MEDITATION ON THE IMPURITIES OF THE BODY

Beauty is only skin deep

In order to break through the wrong view and
perception of pleasantness in body, in order to set
aside and ultimately destroy this wrong perception, it
may be necessary for some to contemplate and
meditate on the foulness of body. On the 32 impurities
of body. If we break the body into its main components
one will find thirty two of them. e.g. teeth, nails, blood,
sweat, phlegm, hair, skeleton etc. When we take each
one of them by itself, we can find absolutely nothing
pleasant. They are all impurities, all unpleasant. So,
one can contemplate on one or more of these parts to
develop the perception of impurity or foulness of body.
The skeleton in particular is a fine object of meditation. Bring forth the image of the
skeleton (if necessary take a look at one or at least a picture of one) and keep
concentrating on it. This will bring about two results. One is that the mind will go into
concentration, samadhi. The other is that it will develop the perception of impurity and
dukkha. Therefore it is an invaluable meditation, worthy of development for ones own
welfare.

PERCEPTION ON THE IMPURITIES OF THE BODY

All that is lovely & delightful is of the nature to be otherwise

and to separate
The Buddha declared thus: " All that is lovely and delightful is of the nature to be otherwise
and to separate". This is the norm of the world. This body which is regarded as lovely and
delightful will eventually become otherwise and separate. The Buddha advises all to
contemplate frequently on this hard truth. To the one who contemplates on it frequently,
the path will dawn. At that time, impurity of body is no longer repulsive, but merely
accepted as a matter of fact. Being mindful of the impurities will greatly assist in this
process. It will result in carrying out the basic necessities for cleanliness, without being
tormented or harassed by the truth. This is
the fruit of right understanding, wisdom.
One of the essential conditions for birth in
the human world is the desire for sense
pleasures, of which desire for body is one.
This means that one perceives pleasure in
body. So one clings to this pleasant
perception of body. Similarly one resents the
impurity and foulness of the body. Just as
much as clinging to perception of pleasure
will bring about dukkha, so will resentment to
the foulness of body bring about duklkha.
Resentment too must be set aside. This too
is achieved by right understanding, wisdom.
When one has completely destroyed
whatever form of clinging or resentment to
body, one goes beyond the realm of sense pleasure, the desire for sense pleasure no
more to arise. Such a being has attained to the fruit of angmi A very difficult attainment

indeed, but nevertheless possible.