34th Imperishable, The Presence of Recollection Concerned with the Body

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

As for the bodhisattva’s presence of recollection which consists in the consideration of the body, how does the bodhisattva continually consider the body?

Continually [in concentration (samādhi) always having as the object the moments of existence (dharma) which have been examined by insight (prajñā) ] he considers [with insight (prajñā) examining the individual and general characteristics (svasāmānyalakṣaṇa) of] his own body and the body of others, he observes the past of the body, he observes the future of the body, he observes the present state of the body:

“Oh, this body originates from misunderstanding, is produced by causes and conditions, without a subject feeling or acting, without a ruling principle, beyond appropriation, arising by causes and conditons. Just as grass, bushes, plants and forests in the outside world arise by causes and conditions, without a subject feeling or acting, without a ruling principle, and beyond appropriation, in the same way this body is similar to grass, bushes, plants, forests, trees and walls, made up of the parts of personality and the spheres and fields of sense-perception, without a subject feeling or acting, beyond appropriation, empty of such moments of existence as a self, what pertains to a self, a permanent, stable, eternal, immovable, unoppressed or unchangable [substance]. Even though there is no activity of a self in this body, I will wake up completely to the core by means of this body without a core. What is that core? The body of the Tathāgatas. I will attain that body of the Tathāgatas, the body of [all] moments of existence, the adamantine body, the uncrushable body, the firm body, the body distinct from the threefold world. Even though there are many imperfections in my body, I am going to attain the body of the Tathāgatas which is without imperfection.”

He gives up his body, an accumulation of the four elements, through the power of observation, as he sees the benefit in this: “This body of mine may perish for any matter whatsoever of any being. Just as the four outer elements, the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire and the element of wind, provide beings with various kinds of pleasure in various ways, by various forms, in various manners, by various objects, various necessities and various enjoyments, in the same way I will make this body, which is an accumulation of the four elements, (p. 127) turn fully into something for the enjoyment of living beings in various ways, by various forms, in various manners, by various objects, various necessities and various enjoyments. Having this motive he observes bodily suffering, but he does not get exhausted by bodily suffering since he has regard for living beings; he observes the impermanence of the body, but he does not get exhausted by birth and death; he observes selflessness in the body, but he does not get exhausted by bringing beings to maturity. He observes that the body is peaceful, but he does not fall into the apathy of peacefulness; he observes that the body is empty, beyond distinguishing marks, not something that can be longed for, something apart [having the essence of extinction (nirvāṇasvabhāva) ], but he does not fall into the extreme of emptiness, absence of distinguishing marks, that there is nothing that can be longed for, something apart.” Thus he observes the body as unconditioned, non-originated, non-being, non-existent, as it is and pure, but he does not fall into the extreme of unconditionedness, non-origination, non-being or non-existence, thusness or purity; he observes the body as without a subject who feels [the pleasant and unpleasant fruits of good and bad action], without a [lord (īśvara) who is the] creator [of the body], without a master [that is, an inner spirit (puruṣa) ], beyond appropriation [by a self different from these having power (adhiṣṭhāna) over the body], as not different [from the real nature of the body (kāyadharmatā) ], as of one taste [namely that of emptiness (śūnyatā) ], having the essence of empty space [which is not material (avastuka) and all-pervasive (sarvagata) ], and as originally totally extinguished, but he does not fall into [that is, he does not realize (na sākṣātkaroti) ] the extreme of the body’s immovability, absence of a creator, absence of a master, not being owned, non-difference, being of one taste, having the essence of empty space or being originally totally extinguished.

Continually considering his body he does not see any substance or core; continually considering the body internally [that is, the body belonging to the continuity (saṃtāna) which is oneself] he provides no scope for inner vices; continually considering the body outwardly [that is, the body belonging to the continuity (saṃtāna) which is another being] he does not stay with outer vices. He gets a body without vices and then acts in a pure way, acting in a pure way he attains among gods and human beings a body adorned with the characteristics of a great man, he becomes beloved of gods and human beings because of his body which is adorned with the characteristics of a great man.

Thus the bodhisattva continually considers his body.

This is called the bodhisattvas’ presence of recollection which consists in the consideration of the body.