The Contemplation of the Body, the Section of the Postures 253

[Para. 35.] Again, praise to the Emerald Star (the Buddha)²⁵⁴ who taught many kinds of techniques to assist in the realization of the Truth. This how considerate the Lord Buddha is!

Since the text of the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta continues with the phrase in Pali: Puna ca paraṃ bhikkhave bhikkhu gacchanto vā gacchāmīti pajānāti [‘And moreover, bhikkhus, a brother, when he is walking, is aware of it thus: – ‘I walk’’],²⁵⁵ the voice of the golden tongue hails as if saying, “I am not giving up yet! I will continue giving the sermon revealing the methods, one section after the other.” Oh pupils who are like sons to me! Young and old, senior and junior, all the audience! Any monk, who fears and gets shocked at the suffering of saṃsāra in the worlds of human and spirit beings, should meditate to be disengaged with the body.

[Para. 36.] When the verbal root ‘to go’ operates,²⁵⁶ the two feet take to moving the sole of the feet walking forward, the practitioner then notes it with mindfulness,

‘oh…going…going…’. So, while walking, he gains the knowledge of clear comprehension and disengagement with worldly things. When he stands still, not going anywhere, he notes with awareness, ‘oh… standing…standing…’ He takes notice of bodily postures again and again until he is well aware of his body. When he sits down, keeping his head and body still, he notes with mindfulness, ‘oh…sitting… sitting…’ saying like this in his mind until he gains he knowledge of clear comprehension and disengagement with worldly things. When he lies

252 It is a Theravada Buddhist tradition that all the audience ‘sādhu’ three times at the end of a sermon or at the end of each section, which is a way of rejoicing in the performance of the Dhamma (and is not used outside of religious contexts), as well as participating in the merit of that performance.

253 As in the canonical MSS, the Pali terms kāyānupassanā and iriyāpathapabba are used for the sub-heading in the main text of MSP. Amat Long 1968, p. 22.

254 Saeng Lao [‘Emerald Star’] is often used as an epithet of the Buddha in Shan literature.

255 The Pali passage here is from the Pali canon as quoted here by Amat Long probably as an authorization before composing in his own words for the new section. This similar norm of writing applies throughout MSP.

Translation in the bracket is from Rhys Davids 1977, p. 329.

256 A Pali term gamudhātu meaning ‘to go’ is used in the main text. Grammatically, ‘gamu’ is the root of

‘gaccha’ meaning ‘going.’ Here, Zao Amat Long starts a sentence with ‘gamudhātu,’ a Pali verbal root of gacchanto vā in the canonical text of MSS to explain the mindfulness of walking meditation.

115 prostrate in a sprawling manner, he notes, ‘oh…lying… lying…’ reflecting on his body lying prostrate on a bed under a blanket.

[Para. 37.] Everything that has been said is about the postures of standing, walking, sitting and lying, all of which are operated or driven by the air element making the body shake or be still, lean over or lie down. This applies to bodies of all, both layman and clergy.

The physical body of 32 components is operated by the force of air element, which makes it standing up, sitting down, walking, and lying down. So, if any monk contemplates the four postures of standing, sitting, walking and lying, then he will be doing well with meditation on developing mental culture by observing his body, contemplating and reflecting on his mind.

Thus, one should make an effort on contemplating one’s own postures repeatedly in order to be free from the danger [of saṃsāra].

[Para. 38.] We should contemplate on ourselves and others, inside and outside, and that means our own bodies and those of others. Reflect on the bodies of humans and non-humans living in the three realms as their borrowed houses appearing and disappear,

wandering around in the ‘three planes of existence’.²⁵⁷ The point is, monks, you should listen and keep in mind; oh…my son-like pupils! Sit down still and listen carefully in order to get saṃvega and be disengaged with the body, which is in reality dark blue, full of maggots, and a rotten bag with a dreadful stench.

[Para. 39.] What does ‘going’ mean? Who goes? A pig’s going, a dog’s going, a cow’s going, a buffalo’s going, a bandit’s going, a wise man’s going -- there are different types of

‘going’ due to different nature and status of beings. Although the act of their going is the same, their insights into it do not match up at all. All beings and animals, rats and birds, pigs and dogs, deer and barking deer, monks and righteous men are totally different. But as far as noting or understanding the movement of postures such as sitting or lying is concerned, a bandit’s understanding is one way and an intellectual’s understanding is quite another.

[Para. 40.] Dear royal pupils! Young and old, all of you who belong to the lineage of the good listeners! The ‘goings’ of bird, rat, pig, dog, cow, buffalo, pundit, robber, etc. are not associated with mindfulness at all. The reason is that they do not understand the Foundations of Mindfulness; they do not have understanding; and consequently they only perform unwholesome deeds, have thought of bad behaviour, and thus store up hellish rebirths repeatedly.

257 See the three levels of existence above.

116 [Para. 41.] When standing up, they (the animals) do so with desire; when going too, they do so with desire; when siting, they do so with desire; and indeed when they sleep they sleep with desire. So, the wall of the five hindrances and the defilements surround their heads and bodies.²⁵⁸ A robber’s speech, a thief’s speech, pundit’s speech and a silly man’s speech are the same. When they speak, they speak with desire; when they laugh, they laugh with desire; when they smile, they smile with desire. So they are full of lustful desire, anger and delusion. The eleven kinds of fire are in fact the force,²⁵⁹ pushing them to perform

unwholesome deeds, and so they are not familiar with the Foundations of Mindfulness. Wise and righteous people contemplate on the body and develop mental culture as they fear the danger of saṃsāra. When performing various postures they do so mindfully, for instance when they either stand up or sit down, they only contemplate the five aggregates as

impermanence, suffering and selflessness. They reflect on the nature and see the nine doors of conditional things,²⁶⁰ and aspire to go beyond the three realms of existence.

[Para. 42.] The aggregate of form, which contains 28 components,²⁶¹ is neither my body nor others, neither female nor male, neither person nor being. What ‘I’ or ‘other’ or

‘woman’ or ‘man’ indicates is merely a feature of perception, a word, a term coined by the unenlightened of the world. The aggregate of form, which contains the 28 components, is the heap of bones that connected each other in a functional manner. In fact, this body, of 32 parts and 9 doors of air, is constituted of the four great elements of earth, water, fire and air.

[Para. 43.] What does ‘go’ mean? What goes? Who goes? Which being goes, by lifting the feet up and walking forward? Actually, it is not me ‘going’, not you ‘going’, not others

‘going’, not a woman ‘going’, not a man ‘going’. In fact, it is the heap of flesh and bones that is moving and walking together on the road. Why does the heap of flesh and bones move?

Why are the head and body shaking, bending and walking? It is because of the force of the air element that makes the heap of bones walk. Why is the heap of bones standing, sitting,

258 The five kinds of hindrances are mentioned earlier. In Shan Buddhism, these hindrances are usually compared with walls or gates, because they prevent us reaching the realm of happiness, which is at the other side of the walls of hindrances. So, one who wishes to be free from suffering and experience happiness, he must destroy the walls of hindrances.

259 According to the Buddha, we are burning from eleven kinds of physical pain and mental agony: lust, hatred, illusion sickness, decay, death, worry, lamentation, pain (physical and mental), melancholy and grief.

Dhammānanda 1964, What Buddhists Believe, Online: http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/303.htm

260 The nine doors are: two holes of the eyes, two holes of the ears, two holes of the nose, the mouth, the urethra, and the anus.

261 For details of the 28 components of the aggregate of form, see Nārada 1987, pp. 324-326.

117 turning and walking around? It is the force of the air element that pushes the heap of bones standing, sitting, shaking the body and lying prostrate in bed under a blanket.

[Para. 44.] Here there is a comparison, my dear sons, young and old, who are virtuous!

In order to understand things, do remember and keep in mind of the following simile. The aggregate of form, which is comprised of 28 components, is like a ship in the ocean. It reaches to the other shore because of the force of the air. So, the aggregate of form,

comprising of 28 components, is like the ship sailing into the deep ocean by the force of the air. The aggregate of form, which is the heap of bones, is able to shake, move, stand, sit or lie down because of the force of air element.

[Para. 45.] There is another simile. As the string of the bow when pulled shoots the arrow flying fast, in the same way, the aggregate of form, containing the heap of flesh, bones, muscles, sinews and tendons, sounds noisily because of the movements of the air, like the sound of the warp of cloth pulled by a woman. The aggregate of form, of 28 parts, is able to reach here and there according to one’s wish or desire, even to sit or bend over. This body, the heap of bones, being wrapped in by muscles, can bend over, lie down, shake, walk, stop, pause, be lost in thought, move with slow motion, stand, incline, stand up or sit down because of the force of air element. Why does the air element persuade or tempt the heap of bones and muscles to move, stand up and walk with slow motion or with fear? It is because of the force of mind that pushes the air element to act whatever way it the mind wishes, including moving forward or backward.

[Para. 46.] The air element has the characteristics of impermanence, suffering and selflessness, responsible for finishing the life of aggregates sooner and dying sooner. When the mind leaves the body, the air also leaves the body, and then the heap of bones and muscles will gradually become very smelly, blue, pallid, rotten and putrid to a highly offensive degree. So, contemplate the body, like this, which is characterised by change, suffering and selflessness. Keep this in mind and reflect on the body day and night. Until we reach the country of Nibbāna, in every single life in the samsāra, we must be reborn, grow old and die. The aggregates vanish and appear again making the samsāra long and lengthy.

That is what has been pointed out by the Buddha. Here we have discussed the bodily postures of standing, sitting, walking and lying down that one should contemplate for mental

development.

118 3.7. The Contemplation of the Body, the Section of Clear Awareness²⁶²

[Para. 47.] Again, the majestic Golden Lips [of the Buddha] continue the sermon [in Pali], “Puna ca paraṃ bhikkhave bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti”²⁶³ [‘And moreover, bhikkhus, a brother – whether he departs or returns – is aware of what he is about’]²⁶⁴. Dear moral sons, you virtuous monks in lineage of sakya! If a monk wishes for the highest city he should contemplate the Foundations of Mindfulness. When he moves forward or backward, he does so with full attention and clear awareness of the nature of human and spirit-beings as to how they like and enjoy sensual pleasures. So, he stays with the

Foundation of Mindfulness for the Contemplation on the body, reflecting on the evil and suffering in the three realms of existence.²⁶⁵

[Para. 48.] When looking straight forward, here too [a monk] makes a mental note with knowledge and wisdom to see things inside the body as they are arising and disappearing.

When seeing near or far, gazing or looking out, he observes with full attention, developing mindfulness. In the movements of getting up, sitting, standing, walking and also bending and stretching out his arms, he takes notice and reflects on his movement with full attention.

When the air element pushes his arms to stretch and spread the fingers out, or spread the palm out, here too, he contemplates on every single movement whenever bending or stretching. When putting on robes or carrying a bowl or any other requisites of monks, he does it with care and mindfulness.

[Para. 49.] When eating, drinking or chewing, he is mindfully attentive. When going to lavatory to evacuate or to put the night soil and urine away, which are unclean things, here too, he meditates on all the movements to see the nature of the body. When standing, sleeping, sitting still, here too, he contemplates on the movements with knowledge and wisdom to see the suffering of samsāra. When awakening, speaking, keeping quiet, he is always mindful in line with the four foundations of mindfulness day and night. Thus he is alert and has clear comprehension.

262 Pali terms kāyānupassanā and sampajañña are used in the main text, MSP. Amat Long 1968, p. 29.

263 Amat Long begins the new section with a quotation of Pali phrases at the beginning of this section in Pali as it is in the canonical Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MSS), indicating the authority of Pali to approve that all what Amat Long will write in this section are based on the Pali canonical MSS, hence sending a message to his readers and audience that he draws on a reliable source. This norm of writing is seen in several places, especially at the beginning of the new sections, of the MSP.

264 Rhys Davids 1977, p. 329. For alternative translation, see Walshe 1995, p. 337.

265 Three realms of existence are human world, heaven and hell.

119 [Para. 50.] One should observe oneself and others. We are those who missed or were far away from ‘the 16 islands.’²⁶⁶ We instead are fond of the darkness of delusion. Thus, time and time again, contemplate on the physical body, which is impermanent, suffering and selfless. We are born and grow old and return to become young again and then die here and there again and again in the midst of the three realms. This body, for a perfectly formed human body, inside and outside, is made up of altogether 32 parts. Contemplate on the aggregate of form (corporeality), of 28 components. All is subject to arise and vanish having the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering and selflessness. We are born and die serving the effects from our deeds in the previous lives.

[Para. 51.] The interpretation is like this. Dear monks, [who wear] the thick robes of 7 lines, 6 points and 5 blocks,²⁶⁷ belonging to the lineage of Sakya! Please listen and keep in mind. The words ‘clear comprehension’ (sampajāna) means ‘recognizing’ or ‘considering’ or

‘taking notice’ when we move forward or backward; ‘Disengagement’ (Nibbinda) means when we understand the nature of our bodies in the sense that they are full of black and white spots, then we will be disillusioned about them. Thus, a monk, with the knowledge of clear comprehension on the disengagement, contemplates or is aware of the lives of spirit and human beings, as subject to arising and ceasing. The aggregate of form, of 28 components, is like a dancing string puppet, which is pulled or controlled by someone behind the show. So, the body is like a puppet that controlled by someone behind the curtain, making it play, stand, sit, walk, go and dance in the show.

[Para. 52.] The dancing string puppet whose arms, body and legs move back and forth, left and right, is, in fact, controlled by the puppeteer who pulls the string. As he pulls the strings, the puppet moves to act, doing this and that, shaking its head, moving its body and blinking its eyes. In the same way, this physical body, of 28 components, is just like the puppets of the two brothers, Rāma and Lakkhaṇa (sic), playing and jumping on a stage show, fighting with the Monkey Hanumān.²⁶⁸ This body, the aggregate of form, is like the puppet;

266 Possibly, Amat Long talks about the 16 steps of jhāna, or the ‘survey of ānāpānasati in 16 steps,’ which could be a simile of islands while the sea or ocean surrounding the island could be the simile of all suffering.

Thus, as long as one is sunk in the ocean and not yet reached on the islands, he/she cannot avoid but experiences suffering. For the survey of ānāpānasati in 16 steps, see Anālayo 2003, Satipaṭṭhāna: A Direct Path to Realization, p. 135.

267 This is probably a reference to the manner of stitching the monk’s robe. Also see MSP, paragraphs 51 and 168, and footnote on Section of Breathing.

268 This is a reference to the three main heroes of the Indian Ramayana story, which has been popular in all regions of Southeast Asian countries, and is traditionally a favourite subject for puppet shows and other types of entertainment. The continued cultural significance is indicated by the name Rama being given to the kings

120 the mind is like the puppeteer; and the air element is like the strings that tie with the puppet, which dances to the rhythm of drums and gongs under the flashing illumination of the spotlights.

[Para. 53.] Thus, as explained above, the aggregate of form consisting of 28

components, is also like a string puppet that shows the performance through the control of strings. It is the air element that makes the heap of flesh, bones and muscles get moving, twisting and dancing in a festival. But it is not long before the dawn comes, the voice of drama becomes quiet, the morning fog falls [early morning arrives] and the string of puppet too is hung up on the clothes-line. Too tired to dance the people will give up and have a rest loosening their belts. It is very late in the night and so the audience in the show have already gone home. This aggregate of form, the physical body, is indeed impermanent. It cannot exist for long. The air element eventually cannot make it stand, sit and lie down anymore. It

becomes a dead body, and the bones, flesh, muscles and skin will finally be scattered, separated from each other.

[Para. 54.] Clear comprehension means contemplating and reflecting on the nature of

[Para. 54.] Clear comprehension means contemplating and reflecting on the nature of