Training the mind for finding innerpeace - Part 04

Battaramulla
Siri Sudassanarama
sadaham senasuna
Ven. Dr. Mirisse Dhammika thero
 

For ease of bhavana these 32 parts are grouped into 6 divisions.

First step of bhavana

Hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin.

Skin, teeth, nails, hair of the body, hair of the head

Considering the impermanent nature of the body, the mind has to be focused on these both in ascending and descending order. During the process of Bhavana one may realize impermanence and the slow, gradual decay and ugliness of the body. This needs to be followed in all 6 steps of the Bhavana.

Second Step

Flesh, sinuses, bones, marrow, kidneys

Kidneys, marrow, bones sinuses, flesh

"By training the mind into bhavana on body parts, early adulthood can be developed into a life that is full of faith, loving kindness, tolerance, equanimity and amity without obsessive desires for sex. Then, life becomes full of harmony and more comfortable."

Third Step

Heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs

Lungs, spleen, diaphragm, liver, heart

Fourth Step

Intestines, mesentery, stomach, excrement, brain

Brain, excrement, stomach, mesentery, intestines

Fifth Step

Bile, Phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, lymph

Lymph, Sweat, blood, pus, phlegm, bile

Sixth Step

Tears, serum, saliva, nasal mucus ,synovial fluid, urine

Urine, synovial fluid, nasal mucus, saliva, serum, tears

All 6 steps arecarried out in the same manner.

Initially one may concentrate only on one body part. Gradually concentration can be extended to each and every part for all 32 parts. This is a higher level of bhavana in which one achieves Samadhi through concentration of mind and realization about the relationship between impermanence and the body. If one has difficulties in concentrating on all 32 in sequence, continuous concentration on one by one part along brings significant positive results.

If one’s mind is trained to this type of bhavana, any type of mind, in particular lustful minds reap the benefits. During early adulthood, when one is leans towards lust, education may be in jeopardy.

It may lead to the problem of finding an appropriate job and other related problems in life. When one cannot be satisfied sexually with one’s spouse only, one’s mind may be dominated by uncontrolled lust. This dominance does not allow one to recognize who or what one is.

As a result fathers may forget their fatherhood or mothers may forget their motherhood. Many forget brotherhood or sisterhood. Concentrated mind disposed to lust, looks at the opposite sex with uncontrolled desires. When one is unable to satisfy such desires of lust, it begins to burn in one’s mind and becomes a perpetual pain

By training the mind into bhavana on body parts, early adulthood can be developed into a life that is full of faith, loving kindness, tolerance, equanimity and amity without obsessive desires for sex. Then, life becomes full of harmony and more comfortable. It may lessen the number of divorces and improve family harmony leading to happiness within families and the society at large.