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Firstly, the Buddha taught that we need to apply ourselves, clearly comprehending situations, and mindfully and impartially observe the activities of the (1) body, (2) feelings, (3) mind, and (4) mental objects without desire, without attachment, without repugnance, and without distaste.
How should we live observing the activities of the body ?
In practising breathing meditation, we should find some suitable place, away from distractions, and sit with legs crossed, or otherwise comfortably, with body straight, and mindfully alert.
Ever mindful we should breathe in, and ever mindful we should breathe out.
Breathing in a long breath, we should know,"I am breathing in a long breath."
Breathing out a long breath, we should know,"I am breathing out a long breath."
Breathing in a short breath, we should know,"I am breathing in a short breath."
Breathing out a short breath, we should know, "I am breathing out a short breath."
"Experiencing the whole breath-body, I shall breathe in," so we train ourselves.
"Experiencing the whole breath-body, I shall breathe out," so we
train ourselves.
"Calming the activity of the breath-body, I shall breath in," so we
train ourselves.
"Calming the activity of the breath-body, I shall breathe out," so we
train ourselves...
We should live observing the activities of the body, both internally, and externally, and the factors creating and dissolving the body.
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We should apply full attention either in going forward or back; in looking straight on or looking away; in bending or in stretching; in wearing clothes or carrying things; in eating, drinking, chewing or savouring; in attending to the calls of nature; in walking, in standing, in sitting; in falling asleep, in waking; in speaking or in keeping silence. In this way, we should live observing the activities of the body, both internally, and externally.
We should reflect on our very bodies, enveloped by the skin and full of manifold impurity, from the sole up, and from the top of the hair down, and thinking thus; "There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, midriff, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach,
faeces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, urine." In this way, we should live observing the activities of the body, both internally, and externally.
Our body is composed of the elements of earth, [carbon and other organic compounds] water, fire [energy, sugar processed by our muscles], and wind [oxygen and carbon dioxide]. We should reflect that our bodies are composed of all these individual elements, and that our body is
not a permanent, or separate entity. In this way, we should live observing the activities of the body, both internally, and externally.
We should reflect on what will happen to this body of ours, after our death. In the Buddha's time, it was possible to observe and think clearly about seeing;
(1) A body dead one, two, or three days, swollen, blue and festering, thrown on to the cemetery …
(2) A body thrown on to the cemetery, being eaten by crows, hawks, vultures, dogs, jackals or by different kinds of worms …
(3) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to a skeleton with some flesh and blood attached to it, held together by the tendons …
(4) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to a skeleton, blood-besmeared and without flesh, held together by the tendons …
(5) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to a skeleton without flesh and blood, held together by the tendons ...
(6) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to disconnected bones, scattered in all directions, here a bone of the hand, there a bone of the foot, a shin bone, a thigh bone, the pelvis, spine and skull ...
(7) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to bleached bones of conchlike colour ...
(8) A body thrown on to the cemetery, reduced to bones, more than a year old, and lying in a heap ...
(9) A body thrown on to the cemetery reduced to bones rotten and become dust ...
So we should apply this perception to our own body,"My body, too, is of the same nature. This is what it will become, and I cannot escape it." In this way, we should live observing the activities of the body, both internally, and externally.
Feelings
How should we live observing feelings ? When we experiencing a pleasant feeling, we should be aware,"I am experiencing a pleasant feeling." When experiencing a painful feeling, we should know,"I experience a painful feeling."
"When experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, we know,"I experience a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling." When experiencing a pleasant worldly feeling, we know,"I experience a pleasant worldly feeling." When experiencing a pleasant spiritual feeling, we know,"I experience a pleasant spiritual feeling." When experiencing a painful worldly feeling, we know,"I experience a painful worldly feeling." …
In this way, we should live observing feelings, both internally, and externally, and the factors creating and dissolving the feelings.
How should we live observing the mind ? Here we know the mind with lust, as being with lust; the mind without lust, as being without lust; the mind with hate, as being with hate; the mind without hate, as being without hate; the mind with ignorance, as being with ignorance; the mind without ignorance, as being without ignorance …
In this way, we should live observing the mind, both internally, and externally, and the factors creating and dissolving the mind.
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