The Starting Point for Contemplating the Physical Body as Not-Self

Sentient beings universally take the physical body as self and as belonging to self, and also appropriate the external living environment as their possession. If one wishes to contemplate and practice contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the physical body as not-self and not-belonging-to-self, one should first contemplate and practice on the living environment—the six sense objects—as not-self and not-belonging-to-self; on this basis, it then becomes relatively easier to contemplate the physical body as not-self and not-belonging-to-self.

Why is this said? Because the external six sense objects, like the physical body, are all composed of the five great seeds of earth, water, fire, wind, and space within the tathāgatagarbha; their nature is the same. Moreover, the external six sense objects are slightly more distant from one's own mind than the physical body, so attachment and deliberation (manasikāra) regarding them are lighter, making them easier to begin with. The Buddha said that the external six sense objects are our external body, also called our external realm, while the physical body is the internal realm and internal body; the internal and external mutually complement, support, and connect with each other. Confirming that the six sense objects are not-self and not-belonging-to-self is relatively easier; the physical body follows the same principle as the six sense objects. In this way, one creates a distance between one's own mind and the physical body, being able to separate them somewhat, and then it becomes much easier to contemplate and confirm that the physical body is not-self and not-belonging-to-self.

In the mundane world, the science that studies the physical body is called medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine also teaches that the structure and constitution of the physical body are similar, identical, and of the same category as mountains, rivers, and the great earth. When treating the body, one should not regard the physical body as mysterious or special; treat it just as one treats mountains, rivers, and the great earth, just as one manages the living environment. This view of traditional Chinese medicine is very scientific and close to the Buddha-dharma; it gives us great inspiration, providing an entry point for contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), so one can get started more quickly.

Worldly teachings say: "Flowing water does not rot, and a door hinge does not get worm-eaten." The physical body is the same: when the body is blocked, foul odor arises, and it will rot, developing tumors and cancer cells. When the four great elements of the inanimate world (器世间) are out of balance, rivers burst their dikes, earthquakes and tsunamis occur, fires and wind disasters run rampant, and the vast sea turns into mulberry fields, and mulberry fields turn into the vast sea. The physical body is likewise: when the four great elements are out of balance, conditions such as qi deficiency and blood deficiency, wind-cold, internal heat, diarrhea, tumors, and cancer will appear.

In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the various sages also contemplated the external earth, water, fire, and wind, then introspected the earth, water, fire, and wind within their own bodies, and thereby attained various meditative absorptions (samādhi) and achieved accomplishment. Therefore, starting from contemplating the six sense objects is a shortcut for contemplating the physical body.