A Buddhist Approach to the Contemplation on Body Parts - Asubha

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammâ Sambuddhassa!

A BUDDHIST APPROACH TO THE CONTEMPLATION ON BODY PARTS - ASUBHA ¹

The asubha bhavana (foulness meditation) aims to reduce desire and attachment for the body, along with all the associated problems that these give arise to such as aversion, discontent, frustration, etc. It also aims to give one insight into the true nature of the body, i.e. unpleasant, disgusting, ugly, impermanent, suffering and not mine. Once desire and lust for the body subsides, the mind tends to naturally calm down allowing for clear insight into the reality of the body and also all conditioned things (i. all conditioned things are impermanent and subject to change, ii. all conditioned things give rise to much suffering when one is attached to them due to their changeability and iii. all things are beyond our control (as they i. change and give rise to ii. suffering) and thus cannot be considered as being ‘me’ or ‘mine’ but are actually without a self, ‘me, myself or I’)² putting one in a very good position of attaining Nibbana.

The Lord Buddha advised those who are ardent on attaining Nibbana to contemplate the body with its impurities at all times;³ whether seated, standing, walking, or lying down. However for the purposes of this article we shall only refer to doing this meditation in a seated posture (feel free to use all postures). Sit in the full or half-lotus position with both palms resting on the lap, with the finger nails facing towards the ground and the right palm on-top of the left palm (refer to a seated figure of the Lord Buddha for reference). Close your eyes and bring the mind to the present moment. Focus your attention on the in and out breath for a short while to calm the mind before starting this medition.⁴

An approach of visualizing the “removal” of body parts one at a time will be used for this meditation, while using words to help with the visualization, e.g. "Remove the head hair and put it in front (of you)." This is in line with the Lord Buddha's instructions in the Kayagata-sati Sutta:⁵

“Herein, Bhikkhus & Friends, the Bhikkhu contemplates the body

from the soles of the feet upward, and from the top of the hair

downward: This filthy frame with skin stretched over it, which is

filled with many impurities consists of head-hairs, body-hairs, nails,

teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, vomit,

diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestine, membrane, stomach, excrement,

brain, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin, tallow, spit,

snot, joint-fluid, and urine. Just as if a man with good sight would

examine a sack with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds

of grain; paddy, beans, sesame, on opening it would recognize its

contents thus: That is paddy, this is beans, that is sesame, this is

husked rice: Exactly so does the Bhikkhu investigate this body.”

You can say the following words out loud or in your mind with your thoughts to help concentrate on and to contemplate the foulness of the body while visualizing it in your mind:⁶

(Head and Neck)

[Start of meditation.] “Remove the head hair and put it in front (of you).

Remove the facial hair and body hair from the neck and put it in front.

Remove the skin, sweat and pus on your face, head and neck and put it in front.

Remove the facial fat, neck fat and tallow and put it in front.

Remove the flesh and sinews from the face, head and neck and put it in front.

Take the flesh and squeeze out the blood and lymph and put it in front.

Remove the eyes and tears and put it in front.

Remove the nose, snot and phlegm and put it in front.

Remove the lips, teeth, tongue and spittle and put it in front.

Remove the ears and earwax and put it in front.

Remove the skull and joint fluid and put it in front.

Split the skull, remove the brain and put it in front.

Split open the skull remove the bone marrow and put it in front.⁷

All these things are disgusting to look at, let alone go near or touch. They have a disgusting smell. Even if they are left here for a day they will begin to decay, fester and rot. They are subject to change, ageing, decay, disease, death and cause much suffering when clung to and thought of as ‘me, myself, I, mine or as belonging to me.’ They are impermanent, causing much suffering when clung to, are not within my control and therefore cannot be considered as ‘me, myself, I, mine or as belonging to me.’ This is the reality of the body which I did not see before that I see now.

(Arms, Forearms and Hands)

Remove the body hair from both arms, forearms, and hands and put it in front (of you).

Remove the skin, sweat and pus and put it in front.

Remove the nails from both hands and put it in front.

Remove the body fat and tallow and put it in front.

Remove the flesh and sinews and put it in front.

Take the flesh and squeeze out the blood and lymph and put it in front.

Remove the bones and joint fluid and put it in front.

Split open the bones, remove the bone marrow and put it in front.⁷

(Body Trunk)

Remove the body hair from the body trunk (torso) and put it in front (of you).

Remove the skin, sweat and pus and put it in front.

Remove the body fat and tallow and put it in front.

Remove the flesh including the diaphragm and sinews and put it in front.

Take the flesh and squeeze out the blood and lymph and put it in front.

Remove all organs including the heart, lungs, spleen, stomach, kidneys, liver, bladder, intestines (bowel) and membrane and put it in front.

Split open the heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys and liver and remove the blood and put it in front.

Split open the stomach, remove the bile and vomit (half-digested food) and put it in front.

Split open the intestines, remove the faeces (excrement) and put it in front.

Split open the bladder, empty out the urine and put it in front.

Remove the collar bones, rib cage, spine, hip bones and joint fluid and put it in front.

Split open the bones, remove the bone marrow and put it in front.⁷

(Thighs, Legs, Ankles and Feet)

Remove the body hair from both the thighs, legs and feet and put it in front (of you).

Remove the skin, sweat and pus and put it in front.

Remove the nails from both feet and put it in front.

Remove the body fat and tallow and put it in front.

Remove the flesh and sinews and put it in front.

Take the flesh and squeeze out the blood and lymph and put it in front.

Remove the bones and joint fluid and put it in front.

Split open the bones, remove the bone marrow and put it in front.⁷

This whole body is filthy, disgusting and filled with many impurities. There is no single part in the body that can be considered beautiful, pleasant, charming or as having a pleasant smell. This body is subject to constant change, old age, decay, sickness and death. It is impermanent, causing much suffering when clung to, are not within my control and therefore cannot be considered as ‘me, myself, I, mine or as belonging to me.’ This is the reality of the body which I did not see before that I see now.”

Now scan the body up and down from the top of your head down to the soles of your feet and back up again. Examine the various bodily impurities that exist within the body that were just contemplated. Do this for as long as required and then end the meditation. [End of meditation.]

May you gain insight and understanding into the true reality of the body and may it enable you to attain the lasting peace of Nibbana!

THE BODY

There are just bones,

flesh and waste,

tied together by skin;

this is all the body is.

As a whole attractive,

taken apart disgusting,

behold its true nature,

with its 32 parts;

a disgusting bundle of waste.

All parts impermanent,

subject to disease,

decay (old age),

and death.

Notes

1. The latest version of this document can be found in HTML format here http://tinyurl.com/bzs6h2 (or http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/asubhaparts) and in PDF format here http://tinyurl.com/d7z5bs (or http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/A_Buddhist_Approach_to_the_Contemplation_on_Body_Parts-Asubha.pdf).

2. i.Sabbe sankhara aniccati, ii.sabbe sankhara dukkhati and iii.sabbe dhamma anattati, viz. i. all conditioned things are impermanent and subject to change, ii. all conditioned things give rise to much suffering when one is attached to them due to their changeability and iii. all things are beyond our control (as they i. change and give rise to ii. suffering) and thus cannot be considered as being ‘me’ or ‘mine’ but are actually without a self, me, myself or I. According to the Lord Buddha, it is by contemplating these three universal characteristics/truths that all beings who attained Nibbana in the past, present and yet to attain it in the future will do so. This indicates the importance of these three for constant recollection (especially when the mind is very calm and capable of realizing things quickly after meditation for example) for anyone who is intent on Nibbana.

3. Refer to Establishing the Awareness of Body as Body! here http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm and Appendix A: Establishing the Awareness of Body as Body! below where the Lord Buddha describes this:

“Exactly so does the Bhikkhu investigate this body...While always thus aware & clearly comprehending, & thus removing any lust, urge, envy, frustration & discontent rooted in this world, the intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all body as an remote carcass of filthy foul form. As something bound to emerge, decay & vanish... Not as mine, belonging to me or my self!”

4. You can to start (this) asubha meditation after calming your mind with the anapanasati, metta or another such meditation; experiment and see what works best for you.

5. Refer to Establishing the Awareness of Body as Body! here http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm and Appendix A: Establishing the Awareness of Body as Body! below where the Lord Buddha describes this.

6. Some body parts have been logically grouped together in one sentence for conciseness. Feel free to separate these out to distinct sentences as required.

7. You will notice that there are body parts in addition to the ones mentioned by the Lord Buddha in the discourses. The main point of this meditation is to see the true nature of the body. So feel free to add any other body parts to this as required. However some prefer to just focus on a few or even just one body part (e.g. bones) while going into great detail about them for the whole meditation. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Appendix A: Establishing the Awareness of Body as Body!

Source: www.what-buddha-said.net

URL: http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm

How, Friends, does one view any Body only as a Form?

Herein, Bhikkhus & Friends, the Bhikkhu contemplates the body

from the soles of the feet upward, and from the top of the hair

downward: This filthy frame with skin stretched over it, which is

filled with many impurities consists of head-hairs, body-hairs, nails,

teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, vomit

diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestine, membrane, stomach, excrement,

brain, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin, tallow, spit,

snot, joint-fluid, and urine. Just as if a man with good sight would

examine a sack with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds

of grain; paddy, beans, sesame, on opening it would recognize its

contents thus: That is paddy, this is beans, that is sesame, this is

husked rice: Exactly so does the Bhikkhu investigate this body...

While always thus aware & clearly comprehending, & thus removing

any lust, urge, envy, frustration & discontent rooted in this world,

the intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all

body as an remote carcass of filthy foul form. As something bound

to emerge, decay & vanish... Not as mine, belonging to me or my self!

Not as lasting, stable & safe! Not as pleasant beauty or happiness!

In this way the intelligent Bhikkhu keeps reviewing any & all body

whether internal or external and he notes the cause of its arising

and the cause of its ceasing, or he just know: There is this body!

In this way he comes to live not clinging to & independent of body!

This is the way to contemplate the body only as a transient shell...

Source Text: Majjhima Nikaya 119: Kayagata-Sati Sutta

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm

The reward is Fearlessness of Death & thereby Fearlessness of All!

Without fear there is the mental elevation of gladness and free joy!

It detaches and relinquishes from body & form and frees thereby...

See also: Bag of Bones: A Miscellany on the Body compiled by Bhikkhu Khantipalo:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel271.htm

Just a painted puppet!

A chain of bones plastered by skin with 9 oozing holes!

A heap of sores & rotten excrement with evil intentions!

Related Suttas (Discourses)

1. Majjhima Nikaya 119, Kayagata-sati Sutta, Mindfulness Immersed in the Body see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html and http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm

2. Digha Nikaya 22, Maha-satipatthana Sutta, The Great Frames of Reference see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html

Related Buddhsim (Dhamma) Articles

1. Daily Dana - On giving and generosity, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=dailydana

2. Five Precepts - Developing virtue through the five precepts, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=pansil

3. Buddhist Positive Thinking - Positive thinking from a Buddhist perspective, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=posthink

4. Mental Purity - Five ways prescribed by the Buddha for subduing mental defilements, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=vitakkasantana

5. A Buddhist Approach to Disillusionment - A Buddhist approach to seeing past the trickery and into reality, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disill

6. A Buddhist Approach to Disenchantment - A Buddhist approach to becoming disenchanted with all that gives rise to stress, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disench

7. An Introduction to Buddhist Meditation - Basic instructions for doing the mediations of loving kindness (metta), awareness of breath (ana-pana-sati) and foulness of the body (asubha) , see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=intromed

8. A Buddhist Approach to Revulsion - Asubha - A Buddhist approach to bodily revulsion (asubha), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=revul

9. A Buddhist Approach to the Awareness of In-and-Out Breath Meditation - Anapanasati - A Buddhist approach to the awareness of breath meditation (anapanasati), see http://tinyurl.com/d6uwxr or http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/anapanasati

10. Attachment - An analysis of how attachment leads to unsatisfactoriness, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=attachment

11. One Hour of Unsatisfactoriness - The unsatisfactoriness that can be felt within the space of an hour, see

http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=onehour

12. A Buddhist Approach to Mental Health - A Buddhist perspective and approach to mental health, see

http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=mentalhealth

13. Four Noble Truths - The essence of Buddhism, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=fourtruths

14. Noble Eightfold Path - The path for ending stress and suffering, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=noblepath

Online Resources

1. AccessToInsight.org here http://www.accesstoinsight.org

2. What-Buddha-Said.net here http://what-buddha-said.net

3. What-Buddha-Taught.net here http://what-buddha-taught.net

4. Buddhanet.net here http://www.buddhanet.net

5. Vihara.org.au here http://www.vihara.org.au

6. DhammaGroup.tk here http://www.dhammagroup.tk