Initially, I had no plans to expand this two-week thematic session beyond direct mentions of kāyagatāsati (mindfulness of the body), but after preparing portions of MN 10 and some of the suttas from SN 47, where we start seeing instances of kāye kāyānupassī (contemplating body in body), I thought it would be useful to bring out as much meaning as we can from this phrase by dedicating so time to it. I will be a little less formal than usual with how I present this week. Below you will find several excerpts arranged in an order that will hopefully allow the meaning to build as we read.
We are going to treat this thread as a sub-session of sorts (first installment from last week: On kāyagatāsati). While the following suttas are no doubt describing mindfulness of the body, they seem to be describing something a bit different in terms of what is being done with the recollection that is set up. The contemplation of "body in body" is on the insight end of the spectrum. One is literally thinking about what knowledge they can gather from having set up mindfulness of the body rightly. We did see that in some of the selections from last week, but most were simply emphasizing the importance of the development and what the setup is based upon, while this next batch gets into more of what can be done with it. Next week we will see how MN 119 takes mindfulness of the body in the direction of jhana prior to insight.
Thank you to those who have participated so far, and I am looking forward to further discussion. I realize I've asked a lot of the group this week and hope that those who are reading are getting something useful from this review.
Note the distinction between "establishment of mindfulness" and the "development of the establishment". Correct me if I'm wrong, but taking only this description into consideration, this seems to be saying that in order to "develop the establishment" of "body in the body", there must be contemplation of nature of origination, vanishing and both origination and vanishing. This must be done ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, i.e., after mindfulness is set up rightly, see how things are understood in that set up.SN 47.40 wrote:“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the establishment of mindfulness, and the development of the establishment of mindfulness, and the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, is the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called the establishment of mindfulness.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the development of the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of vanishing in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and vanishing in the body—ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in feelings … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in mind … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in phenomena... This is called the development of the establishment of mindfulness.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view … right concentration. This is called the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness.”
Next, we see the necessity of feeling:
The feeling is used to contemplate origination and vanishing:SN 12.37 wrote:“Bhikkhus, this body is not yours, nor does it belong to others. It is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt.
Feeling is paramount in the reflection (inseparable), the body is still the basis. Body is the pillar we saw it described as last week. Through feeling, on the basis of the body, there is the contemplation of impermanence, vanishing, fading away, cessation and relinquishment.SN 36.7 wrote:“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu mindful? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is in such a way that a bhikkhu is mindful.
“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu exercise clear comprehension? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is one who acts with clear comprehension when going forward and returning; when looking ahead and looking aside; when drawing in and extending the limbs; when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; when eating, drinking, chewing his food, and tasting; when defecating and urinating; when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, speaking, and keeping silent. It is in such a way that a bhikkhu exercises clear comprehension.
“A bhikkhu should await his time mindful and clearly comprehending. This is our instruction to you.
“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a pleasant feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a pleasant feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this very body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the pleasant feeling has arisen in dependence on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in the body and in pleasant feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to the body and in regard to pleasant feeling is abandoned by him.
“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a painful feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a painful feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the painful feeling has arisen in dependence on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent? ’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in the body and in painful feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to aversion in regard to the body and in regard to painful feeling is abandoned by him.
“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling has arisen in dependence on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in the body and in neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to the body and in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is abandoned by him.
A little something on dispassion on the basis of knowledge of the elements - this will further come out in the MN selections next week:
Would like to shift into mindfulness of breathing, which as we know is an aspect of mindfulness of the body:SN 12.61 wrote:“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it. For what reason? Because growth and decline is seen in this body composed of the four great elements, it is seen being taken up and laid aside. Therefore the uninstructed worldling might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it.
Just like we saw last week, the unattractive (here as "foulness") is found in line with mindfulness of the breathing since both are partaking in the setup of mindfulness of the body, i.e. the correction of the perversion/inversion described in SN 8.4, AN 4.49 and Snp 2.7.Iti 85 wrote:This was said by the Lord…
“Bhikkhus, live contemplating the foulness of the body. Let mindfulness of breathing be inwardly well established before you. Live contemplating the impermanence of all formations.
“For those who live contemplating foulness in the body, the tendency to lust with regard to the element of beauty is abandoned. When mindfulness of breathing is inwardly well established before one, the tendencies of extraneous thoughts to produce vexation of mind remain no more. For those who live contemplating the impermanence of all formations, ignorance is abandoned and knowledge arises.”
Contemplating foulness in the body,
Being mindful of in-and-out breathing,
Ever ardent and seeing clearly
The calming down of all formations:
Such a bhikkhu who sees rightly
Is thereby well released.
Accomplished in knowledge, at peace,
That sage has overcome all bonds.
Now as we all know, there are not many instances where we find "body in the body" clearly defined. I am hoping what little I've gather here can help:
Just note how much of the behavior and lifestyle has to be reined in to make use of this contemplation.AN 6.117 wrote:Bhikkhus, without having abandoned six things, one is incapable of contemplating the body in the body. What six? Delight in work, delight in talk, delight in sleep, delight in company, not guarding the door of the sense faculties, and being immoderate in eating. Without having abandoned these six things, one is incapable of contemplating the body in the body.
Bhikkhus, having abandoned six things, one is capable of contemplating the body in the body. What six? Delight in work, delight in talk, delight in sleep, delight in company, not guarding the door of the sense faculties, and being immoderate in eating. Having abandoned these six things, one is capable of contemplating the body in the body.
For this next one, please pay particular attention to "one among the bodies":
The insight here seems to be that the body, as it has been understood through the breath, puts some distance between the body and knowledge of the body. That the body understood by way of breathing, is one among the bodies. One among the many ways this body manifests perhaps?MN 118 wrote:“And how, bhikkhus, does mindfulness of breathing, developed and cultivated, fulfil the four foundations of mindfulness?
“Bhikkhus, on whatever occasion a bhikkhu, breathing in long, understands: ‘I breathe in long,’ or breathing out long, understands: ‘I breathe out long’; breathing in short, understands: ‘I breathe in short,’ or breathing out short, understands: ‘I breathe out short’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body of breath’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body of breath’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the bodily formation’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the bodily formation’—on that occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. I say that this is a certain body among the bodies, namely, in-breathing and out-breathing. That is why on that occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world.
This next line seems to imply that body is to be understood by way of contemplating "body in the body":
In other words, however the body manifests it must be understood as twofold. How it's found with its nature? For instance, if the body is healthy and comfortable, that is how it has manifest, but that healthy comfortable body that appears is available on account of food, functioning senses, functioning organs, breathing, etc., which is also a body that is unattractive and subject to death. It seems "body in the body" is functional in the sense that it is the means of getting to the insight - taking the body in whatever way it has manifest, and through that manifestation, get to the knowledge about that body that makes the whole thing possible. I think we will see this more so in the cemetery contemplations in MN 10/119, where the insight is, "This body to is of the same nature, it will be like that, it is not exempt from that fate." Perhaps this is also why clear comprehension and body position matters - we are trying to find the body however it is in order to contemplate that nature which does not appear directly.SN 47.38 wrote:Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato kāyo pariññāto hoti. Kāyassa pariññātattā amataṁ sacchikataṁ hoti.
As he dwells thus contemplating the body in the body, the body is fully understood. Because the body has been fully understood, the Deathless is realized.
This one seems to bring this out. Note, "it is not seen as it is" and, "Governed by ignorance, the fool thinks it's lovely":
Just two quick shots from the Theragāthā and Thergāthā to hopefully give a bit of perspective to what may be meant by contemplating the body "internally and externally". This is commonly understood as referring to others, but below are two examples that seem to be describing otherwise. The insight does not seem to apply to other bodies:Snp 1.11 wrote:Walking and standing,
sitting and lying down,
extending and contracting the limbs:
these are the movements of the body.
Linked together by bones and sinews,
plastered over with flesh and hide,
and covered by the skin,
the body is not seen as it is.
It’s full of guts and belly,
liver and bladder,
heart and lungs,
kidney and spleen,
spit and snot,
sweat and fat,
blood and synovial fluid,
bile and grease.
Then in nine streams
the filth is always flowing.
There is muck from the eyes,
wax from the ears,
and snot from the nostrils.
The mouth sometimes vomits
bile and sometimes phlegm.
And from the body, sweat and dirt.
Then there is the hollow head
all filled with brains.
Governed by ignorance,
the fool thinks it’s lovely.
And when it lies dead,
bloated and livid,
discarded in a charnel ground,
the relatives forget it.
It’s devoured by dogs,
by jackals, wolves, and worms.
It’s devoured by crows and vultures,
and any other creatures there.
A wise mendicant here,
having heard the Buddha’s words,
fully understands it,
for they see it as it is.
“As this is, so is that,
as that is, so is this.”
They’d reject desire for the body
inside and out.
That wise mendicant here
rid of desire and lust,
has found the deathless peace,
extinguishment, the imperishable state.
This two-legged body is dirty and stinking,
full of different carcasses,
and oozing all over the place—
but still it is cherished!
And if, on account of this body,
someone prides themselves
or looks down on others—
what is that but a failure to see?
Thag 2.26 wrote:I examined this body,
all of it, inside and out.
Internally and externally
my body appeared hollow.
Thig 5.4 wrote:“Nandā, see this bag of bones as
diseased, filthy, and rotten.
With mind unified and serene,
meditate on the ugly aspects of the body:
as this is, so is that,
as that is, so is this.
A foul stink wafts from it,
it is the fools’ delight.”
Reviewing my body in such a way,
tireless all day and night,
having broken through
with my own wisdom, I saw.
Being diligent,
properly investigating,
I truly saw the body
both inside and out.
Then, growing disillusioned with my body,
I became dispassionate within.
Diligent, detached,
I’m quenched and at peace.
Remember, this week and last are all about setting up context. Next week we will hopefully bring it all together.
Please share your thoughts and feel free to bring anything from last week's On kāyagatāsati.