Mindfulness of the Body
MN 119
This is what I heard. One time the Buddha was staying near Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery.
Then after begging for their meal, several senior seekers sat together in the pavilion, saying,
“It’s amazing how the Blessed one who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the fully awakened Buddha, has said that mindfulness of the body is so fruitful and good when it is developed and cultivated. This teaching is awesome.”
But their conversation was interrupted when the Buddha himself arrived. He sat down and asked,
“So, what were you all talking about just now?”
They told him and the Buddha said,
“So, how do you develop and cultivate this mindfulness of the body?
A seeker goes to the wilderness, to the root of a tree or an empty place. They take a comfortable seat with a straight body and make mindfulness the priority. They breathe in and out mindfully.
When breathing a long or heavy breath, they are aware of it.
When breathing a small or fine breath, they are aware of it.
Breathing in and out, they train in fully experiencing the whole body.
Breathing in and out, they train in calming bodily activities.
As they meditate with carefulness, intensity and resolve, the memories and thoughts of the lay life are given up. They attain an inner stillness. Their mind settles, reaches oneness and becomes lucidly unified. This is how one develops mindfulness of the body.
Also, when a seeker is walking they know how they are walking. When standing, sitting, or lying down, they know this fully. They are aware of whatever posture their body is in.
Also, a seeker acts with clear knowing when coming and going, when looking ahead and looking away, when moving his limbs, with their robe and their bowl. They have clear knowing when eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, when peeing and defecating. They maintain clear knowing when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking and when silent.
As they meditate with carefulness, intensity and resolve, the memories and thoughts of the lay life are given up. They attain an inner stillness. Their mind settles, reaches oneness and becomes lucidly unified.
Now, a seeker examines their body from the hair tips down to the soles of the feet, wrapped in skin and full of many unclean things: ‘This body has head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, stomach lining, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, fluid in the joints, and urine.’
It’s like if there was a bag with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds of grains and someone with good eyesight were to open it and examine them: ‘This is rice, these are wheat, here are peas, sesame, and so on.’
A seeker examines their own body, in any posture, according to these properties: solidity, liquidity, heat and air. He examines his body like an expert butcher, who cuts up a cow and sits down at a crossroads with the meat divided into portions.
As they meditate with carefulness, intensity and resolve, the memories and thoughts of the lay life are given up. They attain an inner stillness. Their mind settles, reaches oneness and becomes lucidly unified.
Imagine that a seeker were to see a corpse thrown in a charnel ground that was bloated, dark, and rotting. Then they would reflect: ‘My body is also of that nature, it will be like this, and cannot escape that fate.’
And so they would also meditate on the body like this using a corpse thrown in a charnel ground being devoured by crows and other birds of prey, dogs, tigers, leopards, jackals, and many kinds of little creatures.
And also on a skeleton with flesh and blood, held together by sinews.
And on a skeleton without flesh but smeared with blood, and held together by sinews.
On a skeleton without flesh and blood, held together by sinews.
On bones scattered in all directions, a hand here, a foot there, a tooth, a skull…
On on bones bleached white, the color of shells.
On ancient bones, all piled up.
On rotten bones turned to dust.
They reflect that their body is of the same nature as all these, and that it will be like them one day.
As they meditate with carefulness, intensity and resolve, the memories and thoughts of the lay life are given up. They attain an inner stillness. Their mind settles, reaches oneness and becomes lucidly unified. This is how one develops mindfulness of the body.
Then the seeker detaches themselves from sensual pleasures and unwholesome qualities. They enter into the first meditation, which has these qualities: bliss and happiness born of seclusion, thinking and evaluating.
They steep, drench and fill their whole body with the bliss and happiness born of seclusion. There’s no part of their body that’s not filled with this bliss and happiness. It’s like if someone were to pour bath powder into a metal dish and slowly add water. Then they would rub it until the ball of powder is soaked and saturated with water inside and out and yet it does not leak. In that same way, a seeker permeates their whole body with bliss and happiness born of seclusion.
When thinking and evaluating disappear, they enter and remain in the second meditation. It has these qualities: joy and happiness born of lucid unification, inner clarity, confidence and oneness.
They steep, drench and fill their whole body with the bliss and happiness born of unification. There’s no part of their body that’s not filled with this bliss and happiness. This is just like a lake that is fed only by spring water and nothing else, not even rain. From time to time, a stream of cool water from the spring fills and saturates the lake. There’s no part of the lake that’s not infused with coolness. In that same way, a seeker permeates their whole body with bliss and happiness born of lucid unification.
When bliss fades away, they enter and remain in the third meditation, where they are equanimous, mindful and aware. The noble ones state that this is a peaceful and happy state.
They steep, drench and fill their whole body with a happiness that is free of bliss. There’s no part of the body that’s not filled with a happiness that is free of bliss. It’s like a pool with blue water lilies, or pink or white lotuses. Some of these flowers grow and live in the water. They are saturated and soaked with cool water. There’s no part of them not immersed in water. In that same way, a seeker permeates their whole body with a happiness that is free of bliss.
When one gives up all pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth meditation. Here there is just pure mindful equanimity. They fill their body with a pure bright mind. There’s no part of it not filled with a pure bright mind. This is like someone who was wrapped from head to toe with a white cloth and there was no part of the body not covered with it.
As they meditate with carefulness, intensity and resolve, the memories and thoughts of the lay life are given up. They attain an inner stillness. Their mind settles, reaches oneness and becomes lucidly unified. This is how one develops mindfulness of the body.
Seekers, anyone who contemplates the great ocean also sees all the streams that flow into it. Just like this, anyone who has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body has all the wholesome qualities connected with true knowledge.
When a seeker does not develop mindfulness of body, Mara, the spirit of death, finds a way in and gets a hold of them.
What do you think seekers, imagine someone where to throw a heavy stone on wet clay, would that ball find a way in?”
“Yes sir”
“This is how Mara finds a way into those who do not develop mindfulness of the body.
Imagine there was a dried log far from water and someone tries to use a fire tool to light a fire, would they be able to produce a flame?”
“Yes sir”
“This is how Mara finds a way in…
Imagine there was an empty water jug, would a person be able to pour water into that jar?”
“Yes, sir.”
“This is how Mara finds a way in…
When a seeker develops mindfulness of body, Mara cannot find a way in and get a hold of them.
Imagine someone threw a ball of string at a door made of heartwood, would this ball find a way in?”
“No, sir.”
“Just like this, Mara cannot find a way in when someone develops mindfulness of the body.
Imagine there was a wet sappy log and someone tried to light a fire with it. Would they be able to produce a flame?”
“No, sir.”
“Just like this, Mara cannot find a way in here.
Imagine there was a water jug filled to the brim, would a person be able to pour water into that jar?”
“No, sir.”
“Just like this, Mara cannot find a way in here.
When a seeker has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, they are able to realize any of the higher knowledges they turn their mind to.
Imagine there was a water jug filled to the brim, and a strong man would pour water on it, would water pour out?”
“Yes, sir.”
“A seeker’s realization of the higher knowledge after developing mindfulness of the body is like this.
Imagine there was a square water tank, full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. If a strong man was to open any of the walls, would water pour out?”
“Yes, sir.”
“A seeker’s realization is just like this.
Imagine there was a chariot at a level crossroads, harnessed to the best horses. An expert rider would mount the chariot with whip in one hand and the reigns in the other. They could ride back and forth wherever they wanted.
Just like this, when a seeker has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, they are able to realize any of the higher knowledges they turn their mind to.
Seekers, when mindfulness of the body has been cultivated, developed, practiced constantly and properly, steadied, when it has been made a vehicle and a basis, you can expect ten benefits:
- They conquer displeasure and desire, they remain victorious over any desire and displeasure that has arisen.
- They conquer fear and dread, they remain victorious over all fear and dread that has arisen.
- They endure cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; bugs, wind, sun, and reptiles; rudeness and criticism; sharp and unpleasant physical pains, life-threatening pain.
- They can reach the four meditations—which are pleasant places for the higher mind—whenever they want, without trouble.
- They wield many kinds of psychic powers. They multiply themselves and become one again, they teleport, they walk through walls and mountains, they walk on water, they fly like a bird, they touch the sun and moon, they have mastery over the body up to the heavenly realm.
- They can hear all kinds of sound, human and divine, with a superhuman hearing.
- They know the minds of other beings with their very own mind. They know if other minds are affected by greed, aversion or delusion and so on.
- They remember many past lives, with all their details.
- They see beings dying and being born. They see inferior and superior beings, beautiful and ugly ones, beings in good and bad places. They understand how beings are reborn according to their actions.
- They realize the liberation of the heart-mind that is free of poisons through wisdom and they live in this liberation.