Friends:
KayagataSati: Seeing the
Body as a form of matter:
Mindfulness of the
body, continually seeing it as a skeleton, hair, skin, nails, teeth, flesh,
organs and nothing else - just an ownerless filthy sack of bones,
not-me-nor-mine, but the creator of physical pain - is the easy way of
establishing continuous mindfulness of the danger of existence: Decay, Ageing &
Death!
For Inspiration have a collection of
Corpse Pictures Only for Adults
been deposited here:
http://s914.photobucket.com/albums/ac350/Asubha/
Guest Password: corpses
Good autopsy video of shot soldier here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saT13TxeF-E
Majjhima
Nikāya 119: Kayagata-Sati Sutta
Mindfulness
Focused on the Body as just a Form of mere Matter.
‘I have heard that on
one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove,
Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time a large number of Bhikkhus, after
the meal, on returning from their alms round, had gathered at the meeting hall
when this discussion arose: "Isn't it amazing, friends! Isn't it astounding! --
the extent to which mindfulness focused on the Body as a Form of Matter, when
developed & practiced, is said by the Blessed One who knows, who sees -- the
worthy one, rightly self-awakened -- to be of great fruit & great benefit." And
this discussion came to no conclusion. Then the Blessed One, emerging from his
seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the meeting hall and, on arrival, sat
down on a seat made ready. As he sat down there, he addressed the Bhikkhus: "For
what topic are you gathered together here? And what was the topic of discussion
that came to no conclusion?"
"Just now, lord, after
the meal, on returning from our alms round, we gathered at the meeting hall when
this discussion arose: 'Isn't it amazing, friends! Isn't it astounding! -- the
extent to which mindfulness focused on the body as a form of matter, when
developed & practiced, is said by the Blessed One who knows, who sees -- the
worthy one, rightly self-awakened -- to be of great fruit & great benefit.' This
was the discussion that had come to no conclusion when the Blessed One
arrived."
Then the Blessed One
said: "And how is mindfulness focused on the body as [impersonal] matter
developed, how is it practiced, undertaken & completed so as to be of great
fruit & great advantage?
Awareness gained by
Breathing.
There is the case where a
Bhikkhu -- having gone out into nature, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty
building -- sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body upright erect
and setting up mindfulness up in front. Always aware, he breathes in; always
aware he breathes out:
When inhaling long, he
notes that he inhaling long; exhaling long, he notes that he is exhaling long.
Inhaling short, he notes that he is inhaling short; exhaling short, he notes
that he is exhaling short. He trains himself to inhale aware of the entire body
and to exhale sensitive to the entire body.1
He trains himself to
inhale calming bodily construction and to exhale calming bodily construction.2
And as he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories &
motivations related to the household life are left & with their removal his mind
gathers & settles inwardly, calms down & focus into unification. This is how a
Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on the body as an ownerless form of
matter..
Noting the four
Postures.
Furthermore, when walking,
the Bhikkhu notes that he is walking. When standing, he notes that he is
standing. When sitting, he notes that he is sitting. When lying down, he notes
that he is lying down. Or however his body is disposed, that is how he notes it
so. And as he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories &
motivations related to the household life are left & with their removal his mind
gathers & settles inwardly, calms & focus into unification. This is how a
Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on the body merely as a form of matter..
[remote control bio-robot]
Clear Comprehension
of action.
Furthermore, when going
forward & returning, he makes himself fully aware, clearly comprehending the
current action; when looking toward & looking away...when bending & extending
his limbs...when carrying his robe & his bowl., when eating, drinking, chewing,
& tasting, when urinating & excreting, when walking,
standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he
makes himself fully aware of that. And as he remains thus attentive,
enthusiastic & determined, any memories & motivations related to the household
life are left & with their removal his mind gathers & settles inwardly, calms &
focus into unification. This is how a Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on
the body as an alien form of fatter..
Scanning the
Disgusting Body parts.
Furthermore, the Bhikkhu
reflects as by scanning on this very body from the soles of the feet on up, from
the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin and full of various kinds of
disgusting things3: 'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs,
nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver,
pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, feces, bile, lymph,
pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, spit, slime, fluid in the joints,
urine.' Just as if a sack with openings at both ends were full of various kinds
of grain -- wheat, rice, mung beans, kidney beans, sesame seeds, husked rice --
and a man with good eyesight, pouring it out, were to reflect, 'This is wheat.
This is rice. These are mung beans. These are kidney beans. These are sesame
seeds. This is husked rice'; in the same way, the Bhikkhu reflects on this very
body from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down,
surrounded by skin and full of various kinds of unclean disgusting things: 'In
this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons,
bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large
intestines, small intestines, feces, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears,
skin-oil, spit, slime, fluid in the joints, urine.' And as he remains thus
attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories & motivations related to the
household life are left & with their removal his mind gathers & settles
inwardly, calms & focus into unification. This is also how a Bhikkhu develops
mindfulness focused on the body simply as a complex structure of [loathsome]
material..
Analysis of
Elements.
Furthermore, the Bhikkhu
contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in
terms of elements: 'In this body there is the solid earth element (extension),
the fluid liquid element (cohesion), the fire element (heat), & the wind element
(mobility of diffusion).' Just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having
killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the Bhikkhu
contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in
terms of elements: 'In this body there is the solid earth element (extension),
the fluid liquid element (cohesion), the fire element, & the wind element
(mobility of diffusion).' And as he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic &
determined, any memories & motivations related to the household life are left &
with their removal his mind gathers & settles inwardly, calms & focus into
unification. This is too how a Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on the body
as solely a group of [exchanging] material phenomena..
The 9 Corpse
Contemplations.
Furthermore, as if he were
to see a corpse cast away in a cemetery -- one day, two days, three days dead -
bloated3, livid, putrid, rotting, stinking & festering, he applies it
to this very body; 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such
its unavoidable destiny'...
Or again, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a cemetery , picked at by
crows, vultures, & hawks, by dogs, hyenas, & various other animals...a skeleton
covered partly with flesh & blood, connected with tendons...a fleshless skeleton
smeared with blood, connected with tendons...a skeleton without flesh or blood
yet still connected with tendons... as bones detached from their tendons,
scattered in all directions -- here a hand bone, there a foot bone, here a
shinbone, there a thigh bone, here a hip bone, there a back bone, here a rib,
there a chest bone, here a shoulder bone, there a neck bone, here a jaw bone,
there a tooth, here a skull...the bones whitened, somewhat like the color of
shells...piled up, more than a year old...decomposed into a powder: He applies
it to this very body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future,
such its unavoidable destiny.' And as he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic &
determined, any memories & motivations related to the household life are left &
with their removal his mind gathers & settles inwardly, calms & focus into
unification. This is also how a Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on the body
merely as a [putrid & rotting] form of matter..
The Four Jhanas:
Furthermore, quite withdrawn
from sensual pleasures, secluded from disadvantageous mental states, he enters &
remains aloof in the first jhana: mental Joy & physical pleasure born from
withdrawal, accompanied by directed & sustained thought. He permeates &
pervades, suffuses & fills this very body with the
Joy & pleasure born from
seclusion. Just as if a skilled bath man or batman's apprentice would pour bath
powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again & again
with water, so that his ball of bath powder -- saturated, moisture- laden,
permeated within & without -- would nevertheless not drip; even so, the Bhikkhu
permeates...this very body with the Joy & pleasure born of withdrawal. There is
nothing of his entire body unpervaded by Joy & pleasure born from withdrawal.
And as he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories &
motivations related to the household life are left & with their removal his mind
gathers & settles inwardly, calms & focus into unification. This is also how a
Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on the body as a [painful restricting] form
of matter..
And furthermore, with the stilling of by directed & sustained thought, he enters
& remains in the second jhana: Joy & pleasure born of concentration, unification
of Awareness devoid of directed & sustained thought -- internal silence. He
permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills this very body with the
Joy & pleasure
born of concentration. Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from
within, having no inflow from the east, west, north, or south & with the skies
supplying no abundant showers time & again, that the cool fount of water welling
up from within the lake, from the underground would permeate & pervade, suffuse
& fill it with cool waters, there being no part of the lake unpervaded by the
cool waters; even so, the Bhikkhu permeates this entire body with the
Joy &
pleasure born of concentration. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded
by Joy & pleasure born of concentration. And as he remains thus attentive,
enthusiastic & determined, any memories & motivations related to the household
life are left & with their removal his mind gathers & settles inwardly, calms &
focus into unification. This is how a Bhikkhu develops mindfulness focused on
the body as a [deadly] form of matter..
And furthermore, with the fading of joy, he remains in equanimity, attentive &
aware, sensitive to physical pleasure. So he enters & remains in the third
jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare: 'In aware equanimity, one abides in
pleasure.' He permeates & pervades, suffuses & saturates this very body with
the bodily pleasure divested of mental joy. Just as in a lotus pond, some of the
lotuses, born & growing in the water, stay immersed in the water and flourish
without standing up out of the water, so that they are permeated & pervaded,
suffused & saturated with cool water from their roots to their tips & nothing of
those lotuses would be unpervaded with cool water; even so, the Bhikkhu
permeates...this very body with the pleasure divested of joy. There is nothing
of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of joy. And as he remains
thus attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories & motivations related to
the household life are left & with their removal his mind gathers & settles
inwardly, calms & focus into unification. This is too how a Bhikkhu develops
mindfulness focused on the body as [heavy] heaped up stuff..
And furthermore, with the removal of pleasure & pain -- as with the earlier
disappearance of Joy & distress -- he enters & remains in the fourth jhana:
purity of aware equanimity, perceiving neither pleasure nor pain. He sits,
permeating the body with a pure, bright & luminous awareness. Just as if a man
were sitting covered from head to foot with a white cloth so that there would be
no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend; even so, the
Bhikkhu sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness. There is
nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright luminous awareness. And as
he remains thus attentive, enthusiastic & determined, any memories & motivations
related to the household life are left & with their removal his mind gathers &
settles inwardly, calms & focus into unification. This is too how a Bhikkhu
develops mindfulness focused on the body as bits & pieces.
Completeness of
Mind
Bhikkhus, whoever develops &
refines Awareness focused on the body merely as a form of matter, include
whatever advantageous quality, which is part of true & direct knowledge. Just as
whoever pervades the great ocean with his Awareness encompasses whatever streams
that flow down into the ocean, likewise, whoever develops & refines
Awareness focused on the body as a form of matter, achieves whatever advantageous
state contributing to clear & direct knowing.
In whomever mindfulness Focused on the Body as a Form of Matter is not
developed, not practiced, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold! Suppose that
a man were to throw a heavy stone ball into a pile of wet clay. What do you
think, Bhikkhus, would the heavy stone ball gain entry into the pile of wet
clay? "Yes, Venerable Sir." In the same way, in whomever mindfulness focused on
the body as a form of matter is not developed, not practiced, Mara gains entry,
Mara gains a foothold.
Now, suppose that there were a dry, sapless piece of timber & a man were to come
along with an upper fire-stick, thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce
heat.' What do you think -- would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by
rubbing the upper fire-stick in the dry piece of timber?"
"Yes, Venerable Sir." Similarly, in whomever mindfulness focused on the body as
just a form of matter is not developed, not practiced, Mara gains entry, Mara
gains a foothold.
Now, suppose that there were an empty, hollow water-pot set on a stand & a man
was to come along carrying a load of water. What do you think -- would he get a
place to place his water? "Yes, Venerable Sir." Likewise, in whomever
mindfulness focused on the body as a mere form of matter is not developed, not
practiced, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.
Now, in whomever mindfulness focused on the body as just a form of matter is
developed, is practiced, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold. Suppose
that a man were to throw a ball of thread against a door panel made entirely of
hardwood. What do you think -- would that light ball of thread gain entry into
that door panel made entirely of hardwood? "No, Venerable Sir." Exactly so, in
whomever mindfulness focused on the body as just a form of matter is developed,
is practiced, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold.
Now, suppose that there were a wet, soaked & damp piece of timber & a man were
to come along with an upper fire-stick, thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll
produce heat.' What do you think -- would he be able to light a fire and produce
heat by rubbing the upper fire-stick in the wet, soaked & damp piece of timber?
"No, Venerable Sir." Even so, in whomever mindfulness focused on the body as
just a form of matter is developed, is practiced, Mara gains no entry, Mara
gains no foothold.
Now, imagine that there were a water-pot set on a stand, full of water up to the
brim so that crows could drink out of it & a man were to come along carrying a
load of water. What do you think -- would he get a place to put his water? "No,
Venerable Sir." In the same way, in whomever mindfulness focused on the body as
just a form of matter is developed, is practiced, Mara gains no entry, Mara
gains no foothold.
Opening to the
Higher Knowledges:
When anyone has developed &
refined Awareness focused on the body, then whichever of the six higher
knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them in all their
aspects for himself as an eyewitness, since their cause is provided.
Assume that there was a water jar, set on a stand, brimful of water so that a
crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to tip it in any way at all,
would water spill out? "Yes, Venerable Sir." In the same way, when anyone has
developed & practiced mindfulness Focused on the Body as a Form of Matter, then
whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he
can witness them in all their aspects for himself as an eyewitness, since their
cause is provided.
Imagine there were a rectangular water tank -- set on level ground, bounded by
dikes -- brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong man
were to destroy the dikes anywhere at all, would water flow out? "Yes, Venerable
Sir." Correspondingly, when anyone has developed & practiced mindfulness focused
on the body as a form of mere matter, then whichever of the six higher
knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself
since the suitable condition have been provided.
Imagine there were a wagon on level ground at four crossroads, yoked to
full-blooded horses, waiting with the whip lying ready, so that a skilled
driver, a trainer of tamable horses, might mount and -- taking the reins with
his left hand and the whip with his right -- drive out & back, to whatever place
& by whichever road he preferred; in exactly the same way, when anyone has
developed & practiced mindfulness focused on the body as a remote form of
matter, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know &
realize, he can witness them for himself as their basis have been provided.
Ten Advantages:
Bhikkhus, for one in whom
mindfulness focused on the body as just a form of matter is cultivated,
developed, practiced, given a means of transport, given a grounding, steadied,
consolidated, & well-undertaken, ten advantages can be expected. Which ten?
1: Painless:
One conquers pain & pleasure & pain - whether mental or physical - does not
conquer one.
One remains victoriously overcoming any pain that has arisen.
2: Fearless:
One conquers any fear, anxiety & panic & fear, anxiety & panic do not conquer
one.
One remains victoriously triumphant over any fear, anxiety & panic that have
arisen.
3: Robust:
One is resistant to cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the touch of gadflies &
mosquitoes, wind & sun & creeping things; to abusive, hurtful speech; one
becomes the sort that can endure bodily feelings that, when they arise, are
painful, sharp, stabbing, fierce, revolting, disagreeable, deadly.
4: Concentrated:
One can attain at will, easily, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhanas
-- heightened mental states providing a pleasant abiding right here & now.
5: Supra-human:
One wields manifold supernormal powers. Having been one becomes many [instant
cloning by mind-made body]; having been many one becomes single. One appears.
One vanishes. One goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, & mountains as if
through space. One dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. One walks on
water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies
through the air like a winged bird. With one’s hand hone touches & strokes even
the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. One can travel to & influence by bodily
acts even as far as the Brahma realms.
6: Divine hearing:
One hears -- by means of the divine ear-element, purified & surpassing the human
-- both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far.
7: Mind reading:
One knows the
Awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed
it with his own awareness. One recognizes a mind with passion as an impassioned
mind & a mind without passion as a dispassionate mind. One recognizes a mind with
aversion as an aversive mind & a mind without aversion as a mind without
aversion. One recognizes a mind with delusion as a confused mind & an undeluded
mind as a mind without confusion. One recognizes a contracted mind as a
restricted mind & a scattered mind as a splintered & distracted mind. One
recognizes an enlarged mind as an aloof& exalted mind & an unenlarged mind as an
average mind. One recognizes a surpassable mind as a surpassable mind & an
unsurpassable mind as an unsurpassable mind. One recognizes a concentrated mind
as a concentrated mind & an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. One
recognizes a released mind as a released mind & an unreleased mind as an
unreleased mind.
8: Remembrance of
previous lives:
One recollects his manifold past lives (lit: previous homes), i.e., one birth,
two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one
hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction,
many eons of cosmic expansion, many eons of cosmic contraction & expansion,
remembering: 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a family, had such an
appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain & such the
end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had
such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food,
such my experience of pleasure & pain & such the end of my life. Passing away
from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus one remembers his manifold past lives in
their modes & details.
9: Divine Eye:
One sees -- by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human --
beings passing away & re-appearing & he discerns how they are inferior &
superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their
kamma, their behavior: 'These beings -- who were endowed with bad conduct of
body, speech, & mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook
actions under the influence of wrong views -- with the break-up of the body,
after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination,
the lower realms, in hell. But these beings -- who were endowed with good
conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held
right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views -- with the
break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in
the heavenly world.' Thus -- by means of the Divine eye, purified & surpassing
the human -- he sees beings passing away & re-appearing & he discerns how they
are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance
with their kamma (actions).
10: Eliminating the mental fermentations:
Through the ending of the mental
fermentations, he remains in the fermentation-free release of consciousness &
release by direct knowledge, having known and made them manifest for himself
right in the here & now.
Bhikkhus, for one in
whom mindfulness focused on the body as just a form of mere matter, is thus
cultivated, developed, refined, made a vehicle, made a tool, established,
consolidated, & properly undertaken, these ten advantages can be expected…’
That is what the Buddha said.
Grateful, inspired & uplifted, the Bhikkhus were pleased with the Blessed One's
words.
Notes & Comments:
1:
“Entire Body” here has several connotations:
A: Whole body experienced
sequentially scanning all parts & furthermore in one & same sensation.
B: Both the Physical Body made of the 4 great elements: (extension, cohesion,
heat, diffusion);
& the Mental Body ‘made of’: (contact, feeling, perception, intention &
attention).
C: Whole ‘Breath Body’ which means
Awareness of the start, middle & end of the
in&exhalations.
2:”Calming
Bodily Construction” here means calming all movement of muscles, thereby also
breathing.
Calming bodily construction also includes reducing all biochemical metabolism of
sugar, protein, lipids & all other compounds. It also means slowing the
heartbeat & the deceleration of the blood flow.
It signifies the stilling of all physical or chemical processes taking place in
the body.
On the elemental level it means relaxing the extension, spreading the cohesion,
cooling the heat & slow down the diffusion.
Updated:
22 Dec 2016
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm