplation on our own body.
May you all practise Kayanupassana Satipatthana ( contemplation on body ).
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2
When the Dhamma practitioner is striving in his Mahasatipatthana practise, he may be distracted frequently. As soon as he gets concentration, enemies arise. This enemies ( Mara ) have to arise to destroy all the concentration that have been achieved to prevent achieving of higher Nana ( wisdom ).
These hindrances are sensual thoughts, evil thoughts or hatred-thoughts, distracted thoughts-repentent thoughts, sloth and torpor, and indicisive thoughts or suspicions in the present practice whether the practice is genuine and really help get through the Samsara or help freeing all sufferings or not.
Even though all five hindrances equally hinder the practitioner, sensual thoughts make the worst as it is linked with Tahna, Samudaya, Upadana and craving. All these are strong unwholesome dhamma and they always expand the Samsara. Even the whole practice may be abandoned if the enemies are strong enough in their strength.
To crack down all these sensual thoughts, sex thoughts, pleasure thoughts, it is advisable to contemplate on own body. There are different methods of contemplation on own body. One of them is to contemplate on each part of the body. This comes out as Kayagatasati which is one of ten Anussati Kammatthana.
Our body is nothing but just a collection of parts as in case of a bike which is fitted by using different parts like frame, pedals, handle,bell, gears, chain,lock, brake, tyres, spokes, seat, lights and so on.
The whole body is actually covered with skin. But the skin again is modified at some areas. On the head there is a collection of hair. Hair in isolation is to be disgusted and nothing to be attached ( leave that for mad people who need particular medication ). There are other body hairs like nose hairs,mouthstache, beard, arm-pit hairs, chest hairs, pubic hairs and others. All these in isolation are to be disgusted and nothing to be attached.
At the end of fingers and toes are nails. A collection of nails are disgusting. Teeth, some loose, some broken, some discoloured and teeth are actually disgusting. Once a man was smiled by a lady. He saw her teeth. He contemplated that it was just bone ( Atthika or corpse meditation of skeleton ) and he attained a wisdom. Dentures are to be disgusted if they are seen.
The skin is the covering sheet. The core is skeleton which is made up of different bones, inside of which is marrows. Marrow and bones are to be disgusted. Some related bones are binded together by ligments and sinews. That skeleton is covered by flesh. If human flesh is seen, the viewer will be sick. There are crushed flesh at accident sites.
In side the breast bone is the heart. The heart in isolation is nothing but disgusting and will be sick if see such scene. Besides are lungs which are also disgusting. The chest and tummy is boardered by a muscle( flesh ) called diaphragm. Under it, lies the liver. This is a disgusting organ. In the tummy are spleen, intestines, kidneys, mesentry, gorge, feces in rectum, bile in gall bladder and these organs are bounded by membranes. All are really disgusting.
In the skull box is the brain, in isolation of which is very sickling and disgusting. There is nothing to be attached regarding the body. Moreover, there are phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, solid fat, liquit fat, tear, saliva, mucus, synovial fluid in joints and urine all of which are disgusting.
This contemplation shoud be practised frequently. When each part has been contemplated then the origional breath concentration should be resumed as the object of meditation.
May you all well control your sensual thoughts.
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3
The Dhamma practitioner has been practising Mahasatipatthana. At time, he practises on his own body. He sees his body parts and contemplates on each in turn. He becomes realized that there is nothing to be attached to his own body.
When he is not attached to his own body, there is no way to become attached to others' body. In real term, there are just Rupa ( material ) and Nama ( mind ). In these matters, Citta and Cetasikas ( mental factor) are sometimes inconspicuous and very hard to see or realize their existence. For example existence of Vicara, Manasikara.
Rupa ( material ) on the other hand is readily recognizable. Rupa is so vivid and recognizable that some totally believe in materiality. They do not accept Citta, Cetasika and so on. They will think that mind is just an output of the brain activities.
Anyway, as Rupa or material is readily recognizable, it will be very helpful to view on Rupa. As the meditator is practising Mahasatipatthana, there is no need to go and search for Rupa as his body is made up of Rupa.
Then he starts to contemplate on his own body. He recognizes that his body is made up of different body parts. These body parts again are made up of subconstituents and they all are finally four Mahabhuta Rupa or 4 basic elements.
This method of meditation is also known as Dhatumanasikara. Dhatu is element. Mana is mind and Manasikara is attention. So Dhatumanasikara is attention on elements of own body. This Kammatthana is also known as Catudhatuvavatthana that is contemplation of 4 elements.
May you all contemplate on your own body.
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4
The Dhamma practitioner is striving to get through the Samsara. He has been practising formal sitting meditation for an hour mainly concentrating on his own breath. After an hour, he changes his meditation to another type, walking meditation.
Walking meditation is good for maturation of wisdom as it is already supported by a good effort that is Viriya. He recognizes everything whenever they arise at their respective sense door.
At some time he tries to sit again and practise sitting meditation. Actually meditation is not that easy as you read through the post (01) to (11) of 'How To Get Through The Samsara '.
So the meditator starts to contemplate on his own body. First he has been contemplating on each part of body as disgusting things. This contemplation helps the meditator in striking down sensual thoughts.
Another method of contemplation on own body is grouping of elements. Actually there is no body, no one. When he contemplates on his own body, he does not find anyone or any life or anything like that.
Hair, hairs, nail, skin... these are earth element. Flesh, sinew, heart, kidneys etc etc are earth element. Tear, urine, blood, pus, bile etc etc are water element. Inside of lungs, inside of intestine, inside of stomach etc etc are wind element. There also is fire element in the body and it passes and spread all over in tissues and the whole body.
There is nothing to be attached and the whole body is just combination of earth element, water element, wind element, and fire element. When he is contemplating on elements, there is no time to step on sensual thoughts. And the contemplator cannot go on hatred or other bad thoughts.
May you all be free from bad thoughts.
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5
There is a way how to get through the Samsara or wheel of life. To get through the Samsara, one who wants such an achievement needs to practise special contemplation on own body, contemplation of any feeling whenever arise, contemplation on own mind and contemplation on Dhamma.
As described in the related posts, the Dhamma practitioner has been striving to achieve a state. Dhamma is so good that even though the final goal has not been achieved, there always is a good output from practising Dhamma at every stage at every step and achievement is there all the time since practising Dhamma.
First, the practitioner contemplates on his own breath. He knows everything connected with his own breath. This means he knows when the breath is long as long and short as when short and he calms down all the process of breathing with special contemplation along with great mindfulness.
Human is made up of parts of body and they do need balance and nutrition. As the practitioner knows this, he frequently changes his body position say about an hour. He knows whenever he changes the position. He knows his body position.
He knows his changing of body positions. Moreover, he knows all the process of changing at his bodily environments. This means that he knows going forward as going forward and back as back. He knows looking straight ahead as he looks straight ahead and if else where as looking else where.
He also knows all the body process of changing like changes in the process of dressing, carrying something, eating, drinking, chewing, savouring, urinating, defecating, walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking, and even when he is silent, he contemplates that he is silent. He has full understanding on what is happening at his own body.
If this happens to individual, there is no problem and what he needs to do is just continue his practice steadfastly and this finally say about 7 years will lead him to enlightenment. Let alone 7 years, 6,5,4,3,2, or 1 year may suffice. Let alone 1 year, 7 months may suffice to be enlightenment. Let alone 7 months, 6,5,4,3,2,1, or even 14 days may suffice to be enlightened provided he is in real practice and not just thinking and reasoning.
This is so hard even though easy to read them up. First try to sit for a complete hour. There will arise a lot of problems. Mind does not stay still. It is moving all the time. Mind is mixed with Moha, Lobha, Dosa and so on. Even 2 minutes may make the sitting meditator shattered and put him into a disaster. But with practice this can be overcome.
Mind is moving all the time. Sometimes, it does not obey intended direction and frequently fall on sensual thinking and sensual thoughts become prevailed. This may go unnoticed and unchecked and realized only after a long period. To crack down this, another contemplation on own body has to practised. It is focusing on 32 body parts.
After some time, sensual thughts are a bit settled down under the command of Patikulamanasikara or contemplation on 32 body parts or Kayagatasati Anussati Kammatthana. At another time, the practitioner contemplates on his own body focusing on 4 elements as there is nothing but 4 elements.
When we die, our body is just a corpse. If we died today, it would become a corpse today. All people know that one day we will definitely die. The Dhamma practitioner knows this as well. He is going to contemplate on his potential corpse soon.
May you all be able to contemplate on your own body.
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6
The Dhamma practitioner has been striving his Mahasatipatthana( meditation ) practice diligently. He has practised breathing meditation in detail. He has meditated on his body positions. He also has meditated on all his bodily movements. He has contemplated on each of 32 parts of his body. He has contemplated on basic four elements of his own body.
He is still striving to attain a special wisdom. Now he realises that he is made up of body and mind. He is made up of Nama and Rupa. Nama or mind has to depend on Rupa ( body ). When the body does not admit this, when his Kamma does not admit him to stay any longer, when both body and Kamma do not allow him to stay in his very present life or even before the end of his present bodily life and Kamma life when he is no more allowed to stay in his very present life, Nama or mind does not have a chance to stay any more moment on the present body.
If so, the left body will be just a corpse. This will happen surely at some time in his life. This is universal and all beings have to face one day. This kind of contemplation is a form of repeatitive contemplation called Anussati Kammatthana ( contemplating meditation ). As it is related to death, it is called Marana Anussati or death contemplation.
The practitioner is contemplating on death. It is quite possible that one day he will definitely die. All his ancestors have died and they all left their respective bodies. When mind can no more stay on its co-existing body then the body is just a corpse. It will be like a log thrown on roadside, in forest, in jungle, and etc.
When the corpse is a day or two or three days old, the body parts become swollen, become blueish, bloated, and festering as there are many reactions inside of that corpse and this is called Utuja Rupa. That corpse is not to be attached and no one will occupy that swollen corpse.
After 3 days onward, the corpse will be bitten and nicked by crows, hawks, vultures, herons, dogs, tigers, leopards, jackals, worms etc etc. They will eat away the parts they like and the corpse will be thrown into a disfigured corpse with unidentifiable identity.
As all the flesh of corpse has been eaten away, there left little flesh. The whole corpse is like just a skeleton. But that skeleton has some flesh and there is blood stick to some bones and some flesh.
After that the corpse will not have any flesh and the whole corpse will be just a collection of bones fitted into a recognizable as human skeleton. But in that skeleton there is some blood smeared here and there as a remanant.
After that stage the corpse will be seen as just a human skeleton and that skeleton is as dry as stone and there is no trace of blood and the whole skeleton is completely dry.
In due course, the corpse becomes just loose bones and the bones are scattered here and there and there is just some recognition as human bones or may not be recognized as human bones.
After that, the corpse is just scattered bones and the bones become white and dry. This happens on the corpse and after a year the bones become just bones and they start to decay.
They become rotten, disintegrate and become just dust and finally there is nothing but dust and just Rupa that is four basis elements. In this way, the meditator contemplate on death and contemplate on his own body as potential corpse.
There is nothing to be attached to own body as own or self identity or anything like that but just body and just Rupa.
May you all be able to contemplate on your own body as a corpse.
With Unlimited Metta,
Htoo Naing
Topic: Kasina, Jhana, Nibbana with Htoo Naing (Read 16446 times)