Eliminating Desire to See the Dharma

Author: Linmu

One day, a frog met a centipede and curiously asked, "Brother Centipede, I struggle to walk even with just four legs. Since you have so many, which leg do you move first?"

The centipede replied, "Little Brother Frog, I've always walked this way without thinking about it. Let me try to figure it out."

After pondering for a few minutes, the centipede attempted to walk while analyzing its movements. Eventually, it collapsed and admitted, "Please, never ask another centipede this question. We've always walked naturally, but now that you've asked me which leg moves first, I can't figure it out—I don't know how to walk anymore!"

Just like in this story, walking may seem like a voluntary action, but in reality, its many movements occur unconsciously. You need only the intention to walk, and the steps happen naturally. You don’t consciously decide which muscles to contract, how many degrees to bend your knee, the extent of each movement, or whether to turn your body first.

This is the nature of body and mind—once learned, actions no longer require deliberate control. It’s similar to cycling; once accustomed to riding a bicycle, switching to a tricycle may cause you to tilt unexpectedly, even if you try to steer consciously.

These subconscious movements indicate that we neither direct them nor know precisely what will happen next. For example, in walking, when you lift your foot, you might think the next step is pushing it forward, but in reality, your body first tilts slightly for balance. Such unconscious adjustments happen naturally, and you only recognize them after they occur. Observing from this perspective, you’ll realize that walking consists almost entirely of post-fact awareness.

When you intend to walk, the body initiates unconscious movements. As the movements occur, the sense of motion arises. Upon sensing motion, you recall the actions that just took place.

All you need to do is walk slowly, keep your attention on your body, and continuously recall the movements that occurred.

Breathing follows a similar pattern—it is also an unconscious movement. Initially, you may control your breathing deliberately, but soon, this control disrupts its natural rhythm until you surrender it back to the body’s instinctive regulation. Likewise, simply maintaining awareness of breathing and continuously recalling the prior breath will suffice.

What Is the Purpose of This Practice?

Is it to see the truth of movement or breath? No, the purpose has two key aspects:

  1. Majjhima Nikaya 198:
    "These Four Foundations of Mindfulness bind the mind of the noble disciple, suppress the household mind, eliminate household desires, relieve household fatigue, cultivate joy in the Dharma, and develop moral discipline."

  2. Saṃyukta Āgama 1171:
    "One who skillfully cultivates mindfulness of the body—whether perceiving or not perceiving form—will neither develop attachment to attractive forms nor aversion to unattractive forms. Similarly, in relation to sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts, one does not seek desire in the pleasant nor develop aversion in the unpleasant. Therefore, monks, strive diligently in mindfulness of the body."

Additionally, Majjhima Nikaya 198 states:
"One should observe the body as the body, without allowing thoughts tied to desires."

These are the true objectives of body mindfulness. If you are fully engaged in this practice, you will temporarily refrain from craving worldly pleasures even in a monastery, meditation retreat, or after ordination. If you immerse yourself completely, you will distance yourself from sensual desires and eliminate the Five Hindrances.

This will cultivate inner joy. Observing and recalling this inner joy leads to the second stage of mindfulness: "Observing feelings as feelings, without thoughts unrelated to feelings."

Observing and recalling mental states is the third stage: "Observing mind as mind, without thoughts unrelated to the mind."

Gradually, you will see the Dharma and enter the fourth stage: "Observing phenomena as phenomena, without thoughts unrelated to phenomena."

Phenomena here refer to the Five Desires, Five Hindrances, Five Aggregates, Six Sense Bases, Seven Factors of Awakening, Eightfold Path, Eighteen Elements, Dependent Origination, its factors, the Four Noble Truths, greed, hatred, delusion, and most doctrinal terms found in the scriptures. At this stage, the path to enlightenment has truly begun.

Seeing the Dharma

Saṃyukta Āgama 215:
"If one sees form with the eye, recognizes the form, and understands craving for form, then knowing with clarity, 'There is craving for form within me,' is called direct realization of the Dharma."

Saṃyukta Āgama 262:
"All conditioned things are empty, tranquil, ungraspable, devoid of attachment, free from desire, and lead to nirvana. Knowing and seeing this is called realization of the Dharma."

Saṃyukta Āgama 306:
"Listen carefully and reflect wisely—I shall explain. There are two things: eye and form… Knowing and seeing them as such is called realization of the Dharma."

Majjhima Nikaya 30:
"One who sees Dependent Origination sees the Dharma; one who sees the Dharma sees Dependent Origination."

Upon realizing and understanding the Dharma, analyzing it, and discerning its subtleties, you will increasingly grasp:

This is the Factor of Discriminating Dharma (Dhammavicaya Sambojjhanga).

Eliminating harmful Dharma and enhancing beneficial Dharma; preventing harmful Dharma and nurturing beneficial Dharma—this is the Factor of Energy (Viriya Sambojjhanga).

As beneficial Dharma flourishes and harmful Dharma diminishes, desire fades, unwholesome states disappear, and one attains meditation (jhāna), progressing through the first, second, third, and fourth absorptions—all leading to liberation.