3.
Explanation of the Thirty-two Aspects
Explanation of the Connection of Terms
Now, that which is, for a son of good family whose practice is purified by these ten training rules and who is established in morality, for the purpose of purification of disposition and for the purpose of development of mind - that which, apart from the arising of a Buddha, had never occurred before, which was beyond the domain of all sectarians - in those various discourses:
"One thing, monks, when developed and cultivated, leads to great religious emotion. Leads to great benefit. Leads to great freedom from bondage. Leads to great mindfulness and full awareness. Leads to the attainment of knowledge and vision. Leads to pleasant abiding in the present life. Leads to the realisation of the fruit of true knowledge and liberation. What is that one thing? Mindfulness of the body. Those, monks, do not consume the Deathless who do not consume mindfulness of the body. Those, monks, consume the Deathless who consume mindfulness of the body. The Deathless is unconsumed, consumed; declined, not declined; missed, attained - for those, monks, by whom mindfulness of the body is attained."
Having thus praised in many ways by the Blessed One -
"How, monks, is mindfulness of the body developed, how is it cultivated, so that it is of great power and great benefit? Here, monks, a monk, having gone to the forest, or" -
By the method beginning thus, the meditation subject of mindfulness of the body has been described by way of these fourteen sections: the section on breathing, the section on postures, the section on the four kinds of full awareness, the section on attention to the repulsiveness of the body, the section on attention on the elements, and the nine sections on the charnel ground contemplations. The description of its development has now been reached. Therein, since the section on postures, the section on the four kinds of full awareness, and the section on attention on the elements - these three were stated by way of insight. The nine charnel ground sections were stated by way of the observation of danger within insight knowledges alone. And whatever development of concentration one might wish regarding the bloated and so on herein, that has already been made clear in detail in the description of the development of foulness in the Visuddhimagga. But the section on breathing and the section on attention to the repulsiveness of the body - these two herein were stated by way of concentration. Among those, the section on breathing is itself a separate meditation subject by way of mindfulness of breathing. But as for this -
"Furthermore, monks, a monk reviews this very body, upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the hair, bounded by the skin, as full of many kinds of impurity: 'There are in this body head hairs, body hairs, etc. urine.'"
Thus, having included the brain here and there together with the bone marrow, the meditation subject of the thirty-two aspects - the method of development of mindfulness of the body by way of portions - which was taught, has been undertaken; this is its explanation of meaning:
Therein, "there are" means they exist. "In this" means in that which is spoken of as "upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the hair, bounded by the skin, full of many kinds of impurity." "Body" means in the body. For the body is called "body" because it is an accumulation of impurities, or because it is the origin of hundreds of diseases - contemptible things such as head hairs and so on, and diseases such as eye disease and so on. Head hairs, etc. urine - these are the thirty-two aspects beginning with head hairs. Therein, the connection should be understood thus: "there are in this body head hairs, there are body hairs." What is spoken of by that? In this fathom-long carcass, searching in every way - upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the hair, inwards from the skin - no one sees any pearl or gem or lapis lazuli or aloe wood or sandalwood or saffron or camphor or perfumed powder and so on, not even the slightest state of purity; rather, one sees only impurity - supremely foul-smelling, loathsome, ugly in appearance, of various kinds, classified as head hairs, body hairs, and so on.
This, for now, is the explanation here by way of the connection of terms.
Development of Foulness
But by way of the meditation on foulness, the explanation should be understood thus - Thus, by a son of good family who is established in morality classified as the training rule of abstention from killing living beings and so on, who is pure in practice, who is a beginner, who wishes to engage in the pursuit of the meditation on the thirty-two aspects as a meditation subject for the purpose of attaining purity of disposition, first of all there are ten impediments together with the impediment of residence, family, gain, group, work, journey, relatives, mental knots, illness, supernormal power, and the impediment of fame. Then by him those ten impediments should be cut off thus: by abandoning attachment to residence, family, gain, group, relatives, and fame; by non-involvement in work, journey, and mental knots; and by medical treatment of illness. Then by him, with impediments cut off, with uncut desire for renunciation, having adopted the practice of detachment brought to its culmination, not abandoning even the lesser and minor rules of conduct of the monastic discipline, a teacher who gives the meditation subject, endowed with scripture and realisation, or endowed with one of those factors, should be approached by a method conforming to the monastic discipline; and through the accomplishment of duties, having won the confidence of that one, one's own intention should be made known to him. By him, having known the classification of that one's sign, disposition, temperament, and inclination, if this meditation subject is suitable, then if he also wishes to dwell in the very monastery where he himself dwells, then the meditation subject should be given in brief. But if he wishes to dwell elsewhere, then it should be explained in detail, with the preliminary by way of explaining what should be abandoned and what should be taken up and so on, and with the classification by way of explaining what is suitable for one of lustful temperament and so on. By him, having learnt that meditation subject with its preliminary and with its classification, having asked permission from the teacher, those which -
A drinking place, and leaves, and flowers, and fruit, and one that is desired.
A borderland, a boundary, unsuitable, where a friend is not found.
Should avoid from afar, as a path of danger."
Thus eighteen lodgings are said to be avoided. Having avoided those, that which -
"And how, monks, is a lodging possessed of five factors? Here, monks, a lodging is not too far, not too near, accessible for coming and going, uncrowded by day, with little noise and little disturbance at night, with little contact from gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things. For one dwelling in that lodging, the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick arise with little difficulty. In that lodging dwell elder monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices; approaching them from time to time, he questions, inquires: 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' Those venerable ones open up what is not opened up for him, make clear what is not made clear, and dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt. Thus, monks, a lodging is possessed of five factors."
Thus a lodging possessed of five factors has been stated. Having approached such a lodging, by one who has completed all duties, having reviewed the danger in sensual pleasures and the benefit in renunciation, having gladdened the mind by recollection of the Buddha being well awakened, the Teaching being good Teaching, and the Community being well practising, that which -
By location and by delimitation, the wise know the sevenfold learning."
Thus the sevenfold proficiency in learning; By gradual sequence, by not too quickly, by not too slowly, by warding off distraction, by transcending concepts, by gradual releasing, by absorption, and the three discourses - thus the tenfold proficiency in attention has been stated. Without abandoning that, the meditation on the thirty-two aspects should be undertaken. For indeed, for one who undertakes it thus, the meditation on the thirty-two aspects succeeds in every way, not otherwise.
Therein, from the very beginning, having first taken the skin pentad, even by one who knows the Triple Canon, in forward order by the method beginning with "head hairs, body hairs," when that has become familiar, in reverse order by the method beginning with "skin, teeth," when that too has become familiar, in both forward and reverse order by that same twofold method, it should be developed for a fortnight by speech for the purpose of cutting off externally scattered applied thoughts and for the purpose of becoming familiar with the text, and by mind for the purpose of discerning the intrinsic nature of the parts. For his development by speech, having cut off externally scattered applied thoughts, is a condition for development by mind and for familiarity with the text; development by mind is for the discernment by way of any one among foulness, colour, and characteristic. Then by that same method the kidney pentad for a fortnight; then both together for a fortnight; then the lung pentad for a fortnight; then those three pentads together for a fortnight; then at the end, even though not mentioned, having included the brain here together with the earth element aspects for the purpose of developing them as one, the brain pentad for a fortnight; then the four pentads for a fortnight; then the fat hexad for a fortnight; then the four pentads together with the fat hexad for a fortnight; then the urine hexad for a fortnight; then all the thirty-two aspects together for a fortnight - thus it should be developed over six months by one who determines them by colour, shape, direction, location, and delimitation. This was said with reference to a person of middling wisdom. But by one of slow wisdom it should be developed for as long as life lasts; for one of sharp wisdom the meditation succeeds before long.
Here one asks - "But how does one define these thirty-two aspects beginning with colour?" For this one, developing the thirty-two aspects by the division into the skin pentad and so on by the method beginning with "there are in this body head hairs," first defines head hairs as black in colour, or whatever kind they are seen to be. As to shape, one defines them as long and round, like the beam of a balance. As to direction, however, since in this body above the navel is called the upper direction and below the lower direction, therefore one defines them as having arisen in the upper direction of this body. As to location, they have arisen on the skin of the head, which is delimited by the forehead, the edges of the ears, the knots of hair, and the bottom of the throat. Therein, just as blunt grasses grown on the top of an ant-hill do not know "We have grown on the top of an ant-hill"; nor does the top of the ant-hill know "Blunt grasses have grown on me"; just so, head hairs do not know "We have grown on the skin of the head," nor does the skin of the head know "Head hairs have grown on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, senseless, indeterminate, empty, supremely foul-smelling, loathsome, and repulsive - not a being, not a person - thus one defines. As to delimitation: the delimitation is twofold, by way of the similar and the dissimilar. Therein, head hairs are delimited below by the surface of the skin on which they are established, by their own root surface which has entered therein to the extent of a grain of paddy and is established, above by space, and across by each other - thus by way of similar delimitation; head hairs are not the remaining thirty-one aspects. The remaining thirty-one are not head hairs - thus by way of dissimilar delimitation one defines. Thus, for now, one defines head hairs beginning with colour.
Among the remaining, one defines body hairs as mostly of dark colour in colour, or whatever kind they are seen to be. As to shape, they are of the shape of a bent bow, or above of the shape of a crooked palmyra splinter; as to direction, they have arisen in both directions; as to location, except for the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, they have arisen mostly on the remaining skin of the body.
Therein, just as coarse grasses grown on an old village site do not know "We have grown on an old village site," nor does the old village site know "Coarse grasses have grown on me," just so, body hairs do not know "We have grown on the skin of the body," nor does the skin of the body know "Body hairs have grown on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, senseless, indeterminate, empty, supremely foul-smelling, loathsome, and repulsive - not a being, not a person - thus one defines. As to delimitation, one defines them as delimited below by the surface of the skin on which they are established, by their own root which has entered therein to the extent of a nit's egg and is established, above by space, and across by each other. This is their similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hairs - thus one defines body hairs beginning with colour.
Next, nails: for one whose nails are complete, there are twenty. One defines all of them as white in colour in the place free from flesh, and copper-coloured where connected with flesh. As to shape, one defines them as having the shape of their respective place of establishment, mostly having the shape of madhuka fruit stones, or the shape of fish scales. As to direction, they have arisen in both directions; as to location, they are established at the tips of the fingers.
Therein, just as madhuka fruit stones placed by village boys on the tips of sticks do not know "We have been placed on the tips of sticks," nor do the sticks know "Madhuka fruit stones have been placed on us"; just so, nails do not know "We are established at the tips of the fingers," nor do the fingers know "Nails are established at our tips." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, senseless, etc. not a person - thus one defines. As to delimitation, one defines them as delimited below at the root by the flesh of the fingers, or by the surface established there, above at the tip by space, and on both sides by the skin at both edges of the fingers. This is their similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hairs - thus one defines nails beginning with colour.
Beyond that, for one whose teeth are complete, there are thirty-two. He defines all of them as white in colour. For one whose teeth are evenly set, they appear like a layer of conch shell cut with a rough-edged blade, or like a garland of white flower buds strung together evenly. For one whose teeth are unevenly set, he defines them by shape as of various shapes, like a row of benches in a dilapidated assembly hall. For at the ends of both rows of teeth, making two each below and above, eight teeth are four-pointed, four-rooted, and of the shape of a rectangular chair; inside those, arranged in the same order, eight teeth are three-pointed, three-rooted, and of the shape of a crossroads. Inside those too, in the same order, making one each below and above, four teeth are two-pointed, two-rooted, and of the shape of a vehicle-shaft support pillar. Inside those too, arranged in the same order, four canine teeth are single-pointed, single-rooted, and of the shape of a jasmine bud. Then in the middle of both rows of teeth, making four below and four above, eight teeth are single-pointed, single-rooted, and of the shape of a gourd seed. As to direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, the upper ones are established in the upper jawbone with their points downward, and the lower ones in the lower jawbone with their points upward.
Therein, just as pillars established below on a stone surface and inserted into the upper surface by a building supervisor do not know "We are established on the lower stone surface, inserted into the upper surface," nor does the lower stone surface know "Pillars are established in me," nor does the upper surface know "Pillars have entered into me"; just so, the teeth do not know "We are established in the lower jawbone, entered into the upper jawbone," nor does the lower jawbone know "Teeth are established in me," nor does the upper jawbone know "Teeth have entered into me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines them as delimited below by the cavity of the jawbone, having entered into the jawbone and being established, and by their own root surface, and above by space, and across by one another. This is their homogeneous delimitation; but the heterogeneous delimitation is just like that of the head hairs. Thus he defines the teeth beginning with colour and so on.
Beyond that, he defines the skin, which conceals the accumulation of various corpse-parts inside the body, as white in colour. For although it appears as if of various colours by way of dark, fair, and other colours because of being tinted by the pigment of the outer skin, nevertheless by its homogeneous colour it is simply white. But that whiteness of it becomes obvious when the outer skin has been destroyed by flames of fire, by the impact of a weapon, by a blow, and so on. As to shape, in brief it is of the shape of a jacket; in detail, of various shapes. For thus, the skin of the toes is of the shape of a silkworm's cocoon; the skin of the top of the foot is of the shape of a toe-covered sandal; the skin of the lower leg is of the shape of a palm-leaf food-packet; the skin of the thigh is of the shape of a long bag filled with rice; the skin of the buttocks is of the shape of a cloth water-strainer filled with water; the skin of the back is of the shape of a hide stretched over a board; the skin of the belly is of the shape of a hide stretched over the body of a lute; the skin of the chest is for the most part of a quadrangular shape; the skin of both arms is of the shape of a hide stretched over a quiver; the skin of the back of the hand is of the shape of a razor-sheath or of the shape of a comb-bag; the skin of the fingers is of the shape of a key-sheath; the skin of the neck is of the shape of a throat-jacket; the skin of the face is of the shape of a worm-nest with holes here and there; the skin of the head is of the shape of a bowl-bag.
And by the meditation practitioner who is comprehending the skin, beginning from the upper lip, directing the mind between the skin and the flesh, first the skin of the face should be defined, then the skin of the head, then the outer skin of the neck, then the skin of the right hand in forward and reverse order. Then in the same order the skin of the left hand, then the skin of the back, then the skin of the buttocks, then the skin of the right foot in forward and reverse order, then the skin of the left foot, then the skin of the bladder, abdomen, heart, and inner neck, then the skin of the lower jaw, then the skin of the lower lip. Thus up to the skin of the upper lip again. As to direction, it has arisen in two directions. As to location, it stands having enveloped the entire body.
Therein, just as the moist hide of a box covered with moist hide does not know "A box has been covered by me," nor does the box know "I have been covered with moist hide"; just so, the skin does not know "This body consisting of the four primary elements has been wrapped by me," nor does this body consisting of the four primary elements know "I have been wrapped by skin." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. However, merely -
It oozes all around, impure and foul-smelling."
As regards delimitation, he defines it as delimited below by the flesh or by the surface established therein, and above by the outer skin. This is its delimitation by similarity; but the delimitation by dissimilarity is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the skin beginning with colour.
Then further, the flesh in the body, classified into nine hundred pieces, he defines as red in colour, resembling the pālibhaddaka flower. As regards shape, of various shapes. For thus therein, the flesh of the calves has the shape of a parcel of food wrapped in a palmyra leaf; some say the shape of an unopened screw-pine bud. The flesh of the thighs has the shape of the upper stone of a lime-plastering grindstone; the flesh of the buttocks has the shape of the edge of an oven; the flesh of the back has the shape of a slab of palmyra sugar; the flesh of each pair of ribs has the shape of a thin clay coating on the belly area of a bamboo granary; the flesh of the breasts has the shape of a half lump of clay rounded and thrown down; the flesh of the two arms has the shape of a large skinned rat placed after cutting off the tail, head, and feet; some say the shape of a butcher's block. The flesh of the cheeks has the shape of a karañja seed placed in the cheek area; some say the shape of a frog. The flesh of the tongue has the shape of a nuhī leaf; the flesh of the nose has the shape of a leaf-sheath placed face downward; the flesh of the eye sockets has the shape of a half-ripe fig; the flesh of the head has the shape of a thin coating on a bowl-baking cauldron. And by the meditation practitioner who is examining the flesh, these very gross pieces of flesh should be defined by shape. For when one thus defines them, the subtle pieces of flesh come within the range of knowledge. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As regards location, standing having besmeared slightly more than three hundred bones.
Therein, just as when a wall is plastered with thick clay, the thick clay does not know "A wall has been plastered by me," nor does the wall know "I have been plastered with thick clay," just so the flesh classified into nine hundred pieces does not know "The three hundred bones have been besmeared by me," nor do the three hundred bones know "I have been besmeared with flesh classified into nine hundred pieces." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. However, merely -
Swarming with various kinds of worms, putrid like a place of excrement."
As regards delimitation, he defines it as delimited below by the skeleton or by the surface established therein, above by the skin, and across by each other. This is its delimitation by similarity; but the delimitation by dissimilarity is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the flesh beginning with colour.
Then further, the sinews in the body, classified into nine hundred varieties, he defines as white in colour; some say honey-coloured. As regards shape, of various shapes. For thus therein, the very large sinews have the shape of a plantain bud; those more subtle than those have the shape of a rope of a pig-catching net; those finer than those have the shape of a decayed creeper; those finer than those have the shape of a string of a large Sinhalese lute; those finer than those have the shape of thick thread; the sinews on the backs of the hands and the backs of the feet have the shape of a bird's foot; the sinews on the head have the shape of a rather sparse fine cloth placed on the heads of village boys; the sinews of the back have the shape of a fish-net spread out in the sun after being wetted; the remaining sinews in this body, following each and every major and minor limb, have the shape of a net-jacket put on the body. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. And among them, beginning from the right ear-knot, five great sinews called tendons, intertwining in front and behind, have gone to the left side; beginning from the left ear-knot, five, intertwining in front and behind, have gone to the right side; beginning from the right side of the throat, five, intertwining in front and behind, have gone to the left side; beginning from the left side of the throat, five, intertwining in front and behind, have gone to the right side; intertwining the right hand, five in front and five behind - thus ten great sinews called tendons have ascended. Likewise the left hand, the right foot, and the left foot - thus he also defines these sixty great sinews as body-bearers and body-regulators. As regards location, in the whole body, standing binding the bones between the bone-skin and the bone-flesh.
Therein, just as when rafters are bound by creeper-vines, the creeper-vines do not know "Rafters have been bound by us," nor do the rafters know "We have been bound by creeper-vines"; just so the sinews do not know "Three hundred bones have been bound by us," nor do the three hundred bones know "We have been bound by sinews." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. However, merely -
They bind the skeleton, like creepers a house."
As regards delimitation, he defines them as delimited below by the three hundred bones or by the surfaces established therein, above by the skin and flesh, and across by each other. This is their delimitation by what is similar; but the delimitation by what is dissimilar is just like that of head hairs. Thus he defines the sinews beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, since the thirty-two tooth-bones have been taken separately, the remaining sixty-four hand-bones, sixty-four foot-bones, sixty-four soft bones dependent on flesh, two heel-bones, two ankle-bones in each foot, two shin-bones, one knee-bone, one thigh-bone, two hip-bones, eighteen spinal vertebrae, twenty-four rib-bones, fourteen breast-bones, one heart-bone, two collar-bones, two shoulder-blade bones, two upper-arm bones, two pairs of forearm-bones, seven neck-bones, two jaw-bones, one nose-bone, two eye-bones, two ear-bones, one forehead-bone, one crown-bone, nine skull-bones - thus the bones described by such a method as this are all white in colour, so he defines.
In shape they are of various shapes. For therein the bones of the tips of the toes are the shape of kataka seeds; next to those, the middle-joint bones of the toes are the shape of incomplete jackfruit seeds; the root-joint bones are the shape of small drums; some say the shape of a peacock's ankle-ring. The bones of the back of the foot are the shape of a heap of crushed plantain-stem fibres; the heel-bones are the shape of a single palmyra-fruit seed; the ankle-bones are the shape of a play-ball bound on one side; among the shin-bones, the smaller one is the shape of a bow-shaft; the larger one is the shape of the back of a vein withered by hunger and thirst; the place where the shin-bone is established on the ankle-bones is the shape of a date-palm shoot with the bark removed; the place where the shin-bone is established on the knee-bone is the shape of the top of a small drum; the knee-bone from one side is the shape of crushed foam; the thigh-bones are the shape of a poorly planed adze-handle; the place where the thigh-bone is established on the hip-bone is the shape of the knob of a fire-lighting rod of goldsmiths; the place where it is established is the shape of a punnāga fruit with the top cut off; the hip-bones, both being bound as one, are the shape of a potter's oven; some say the shape of an ascetic's consecration seat. The buttock-bones are the shape of a cobra's hood placed face downward; perforated and unperforated at seven or eight places, the eighteen spinal vertebrae are, from the inside, the shape of head-cloth wrappings placed one upon another; from the outside, the shape of a row of rings; between them there are two or three thorns resembling saw-teeth; among the twenty-four rib-bones, the complete ones are the shape of a complete Sinhalese sickle; the incomplete ones are the shape of an incomplete Sinhalese sickle; some say all of them are the shape of the two outstretched wings of a white cock. The fourteen breast-bones are the shape of a row of planks of an old cart; the heart-bone is the shape of the blade of a ladle; the collar-bones are the shape of the handle of a small iron adze; the bone below them is the shape of a half-moon; the shoulder-blade bones are the shape of the blade of a hatchet; some say the shape of a Sinhalese hoe cut in half. The upper-arm bones are the shape of a mirror-handle; some say the shape of the handle of a large adze. The forearm-bones are the shape of a pair of palmyra tubers; the wrist-bones are the shape of head-cloth wrappings pressed together and placed on one side; the bones of the back of the hand are the shape of a heap of crushed plantain-stem fibres; the root-joint bones of the fingers are the shape of small drums; the middle-joint bones are the shape of incomplete jackfruit seeds; the tip-joint bones are the shape of kataka seeds; the seven neck-bones are the shape of pieces of bamboo shoot pierced on a stick and placed in succession; the lower jaw-bone is the shape of a blacksmith's iron hammer-strap; the upper jaw-bone is the shape of a scraping knife; the eye-socket and nose-cavity bones are the shape of young palmyra stalks with the pith removed; the forehead-bone is the shape of a broken conch-shell placed face downward; the ear-lobe bones are the shape of a barber's razor-sheath; at the place where the bandage is tied above the forehead and ear-lobes, the shape is that of a piece of thick cloth full of bone-thick pots; the crown-bone is the shape of a crooked coconut with the mouth cut off; the skull-bones are the shape of a worn-out gourd-vessel sewn together and placed. As regards direction, they arise in two directions.
As regards location, without distinction they are situated in the whole body; but with distinction, the skull-bones are established on the neck-bones, the neck-bones are established on the spinal vertebrae, the spinal vertebrae are established on the hip-bones, the hip-bones are established on the thigh-bones, the thigh-bones on the knee-bones, the knee-bones on the shin-bones, the shin-bones on the ankle-bones, the ankle-bones are established on the bones of the back of the foot; and the bones of the back of the foot stand lifting up the ankle-bones, the ankle-bones the shin-bones, etc. the neck-bones stand lifting up the skull-bones. By this method the remaining bones too should be understood.
Therein, just as in piles of bricks, roof-beams, and so on, the upper bricks and so on do not know "We are established on the lower ones," nor do the lower ones know "We stand lifting up the upper ones"; just so, the skull-bones do not know "We are established on the neck-bones," etc. the ankle-bones do not know "We are established on the bones of the back of the foot," nor do the bones of the back of the foot know "We stand lifting up the ankle-bones." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. But merely these three hundred and more bones, bound and plastered by nine hundred sinews and nine hundred pieces of flesh, enveloped by a single mass of hide, moistened by the moisture following seventeen thousand nutrient-conveying channels, with sweat and grime oozing from ninety-nine thousand pores, with eighty families of worms, having come to be reckoned simply as "body" - when the practitioner of meditation examines this according to its intrinsic nature, he sees nothing fit to be grasped; he sees merely a skeleton held together by sinews, mixed with various corpse-parts. Having seen which, one attains the state of being a son of the Ten-Powered One. As he said -
Held together by many joints, by no one;
Bound by sinews, driven on by ageing,
Without consciousness, resembling a log of wood.
Foul-smelling too in what is foul-smelling, subject to decay in what is subject to breaking up.
"Remove desire in that, and you will be sons of the One of Ten Powers."
As regards delimitation, he defines that they are delimited inside by the bone marrow, above by the flesh, and at the tips and roots by one another. This is their delimitation by similarity; but the delimitation by dissimilarity is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the bones beginning with colour.
Then further, he defines the bone marrow that has gone within the bones of the aforesaid varieties in the body as white in colour. As regards shape, it has the shape of its own location. That is: That which has gone within the very large bones, having been steamed and rolled, has the shape of a large cane shoot placed in large bamboo tube joints; that which has gone within the very small bones, having been steamed and rolled, has the shape of a slender cane shoot placed in very small bamboo tube joints. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As regards location, it is established inside the bones.
Therein, just as curds and molasses that have gone inside bamboo tubes and the like do not know "We have gone inside bamboo tubes and the like," nor do the bamboo tubes and the like know "Curds and molasses have gone inside us"; just so, the bone marrow does not know "I have gone inside the bones," nor do the bones know "Bone marrow has gone inside us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that it is delimited by the inner surfaces of the bones and by the portion of bone marrow. This is its delimitation by similarity; but the delimitation by dissimilarity is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the bone marrow beginning with colour.
Then further, he defines the kidneys, which are of the variety of two balls, inside the body, as dull red in colour, the colour of pāḷibhaddaka seeds. As regards shape, they have the shape of a play-ball wound with thread of village boys; some say the shape of a pair of mangoes on a single stalk. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As regards location, they stand having emerged from the bottom of the throat by a single root, having gone a little way, having been bound by a thick sinew that has split in two, having encircled the flesh of the heart.
Therein, just as a pair of mangoes tied to a stalk does not know "I am tied to a stalk," nor does the stalk know "A pair of mangoes has been tied by me"; just so, the kidneys do not know "I am tied by a thick sinew," nor does the thick sinew know "The kidneys have been tied by me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that the kidneys are delimited by the kidney portion. This is its delimitation by similarity; but the delimitation by dissimilarity is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the kidneys beginning with colour.
Then further, he defines the heart inside the body as red in colour, the colour of the back of a red lotus petal. As regards shape, it has the shape of a lotus bud placed upside down with the outer petals removed; and it is like a punnāga fruit with the tip cut off, open on one side, smooth on the outside, similar inside to the interior of a kosātakī fruit. For those abundant in wisdom it is slightly opened; for those of dull wisdom it is merely in bud. Having removed the matter in dependence on which the mind-element and the mind-consciousness element occur, inside the heart reckoned as the remaining lump of flesh, about half a pasata of blood remains. That is red for one of lustful temperament, blackish for one of hateful temperament, similar to meat-washing water for one of deluded temperament, the colour of horse-gram broth for one of discursive temperament, the colour of kaṇikāra flowers for one of faithful temperament; for one of wise temperament it is clear, serene, undisturbed, and appears brilliant like a polished natural gem. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As regards location, it is established in the middle of the two breasts inside the body.
Therein, just as a door-bolt post standing in the middle of two window panels does not know "I am standing in the middle of two window panels," nor do the window panels know "A door-bolt post is standing in our middle"; just so the heart does not know "I am standing in the middle of two breasts," nor do the breasts know "The heart is standing in our middle." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that the heart is delimited by the heart portion. This is its delimitation by the similar, but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair - thus he defines the heart beginning with colour.
Then further, inside the body, the twin lump of flesh called the liver, he defines as red in colour, the colour of the back of the outer petals of a red water lily. In shape, having a single root and twin at the tip, the shape of a koviḷāra leaf; and for those who are slow-witted it is just one and large, for those who are wise it is two or three small ones. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As regards location, standing in dependence on the right side inside the two breasts.
Therein, just as a slice of flesh stuck to the side of a large jar does not know "I am stuck to the side of a large jar," nor does the side of the large jar know "A slice of flesh is stuck to me"; just so the liver does not know "I am standing in dependence on the right side inside the two breasts," nor does the right side inside the breasts know "The liver is standing in dependence on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, however, he defines that the liver is delimited by the liver portion. This is its delimitation by the similar, but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair - thus he defines the liver beginning with colour.
Then further, the pleura in the body, which is twofold by the division into covered and uncovered, he defines as white in colour, the colour of a fine cloth rag. In shape, the shape of its own location. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As regards location, the covered pleura, having enveloped the heart and the kidneys, and the uncovered pleura, having wrapped around the flesh beneath the skin throughout the whole body, stands.
Therein, just as when flesh is wrapped in a rag, the rag does not know "The flesh has been wrapped by me," nor does the flesh know "I have been wrapped by a rag"; just so the pleura does not know "The heart, the kidneys, and the flesh beneath the skin throughout the whole body have been wrapped by me." Nor do the heart, the kidneys, and the flesh throughout the whole body know "I have been wrapped by the pleura." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that it is delimited below by flesh, above by skin, and across by the pleura portion. This is its delimitation by the similar, but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair - thus he defines the pleura beginning with colour.
Then further, inside the body, the spleen, he defines as blue in colour, the colour of a withered nigguṇḍī flower. In shape, mostly seven finger-breadths in measure, without binding, the shape of a black calf's tongue. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As regards location, standing in dependence on the upper side of the stomach lining on the left side of the heart, which, when it comes out through a blow from a weapon, there is the destruction of life for beings.
Therein, just as a lump of cow-dung standing in dependence on the top side of a porch does not know "I am standing in dependence on the top side of a porch," nor does the top side of the porch know "a lump of cow-dung is standing in dependence on me"; just so, the spleen does not know "I am standing in dependence on the top side of the stomach membrane," nor does the top side of the stomach membrane know "the spleen is standing in dependence on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that the spleen is delimited by the spleen portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the spleen beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines the lungs inside the body, consisting of thirty-two pieces of flesh, as red in colour, the colour of a not-too-ripe fig. As to shape, having the shape of an unevenly cut cake; some say having the shape of a heap of broken roof tiles. That, in the absence of food and drink and so on inside, being struck by the risen kamma-born heat, is without flavour and without nutritive essence, like a masticated lump of straw. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, inside the body, within the two breasts, standing hanging down having covered over the heart and the liver.
Therein, just as a bird's nest hanging inside a dilapidated granary does not know "I am standing hanging inside a dilapidated granary," nor does the inside of the dilapidated granary know "a bird's nest is standing hanging in me"; just so, the lungs do not know "I am standing hanging between the two breasts inside the body," nor does the space between the two breasts inside the body know "the lungs are standing hanging in me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that the lungs are delimited by the lungs portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the lungs beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines the intestines inside the body, thirty-two cubits long in a man, twenty-eight cubits long in a woman, bent in twenty-one places, as white in colour, the colour of crystal lime. As to shape, having the shape of a headless snake's body coiled up and placed in a trough of blood. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As to location, being fastened above at the throat and below at the anus, standing inside the body within the confines of the throat and the anus.
Therein, just as a headless snake's body placed in a trough of blood does not know "I am standing in a trough of blood," nor does the trough of blood know "a headless snake's body is standing in me"; just so, the intestines do not know "I am standing inside the body," nor does the inside of the body know "the intestines are standing in me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that the intestines are delimited by the intestines portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the intestines beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines the mesentery inside the body, between the intestines, as white in colour, the colour of the root of a water lily. As to shape, having just the shape of the root of a water lily; some say having the shape of cow's urine. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As to location, just as the thread of a loom at the time of pulling the loom for those doing work with hoes and axes and so on, like the loom-thread, having fastened the loom-boards at the folds of the intestines together at the bolt-end, like a cord that stands having sewn through the middle of a foot-wiping rope-mat, it stands between the twenty-one folds of the intestines.
Therein, just as the cord that has sewn a foot-wiping rope-mat and remains does not know "A foot-wiping rope-mat has been sewn by me," nor does the foot-wiping rope-mat know "The cord, having sewn me, remains," just so the mesentery does not know "I, having bound the intestines within the twenty-one coils, remain," nor do the intestines know "The mesentery, having bound me, remains." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, one defines that the mesentery is delimited by the mesentery portion. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus one defines the mesentery beginning with colour.
Then further, within the body, one defines undigested food as being in colour the colour of swallowed food. In shape, it has the shape of loosely bound rice grains in a water strainer. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, it is situated in the stomach. The stomach is a membrane of intestines resembling a blister that has arisen in the middle of a wet cloth being squeezed from both sides; smooth on the outside, wrapped inside with flesh-refuse, resembling the flower of a soiled mantle; some say it resembles the inside of a boiled jackfruit. Therein, takkolaka, earthworm, palmyra-splinter, needle-mouth, cloth-thread, and string-thread - worms of thirty-two family varieties such as these, tangled and entangled, moving in clusters, dwell there. When drink and food and so on are absent, they leap up and, crying out, pierce the flesh of the heart; and at the time of swallowing drink and food and so on, turning face upward, they very hastily snatch two or three morsels of the first food swallowed. That which is for these worms a birthing chamber, a toilet, a sick hall, and a cemetery - where, just as at the gate of an outcaste village, in a cesspool, in the autumn season, when the sky rains with large drops, various kinds of corpses consisting of urine, excrement, hide, bone, sinew, pieces, spittle, mucus, blood, and so on, carried along by water, having fallen in, stirred up with muddy water, having become swarming with arisen crowds of worms, after two or three days, seething with the force of the heat of the sun's burning, releasing foam and bubbles on the surface, of dark blue colour, supremely foul-smelling and loathsome, having reached a state unfit to approach or even to see, it remains - let alone to smell or to taste; just so, various kinds of drink and food and so on, ground by the pestle of the teeth, turned over by the hand of the tongue, obstructed by spittle and saliva, with the excellence of colour, odour, flavour, and so on gone at that very moment, resembling the vomit of a dog that has eaten rice-chaff, having fallen down, having become enveloped by bile, phlegm, and wind, seething with the force of the heat of the digestive fire, swarming with crowds of worms, releasing foam and bubbles again and again, having reached a state of supreme refuse-foul-smelling loathsomeness, it remains. Hearing which, even displeasure towards drink and food and so on becomes established, let alone having looked with the eye of wisdom. And where the drink and food and so on that has fallen undergoes fivefold separation: one portion the insects eat, one portion the digestive fire burns up, one portion becomes urine, one portion becomes excrement, and one portion, having reached the state of nutriment, nourishes blood, flesh, and so on.
Therein, just as dog vomit situated in a supremely loathsome dog's trough does not know "I am situated in a dog's trough"; nor does the dog's trough know "Dog vomit is situated in me." Just so, the undigested food does not know "I am situated in this supremely foul-smelling, loathsome stomach"; nor does the stomach know "Undigested food is situated in me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, one defines that the undigested food is delimited by the undigested food portion. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus one defines the undigested food beginning with colour.
Then further, within the body, one defines excrement as being in colour mostly the colour of swallowed food. In shape, it has the shape of its location; as to direction, it has arisen in the lower direction; as to location, it is situated in the receptacle for the digested. The receptacle for the digested is a region below, between the navel and the roots of the backbone, at the end of the intestines, about eight finger-breadths in height, resembling the inside of a bamboo tube, where, just as rain water that has fallen on the upper part of the ground trickles down and, having filled the lower part of the ground, remains, just so whatever drink and food and so on that has fallen into the stomach, cooked and cooked by the digestive fire with foam rising up, having reached a smooth state like flour on a grinding stone, having trickled down through the intestinal passage, having been pressed down, like pale clay pressed into a bamboo tube, having accumulated, it remains.
Therein, just as pale clay pressed down and put into a bamboo tube does not know "I am situated in a bamboo tube," nor does the bamboo tube know "Pale clay is situated in me"; just so, excrement does not know "I am situated in the receptacle for the digested," nor does the receptacle for the digested know "Excrement is situated in me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, one defines that excrement is delimited by the excrement portion. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus one defines excrement beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines the brain inside the skull in the body as white in colour, the colour of a cluster of snake-umbrella mushrooms. Some say the colour of boiled milk. As to shape, the shape of its location. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, it stands inside the skull, depending on the four suture lines, having become a combination of four lumps of brain, like four lumps of flour placed together.
Therein, just as a lump of flour or boiled milk placed in an old gourd shell does not know "I am standing in an old gourd shell," nor does the old gourd shell know "in me a lump of flour or boiled milk is standing"; just so the brain does not know "I am standing inside the skull," nor does the inside of the skull know "in me the brain is standing." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that the brain is delimited by the brain portion. This is its delimitation by the similar, but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines the brain beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines bile in the body, which is twofold by the distinction of bound and unbound, as the colour of thick madhuka oil in colour. Some say the unbound bile is the colour of withered bakula flowers. As to shape, the shape of its location. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As to location, the unbound bile, excluding the places where head hair, body hair, nails, and teeth are free from flesh, and the hardened dry skin, stands pervading the rest of the body like a drop of oil in water; when it is disturbed, the eyes become yellow and roll about, the body trembles and itches. The bound bile stands in a bile sac resembling a large kosātakī pod, established depending on the liver flesh between the heart and the lungs; when it is disturbed, beings become mad, with deranged minds, having abandoned shame and moral fear, they do what ought not to be done, speak what ought not to be spoken, and think what ought not to be thought.
Therein, just as oil standing having pervaded water does not know "I am standing having pervaded water," nor does the water know "oil is standing having pervaded me"; just so the unbound bile does not know "I am standing having pervaded the body," nor does the body know "the unbound bile is standing having pervaded me." And just as rainwater standing in a kosātakī pod does not know "I am standing in a kosātakī pod," nor does the kosātakī pod know "in me rainwater is standing"; just so the bound bile does not know "I am standing in the bile sac," nor does the bile sac know "in me the bound bile is standing." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that bile is delimited by the bile portion. This is its delimitation by the similar, but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines bile beginning with colour.
Beyond that, he defines phlegm inside the body, measuring one bowlful, as white in colour, the colour of the sap of kacchaka leaves. As to shape, the shape of its location. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, it stands on the mucous membrane of the stomach. At the time of swallowing drink, food, and so on, just as moss and water plants in water, when a stick or potsherd falls, are broken apart and become two, then cover over again and remain, just so when drink, food, and so on fall in, it is broken apart and becomes two, then covers over again and remains; and when it becomes weak, the mucous membrane of the stomach has the smell of a supremely loathsome corpse, like a ripe boil, like a rotten hen's egg. And from the odour risen therefrom, the belch and the mouth become foul-smelling, resembling a putrid corpse, and that person comes to the point of being told "Go away, you smell foul, you crow"; and that which has increased and reached a state of thickness, like the covering board of a toilet, stands right within the mucous membrane of the stomach, having suppressed the corpse smell.
Therein, just as the film of foam on the surface of a cesspool does not know "I am situated on a cesspool," nor does the cesspool know "a film of foam is situated on me"; just so, phlegm does not know "I am situated on the mucous membrane of the stomach," nor does the mucous membrane of the stomach know "phlegm is situated on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that phlegm is delimited by the phlegm portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines phlegm beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, he defines pus as being the colour of a withered leaf by colour. As to shape, it has the shape of its location. As to direction, it has arisen in two directions. As to location, there is no fixed location for pus where pus might remain accumulated. Wherever blood, having settled and festered at a place on the body struck by stumps, thorns, weapons, flames of fire, and so on, or wherever boils, abscesses, and so on arise, there it remains.
Therein, just as the gum that has oozed out and remained at the places on a tree struck here and there by the edges of axes and so on does not know "I am situated at the struck place of the tree," nor does the struck place of the tree know "gum is situated on me"; just so, pus does not know "I am situated at the places on the body struck here and there by stumps, thorns, and so on, or at the places where boils, abscesses, and so on have arisen," nor does the place on the body know "pus is situated on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that pus is delimited by the pus portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines pus beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, blood being twofold as accumulated blood and circulating blood, among these, he defines accumulated blood as being the colour of thick boiled lac-colouring by colour, and circulating blood as being the colour of clear lac-colouring. As to shape, all of it has the shape of its own location. As to direction, accumulated blood arises in the upper direction, circulating blood in both. As to location, circulating blood, excluding the places on the head hair, body hair, nails, and teeth that are free from flesh, and the hardened dry skin, has pervaded the entire clung-to body following the network of veins and remains there. Accumulated blood, having filled the lower part of the liver, in the amount sufficient to fill one bowl, dropping little by little drops upon the kidneys, heart, and lungs, moistening the kidneys, heart, liver, and lungs, remains there. When it does not moisten the kidneys, heart, and so on, beings become thirsty.
Therein, just as water situated in a worn-out pot, moistening clods of earth and so on below, does not know "I am situated in a worn-out pot, moistening clods of earth and so on below," nor do the worn-out pot or the clods of earth and so on below know "water is situated on me, or it is situated moistening us"; just so, blood does not know "I am situated in the lower part of the liver, moistening the kidneys, heart, and so on," nor do the place at the lower part of the liver or the kidneys, heart, and so on know "blood is situated on me, or it is situated moistening us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines that blood is delimited by the blood portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines blood beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, he defines sweat as being the colour of clear sesame oil by colour. As to shape, it has the shape of its location. As to direction, it has arisen in two directions. As to location, there is no fixed location for sweat where sweat might remain always like blood. Or because whenever the body is heated by the heat of fire, the heat of the sun, seasonal changes, and so on, then it trickles through all the pores of the head hair and body hair, like water from a bundle of lotus roots, lotus bulbs, and white water-lily stalks that has been pulled up and unevenly cut. Therefore, by means of those pores of the head hair and body hair, he defines it as to shape. "And by the meditation practitioner who is comprehending sweat, sweat should be attended to just as filling and remaining in the pores of the head hair and body hair" - thus it was said by the former teachers.
Therein, just as water trickling through the openings of a bunch of lotus roots, lotus bulbs, and white water-lily stalks does not know "I am trickling through the openings of a bunch of lotus roots, lotus bulbs, and white water-lily stalks," nor do the openings of a bunch of lotus roots, lotus bulbs, and white water-lily stalks know "Water is trickling through us"; just so, sweat does not know "I am trickling through the openings of the pores of head-hairs and body-hairs," nor do the openings of the pores of head-hairs and body-hairs know "Sweat is trickling through us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines thus: sweat is delimited by the portion of sweat. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head-hair. Thus he defines sweat beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, he defines fat, which is between the skin and the flesh, as being the colour of split turmeric as to colour. As to shape, it has the shape of its location. For thus, in one who is happy and has a stout body, having pervaded between the skin and the flesh, it has the shape of a turmeric-dyed fine-cloth rag; in one with a lean body, depending on the calf-flesh, thigh-flesh, backbone-supported back-flesh, and belly-membrane-flesh, having been rolled up and placed, it has the shape of pieces of turmeric-dyed fine-cloth rag. As to direction, it has arisen in two directions. As to location, in one with a stout body, having pervaded the entire body, and in a lean one, depending on the calf-flesh and so on, it remains; and although it is reckoned as an oily substance, because of its extreme loathsomeness, it is not taken for the purpose of head-oil, nor for the purpose of mouthful-oil, nor for the purpose of lamp-lighting.
Therein, just as a turmeric-dyed fine-cloth rag depending on a heap of flesh does not know "I am depending on a heap of flesh," nor does the heap of flesh know "A turmeric-dyed fine-cloth rag is depending on me"; just so, fat does not know "I am depending on the entire body or on the flesh in the calves and so on," nor does the entire body know, or the flesh in the calves and so on, "Fat is depending on me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines thus: fat is delimited below by flesh, above by skin, and all around by the portion of fat. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head-hair. Thus he defines fat beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, he defines tears as being the colour of clear sesame oil as to colour. As to shape, the shape of its location. As regards direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As to location, it remains in the eye-sockets. And this does not always remain accumulated in the eye-sockets as bile does in the bile-sac; but when beings who have become joyful laugh a great laugh, when those who have become sorrowful weep and lament, or when they take such unwholesome food, and when their eyes are struck by smoke, dust, dirt, and so on, then, having arisen from these - pleasure, displeasure, unwholesome food, and so on - tears fill the eye-sockets and remain and trickle forth. The former teachers describe thus: "By the meditation practitioner who is comprehending tears, it should be attended to just as if filling and remaining in the eye-sockets."
Therein, just as water standing in the hollows of the stones of young palmyra trees whose tops have been cut off does not know "I am standing in the hollows of the stones of young palmyra trees whose tops have been cut off," nor do the hollows of the stones of young palmyra trees whose tops have been cut off know "Water is standing in us"; just so, tears do not know "I am standing in the eye-sockets," nor do the eye-sockets know "Tears are standing in us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As to delimitation, he defines thus: tears are delimited by the portion of tears. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head-hair. Thus he defines tears beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, grease, reckoned as dissolved oily substance, he defines as being the colour of oil poured over rice-gruel as to colour. As to shape, it has the shape of its location. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. As to location, it remains on the palms of the hands, the backs of the hands, the soles of the feet, the backs of the feet, the tips of the nose, the forehead, and the points of the shoulders. And this does not always remain dissolved in these locations; but when those areas become heated by the heat of fire, the heat of the sun, the disparity of seasons, and the disparity of elements, then it remains dissolved there and flows like mist on clear-watered natural rock-pools.
Therein, just as mist that has submerged and settled upon rock pools does not know "I have submerged and settled upon rock pools," nor do the rock pools know "Mist has submerged and settled upon us"; just so, grease does not know "I have submerged and settled upon the palms of the hands and so on," nor do the palms of the hands and so on know "Grease has submerged and settled upon us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that grease is delimited by its own portion of grease. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines grease beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, spittle inside the mouth he defines as white in colour, the colour of foam. As regards shape, it has the shape of its location; some say it has the shape of sea foam. As regards direction, it arises in the upper direction. As regards location, it descends from both sides of the cheeks and settles on the tongue. And it does not always remain accumulated here, but whenever beings see or remember such food, or place something hot, bitter, pungent, salty, or sour in the mouth. And when their heart feels weary, or disgust arises towards anything whatsoever, then spittle arises and, descending from both sides of the cheeks, settles on the tongue. And this spittle is thin at the tip of the tongue, thick at the root of the tongue; and when flattened rice or rice-grain or any other solid food is placed in the mouth, like water in a well dug in a river sandbank, it is always capable of moistening without coming to exhaustion.
Therein, just as water settled at the bottom of a well dug in a river sandbank does not know "I am settled at the bottom of a well," nor does the bottom of the well know "Water is settled upon me"; just so, spittle does not know "I have descended from both sides of the cheeks and settled on the surface of the tongue," nor does the surface of the tongue know "Spittle, having descended from both sides of the cheeks, has settled upon me." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that spittle is delimited by its own portion of spittle. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines spittle beginning with colour.
Then further, in the body, nasal mucus he defines as white in colour, the colour of young palmyra pith. As regards shape, it has the shape of its location; some say it has the shape of cane shoots continuously inserted into the nostrils after being softened again and again. As to direction, they have arisen in the upper direction. As regards location, it stands filling the nostrils. And it does not always remain accumulated here, but just as if a man were to tie curds in a lotus leaf and pierce the lotus leaf underneath with a thorn, then through that hole a lump of curds would trickle down and fall outside; just so, when beings weep, or when disturbance of the elements has arisen due to unsuitable food or climate, then the brain, having reached the state of putrid phlegm, trickles down from inside the head, descends through the opening at the top of the palate, and stands filling the nostrils.
Therein, just as putrid curds placed in an oyster shell does not know "I am placed in an oyster shell," nor does the oyster shell know "Putrid curds is placed upon me"; just so, nasal mucus does not know "I am placed in the nostrils," nor do the nostrils know "Nasal mucus is placed in us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. As regards delimitation, he defines that nasal mucus is delimited by its own portion of nasal mucus. This is its delimitation by the similar; but the delimitation by the dissimilar is just like that of head hair. Thus he defines nasal mucus beginning with colour.
Beyond that, "synovial fluid within the body" means the slippery carcass inside the joints of the body. It is defined by colour as having the colour of the exudation of the kaṇikāra tree. As to shape, it has the shape of its location. As regards direction, arisen in the two directions. By location, it stands within the one hundred and eighty joints, accomplishing the function of lubricating the bone joints. For one in whom this is deficient, when standing up, sitting down, going forward, stepping back, bending, or stretching, the bones creak, one moves about as if making a snapping sound, and for one who has gone even a distance of one or two yojanas the air element becomes disturbed and the limbs ache. But for one in whom this is abundant, when getting up, sitting down, and so on, the bones do not creak, even for one who has gone a long distance the air element does not become disturbed, nor do the limbs ache.
Therein, just as lubricating oil does not know "I stand having lubricated the axle," nor does the axle know "Oil stands having lubricated me"; just so, the synovial fluid does not know "I stand having lubricated the one hundred and eighty joints," nor do the one hundred and eighty joints know "The synovial fluid stands having lubricated us." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. By delimitation, one defines that the synovial fluid is delimited by the synovial fluid portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hairs. Thus one defines the synovial fluid beginning with colour.
Beyond that, urine within the body is defined by colour as having the colour of bean-alkaline water. By shape, it has the shape of the water contained inside a water-pot filled with water and placed upside down. By direction, it is arisen in the lower direction. By location, it stands inside the bladder. "Bladder" is called the bladder-sac, where, just as when a mouthless box-pot is placed in a cesspool, the cesspool liquid enters it, yet no passage of entry is evident; just so, urine enters from the body, yet no passage of entry is evident; only the passage of exit is obvious, and when the bladder is full of urine, there is the striving of beings thinking "Let us urinate." Therein, just as the cesspool liquid standing in a mouthless box-pot placed in a cesspool does not know "I stand in a mouthless box-pot," nor does the box-pot know "In me the cesspool liquid stands"; just so, the urine does not know "I stand in the bladder," nor does the bladder know "In me the urine stands." For these phenomena are devoid of reflective attention and reviewing, etc. nor a person. By delimitation, one defines that it is delimited by the interior of the bladder and by the urine portion. This is its similar delimitation; but the dissimilar delimitation is just like that of head hairs. Thus one defines the urine beginning with colour. Thus this one defines these thirty-two aspects beginning with colour.
As one thus defines these thirty-two aspects by way of colour and so on, by pursuing this and that application of meditation, the head hairs and so on become familiar and present themselves as portions. From that point onwards, just as for a man with eyes looking at a garland of flowers of thirty-two colours strung on a single thread, all the flowers are obvious as if simultaneously; just so, for one looking at this body with mindfulness thinking "There are in this body head hairs," all those phenomena are obvious as if simultaneously. When head hairs are adverted to, mindfulness, without pausing, proceeds as far as urine. From that point onwards, humans, animals, and other beings wandering about present themselves to him, having abandoned the appearance of beings, merely as heaps of portions; and the food and drink and so on being consumed by them presents itself as if being thrown into a heap of portions.
Here one asks: "Then what should be done by him beyond that?" It is said - That very same sign should be practised, should be developed, should be cultivated, should be well established and defined. But how does this one practise that sign, develop it, cultivate it, well established define it? For this one practises that sign of the presenting of head hair and so on in the mode of portions, clings to it with mindfulness, associates with it, approaches it, causes it to take the womb of mindfulness. Therein, increasing the mindfulness that has been obtained, he is said to develop it. "Cultivates" means again and again he makes it associated with mindfulness, struck by applied and sustained thought. "Well established he defines" means in such a way that it is well defined, so that it does not again disappear, thus he defines it with mindfulness, reflects upon it, ties it close.
Or alternatively, what was previously stated as the tenfold skill in attention - namely, in sequence, not too quickly, not too slowly, by abandoning distraction, by transcending concepts, by gradual releasing, by characteristics, and three discourses - thus. Therein, one attending in sequence practises; one attending not too quickly and not too slowly develops; one attending by abandoning distraction cultivates; one attending by transcending concepts and so on, well established, defines - thus it should be understood.
Here one asks: "But how does this one attend to these phenomena by way of sequence and so on?" It is said - For this one, having attended to head hair, immediately after attends to body hair, not to nails. Likewise, having attended to body hair, immediately after attends to nails, not to teeth. This same method applies everywhere. Why? For one attending out of order, just as an unskilled man climbing a ladder of thirty-two rungs out of order, with body wearied, falls from that ladder and does not accomplish the ascent; just so, because of not attaining the gratification to be attained by way of the accomplishment of development, with wearied mind he falls from the development of the thirty-two aspects and does not accomplish the development.
Even while attending in sequence, "head hair, body hair," he also attends not too quickly. For one attending too quickly, just as a man going on a long journey is unable to distinguish the road signs such as even and uneven ground, trees, high ground, low ground, crossroads and so on, and therefore is not skilled in the road and does not bring the journey to completion; just so, he is unable to distinguish the signs of the thirty-two aspects such as colour, shape and so on, and therefore is not skilled in the thirty-two aspects and does not bring the meditation subject to completion.
And just as not too quickly, so too he attends not too slowly. For one attending too slowly, just as a man who has set out on a highway, lingering along the way at trees, mountains, lakes and so on, not reaching the desired place, right there on the way meets with calamity and disaster from lions, tigers and so on; just so, not reaching the accomplishment of the development of the thirty-two aspects, through the interruption of development, right there along the way he meets with calamity and disaster from sensual thoughts and so on.
Even while attending not too slowly, he also attends by abandoning distraction. "By abandoning distraction" means he attends in such a way that the mind is not distracted towards other things such as new construction work and so on. For one whose mind is distracted externally, with thought unconcentrated on head hair and so on alone, not reaching the accomplishment of development, right there along the way meets with calamity and disaster, like the companions of the Bodhisatta on the journey to Takkasilā. But one whose mind is undistracted, with thought concentrated on head hair and so on alone, reaches the accomplishment of development, like the Bodhisatta reaching the accomplishment of the kingdom of Takkasilā. For him thus attending by abandoning distraction, by the influence of his aspiration, conduct, and disposition, those phenomena present themselves as foulness, or as colour, or as emptiness.
Then he attends to those phenomena by transcending concepts. "By transcending concepts" means having transcended and given up the conventional expression such as "head hair, body hair," he attends by way of just foulness and so on as they have presented themselves. How? Just as people who have gone to dwell in the forest, because of unfamiliarity with the terrain, make a sign such as a broken branch and so on for the purpose of recognising the water place, and going in accordance with that, use the water; but when they have become familiar with the terrain, then having given up that sign, without even attending to it, having approached the water place, they use the water; just so, this one first attended to those phenomena by way of the respective conventional expressions beginning with "head hair, body hair"; when among those phenomena one or another among foulness and so on presents itself, having transcended and given up that conventional expression, he attends by way of just foulness and so on.
Here one asks: "But how do these phenomena present themselves to him as foulness and so on, how as colour, how as emptiness, and how does he attend to these as foul, how as colour, how as emptiness?" First, head hairs present themselves to him as foul in five ways by means of colour, shape, odour, dwelling place, and location; and in just five ways he attends to these as foul. That is: These called head hairs are foul as to colour, supremely repulsive and loathsome. For thus, people during the day, having seen a strip of bark or a thread that has fallen into their drink or food and is the colour of head hair, through the perception of head hair, either throw away even delightful drink and food or feel disgust. They are also foul as to shape. For thus, at night, having touched a strip of bark or a thread that has fallen into their drink or food and is the shape of head hair, through the perception of head hair, either throw away even delightful drink and food or feel disgust. They are also foul as to odour. For thus, the odour of head hairs devoid of such preparations as anointing with oil, flowers, smoke, and so on is supremely loathsome; having smelled the odour of hair thrown into fires, beings close their noses and even turn their faces away. They are also foul as to dwelling place. For thus, just as rice-plants and so on at a rubbish heap, they are heaped up by the discharge of bile, phlegm, pus, and blood from the various kinds of human impurity, and have been brought to growth, increase, and expansion. They are also foul as to location. For thus, just as rice-plants and so on at a rubbish heap, they have grown on the supremely loathsome moist skin that wraps the heads of human beings, on top of a heap of thirty-one kinds of corpse-matter beginning with body hair. This same method applies to body hair and so on. Thus, for now, he attends to these phenomena presenting themselves as foul, as foul.
But if they present themselves to him as colour, then head hairs present themselves by way of the blue kasiṇa. Likewise body hairs and teeth by way of the white kasiṇa. This same method applies everywhere. He attends to these by way of the respective kasiṇa; thus, when they present themselves as colour, he attends to them as colour. But if they present themselves to him as emptiness, then head hairs present themselves by way of the group with nutritive essence as eighth, through the determination of the resolution of compactness. Likewise body hair and so on, as they present themselves. He attends to these in just the same way. Thus, when they present themselves as emptiness, he attends to them as emptiness.
Attending thus, he attends to these phenomena by way of gradual releasing. "By way of gradual releasing" means: having released the head hairs that have presented themselves by way of any one among foulness and so on, while attending to body hairs - just as a leech, while still looking back at the place grasped by its tail, takes hold of another place with its mouth, and when that is grasped, releases the other - just so, while still looking back at the head hairs, he attends to the body hairs, and when attention is established on the body hairs, he releases the head hairs. This same method applies everywhere. Thus indeed, for one attending by way of gradual releasing, those phenomena, presenting themselves by way of any one among foulness and so on, present themselves completely without remainder, and their presentation becomes even more evident.
Then, for one to whom those phenomena present themselves as foul and their presentation becomes even more evident, just as a monkey in a palm grove of thirty-two palm trees, being chased by a hunter, not settling on even one tree, having run about, when it has turned back exhausted, then it remains depending on just one palm spike enveloped by dense palm leaves; just so, the monkey of the mind, being chased by that very meditator through the thirty-two parts in this body, not settling on even one part, having run about, when it has turned back exhausted through the absence of desire for running after multiple objects. Then, whichever phenomenon among head hair and so on is more familiar to him or more suited to his temperament, or where he has formerly made an aspiration, depending on that, it remains by way of access. Then, having made that very sign struck by reasoning and struck by applied thought again and again, he produces the first meditative absorption in due order; having established himself therein and having begun insight, he reaches the noble plane.
For one whose phenomena are present as colour, for him too, just as a monkey... etc. then whichever phenomenon among head-hair and so on is more familiar or more conforming to his temperament, or where he has formerly made an aspiration, in dependence on that he remains by way of access. Then, having made that very sign again and again struck by reasoning and struck by applied thought, he produces in succession by way of the blue kasiṇa or by way of the yellow kasiṇa all five fine-material-sphere meditative absorptions, and having established himself in any one of them, having undertaken insight, he reaches the noble plane.
For one whose phenomena are present as empty, he attends by way of characteristics; attending by way of characteristics, therein he attains access meditative absorption by means of the defining of the four elements. Then, attending, he attends to those phenomena by means of the triad of discourses on impermanence, suffering, and non-self. This is his method of insight. He, having undertaken this insight and having proceeded in due order, reaches the noble plane.
And to this extent, that which was said - "How does this one attend to these phenomena by means of the gradual method and so on?" - that has been answered. And also that which was said - "But his explanation should be understood thus by means of meditative development" - the meaning of that has been made clear.
Miscellaneous Method
Now, for the purpose of familiarity and skill in the explanation of this very thirty-two aspects, this miscellaneous method should be known -
And by way of aggregate and so on should be known the determination of the thirty-two aspects."
Therein, "by way of sign": in this thirty-two aspects of the aforementioned kind, there are one hundred and sixty signs, by means of which one who practises meditation comprehends the thirty-two aspects by way of portions. That is: For head-hair there are five signs - the sign of colour, the sign of shape, the sign of direction, the sign of location, and the sign of delimitation. Thus for body hair and so on.
"By way of characteristic": in the thirty-two aspects there are one hundred and twenty-eight characteristics, by means of which one who practises meditation attends to the thirty-two aspects by way of characteristics. That is: For head-hair there are four characteristics - the characteristic of hardness, the characteristic of cohesion, the characteristic of hotness, and the characteristic of movement. Thus for body hair and so on.
"By way of element": in the thirty-two aspects, among the elements stated in the passage "This male person, monks, has six elements," there are one hundred and twenty-eight elements, by means of which one who practises meditation comprehends the thirty-two aspects by way of elements. That is: Whatever hardness there is in head-hair, that is the solid element; whatever cohesion, that is the liquid element; whatever ripening, that is the heat element; whatever distension, that is the air element - thus there are four elements. Thus for body hair and so on.
"By way of emptiness": in the thirty-two aspects there are one hundred and twenty-eight emptinesses, by means of which one who practises meditation sees with insight the thirty-two aspects as empty. That is: In head-hair, to begin with, the solid element is empty of the liquid element and so on; likewise the liquid element and so on are empty of the solid element and so on - thus there are four emptinesses. Thus for body hair and so on.
"Beginning with aggregates and so on" means: when the thirty-two aspects beginning with head-hair are being collected by way of aggregates and so on, the judgment should be known by such a method as "How many aggregates are head-hairs, how many sense bases, how many elements, how many truths, how many establishments of mindfulness?" And for one who cognizes thus, the body appears like a heap of grass and sticks. As he said -
This body is void, comparable to a heap of grass and sticks."
Then for him, that which -
There is non-human delight, rightly seeing the Teaching with insight."
Thus the non-human delight that was spoken of, that becomes not far off. Then that which -
One obtains joy and gladness, that is the Deathless for those who understand."
Thus the joy and gladness that is the Deathless, born of insight, has been spoken of. One experiencing that, before long, realises the deathless of Nibbāna, which is frequented by noble ones, free from ageing and death.
In the Paramatthajotikā, the Khuddakapāṭha Commentary,
the Explanation of the Thirty-two Aspects is concluded.