Reflecting on the Body as a Body

And how, Monks, does a Monk reside reflecting on the body as a body?

Here a Monk, gone to the forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him, ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

Breathing in long, he understands: I breathe in long;

or breathing out long, he understands: I breathe out long.

Breathing in short, he understands: I breathe in short;

or breathing out short, he understands: I breathe out short.

He trains thus: I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body;

he trains thus: I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.

He trains thus: I shall breathe in calming the bodily sensations;

he trains thus: I shall breathe out calming the bodily sensations.

Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice, then making a long turn, understands: I make a long turn; or, when making a short turn, understands: I make a short turn; so too, breathing in long, a Monk understands: I breathe in long ... he trains thus: I shall breathe out calming the bodily sensations.

In this way he resides reflecting on the body as a body internally, or he resides reflecting on the body as a body externally, or he resides reflecting on the body as a body both internally and externally. Or else he resides reflecting on the body its arising factors, or he resides reflecting on the body its vanishing factors, or he resides reflecting on the body both its arising and vanishing factors. Or else mindfulness that 'there is a body' is simply established in him to the extent necessary for bare wisdom and mindfulness. And he resides independent, not clinging to anything in the world.

That is how a Monk resides reflecting on the body as a body.

(Reference: MN 10)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how to develop the first of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness through reflecting on the “body as the body” and calming bodily sensations.

During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation sessions, a Practitioner who experiences the arising of bodily sensations, will need to “cut off and let go” of the bodily sensations from affecting the mind.

Prior to discontentedness arising in the mind, a Practitioner who has developed Right Mindfulness based on The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, will be able to observe bodily sensations arising. The more tuned into the arising of bodily sensations a Practitioner can develop, they can then reside watchful over the mind “cutting off and letting go” of any arising bodily sensations that indicate discontentedness is about to arise in the mind.

Through being able to observe the arising bodily sensations, a Practitioner can then “cut off and let go” of the arising bodily sensations not allowing the discontent feelings to enter the mind. You will find that “cutting off and letting go” of the bodily sensations, not allowing the discontent feelings to invade the mind, will save and protect the mind from needing to experience discontentedness.

As a Practitioner develops this ability more and more, they will experience a gradual decrease in the arising of the cravings/desires/attachments that caused the arising of discontentedness eventually getting to the point where all cravings/desires/attachments are eliminated from the mind no longer subject to future arising. Through “cutting off and letting go” of arising discontentedness through observation of the bodily sensations, a Practitioner is training the mind so that they can then control the mind. When the mental discipline is developed, this results in no future discontentedness arising as the mind experiences more and more qualities of the Enlightened mind.

The Buddha referred to this as “cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising” in other Teachings that he shared during his lifetime.

As the Practitioner tunes into the arising of bodily sensations training the mind during meditation, then during daily life as the mind observes the arising of bodily sensations, apply Right Effort to “cut them off and let them go”, do not allow the discontent feelings to penetrate into the mind. Once the discontent feelings enter the mind as “feelings”, then it is much more challenging to eliminate them from the mind. A Practitioner will save and protect their mind from needing to experience discontentedness at that moment or for minutes, hours, days, etc. through developing Right Mindfulness being aware of and being able to “cut off” the bodily sensations associated with arising discontentedness.

A Practitioner will need to remain diligent to “cut off and let go” of all arising discontent feelings including pleasant feelings. As the unEnlightened mind chases after pleasant feelings wanting the objects of its affection, noticing those pleasant feelings arising as bodily sensations based on impermanent conditions, “cut those off and let them go” not allowing the mind to experience these impermanent pleasant feelings.

If the mind is unwilling to let go of impermanent conditioned happiness, it will never experience permanent unconditioned joy.

The mind needs to understand the core and central problem that is causing all discontentedness is craving/desire/attachment and be unwilling to allow the mind to continue to chase after the objects of its affection as this would only be inviting and welcoming into the mind, painful feelings, at some point.

If the mind chases after pleasant feelings, then when those conditions do not exist due to impermanence, the mind will experience painful feelings or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant. Allowing the mind to continue to chase after the pleasant feelings is to invite and welcome into the mind painful feelings or feelings that are neither painful- nor-pleasant. If you are interested in no longer experiencing painful feelings, then you need to “let go” of the temporary pleasant feelings “cutting off and letting go” of the arising bodily sensations indicating pleasant feelings are arising so that the mind can move to the middle experiencing unconditioned joy.

Unconditioned joy is not based on any condition. The Enlightened mind that experiences peacefulness, calmness, serenity, and contentedness with joy will have the ability to enjoy this mental state permanently. But, the mind will never experience this if it continues to hold on to the temporary pleasant feelings based on temporary conditions.

Develop awareness of mind (i.e. Right Mindfulness) to be able to easily observe the arising bodily sensations associated with pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant. Then, whenever the bodily sensations arise, “cut them off and let them go” so that these discontent feelings never arise in the mind.

A Practitioner who is able to do this consistently on an ongoing basis is nearing close to complete and total control of the mind and being able to experience Enlightenment.