Why Only Observe Physical Movements?

Author: Linmu

After reading the above articles, you might be curious about why only observe physical movements. Before answering this question, let's clarify a few concepts first.

I. Perception

The human body relies on eight types of perceptions to sense everything in the world.

1. Vision, 2. Hearing, 3. Smell, 4. Taste.

The above four senses are familiar to everyone.

1. Touch, sensing the softness, hardness, coldness, warmth, roughness, and smoothness of materials.

2. Interoceptive senses, sensing itch, hunger, thirst, nausea, the urge to defecate, chest tightness, etc.

Below are two senses that might be less familiar to everyone.

1. Equilibrium, whose receptors are the vestibular organs in the human inner ear, including otoliths and three semicircular canals, used to distinguish whether one is standing upright or lying down, accelerating, decelerating, or moving in a straight line or curve.

2. Kinesthesia. Its receptors are distributed in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, capable of sensing the position and movement of various parts of the body.

II. The Body Itself

If you want to understand a car, you usually pay attention to its structure, materials, exterior appearance, body shape, and the condition of the car during driving.

The body also has similar attributes:

1. Body tissues.

Including internal organs, blood, tears, sweat, urine, teeth, bones, hair, skin, etc.

1. Constituents of the body.

Including solids, liquids, gases, cavities, etc.

1. Physical appearance.

Including the body's appearance from birth to death and decaying into dry bones after death.

1. Body posture.

Including the state of balance when walking, standing, sitting, and lying down.

1. State of body movement.

Including walking, bending and stretching of the trunk during activities, movement of limbs, swinging of the head, internal breathing, etc.

Now you might have read the 14 methods of observing the body listed in the "Satipatthana Sutta," the observation of the 32 parts of the body corresponds to the body's tissues; the observation of the four elements corresponds to the constituents of the body; the nine cemetery contemplations correspond to the physical appearance; the observation of postures corresponds to the body's posture; the observation of breathing and the part on right mindfulness correspond to the state of body movement.

Among these 14 methods of mindfulness of the body, the first 11 methods require observing these materials in nature, dissected corpses, and decaying bodies first. After doing your homework, then compare and reflect on one's own body in the same way, thereby eliminating greed and worry about the body. The last three methods directly utilize the sense of equilibrium and kinesthesia, residing in the observation of one's body posture and movement state at any time and place.

Why not observe vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and proprioception? Is it because the classics forgot to mention them?

No, because the so-called observation of the body refers to the observation of the body itself. Vision responds to what is seen; hearing responds to sounds; smell responds to odors; taste responds to flavors; touch responds to the characteristics of material surfaces; Interoception responds to abnormal signals of the body.

Only the sense of equilibrium and kinesthesia respond solely to the body itself. The sense of equilibrium responds to the body's static state, and kinesthesia responds to the body's dynamic state. Therefore, the observation of these two is the observation of the body itself.

In the process of observing movements, it naturally includes the posture of the body. This is why the first two articles only discussed observing bodily movements.

The more important reason for not observing visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile sensations is: one of the purposes of practicing mindfulness of the body is to distance oneself from these sensations and the corresponding mental activities they generate. These five senses and their corresponding mental activities are known as the five desires, and the purpose of observing the body is to distance oneself from these five desires.

Deciples, other domains, other territories, refer to the five domains of sensual pleasure: visible objects desirable to the eye, sounds, scents, tastes, and touches, pleasing to the mind, connected with desire. Deciples, one's own parents' domain refers to the four foundations of mindfulness. What are these four? They are mindfulness of the body in the body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena. Therefore, monks, you should practice wandering within the territory of your own conduct, your parents' domain, and stay far away from other domains and territories. This is what you should learn.

SA 617

Another reason for not observing sensations such as pain, itchiness, hunger, thirst, nausea, urge to defecate, chest tightness, etc., is: these sensations mostly appear when the body is uncomfortable and require prevention, treatment, and endurance.

How is it that defilements are cut off by using? Monks! If one uses clothes... it is only for the sake of protection from mosquitoes, flies, wind, rain, cold, and heat, and because of modesty. If one uses food... it is to cure old illnesses and prevent new ones from arising, for the sake of long-term comfort and freedom from illness. If one uses dwellings, beds, and bedding... it is for the sake of resting from fatigue and achieving calm. If one uses medicine... it is for the sake of eliminating illness and distress, preserving life, and achieving comfort and freedom from illness. If not used, then afflictions and sorrows arise; if used, afflictions and sorrows do not arise. This is called cutting off defilements by using.

How is it that defilements are cut off by enduring?... Monks! One should also endure hunger and thirst, cold and heat, mosquitoes, flies, lice, fleas, the pressure of wind and sun, harsh words and beatings, and be able to endure them. When encountering various diseases, experiencing extreme pain, even to the point of death, all that is unpleasant can be endured. If not endured, then afflictions and sorrows arise; if endured, afflictions and sorrows do not arise. This is called cutting off defilements by enduring.

MA 10

If you truly start practicing, you will find that the experiences of these two senses (equilibrioception and proprioception) are quite different from those of the other five senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch), and naturally, the way of observing them is also different.

For now, discover it for yourself. What is gained from books is superficial; true understanding requires personal experience.