Bodhisattvacaryavatara, 28 June 1994, part 2

Regarding much more meaningful purposes, they would mean that by keeping the body as the referent of meditation one meditates on impermanence by relating the impermanence topic with one’s body or body to the impermanence topic. And one meditates on the miserable aspect of the body how it is choicelessly driven by karma and by impure thoughts and ignorance based actions. Karma, impure thoughts and karma. One meditates on its emptiness aspect which in accordance with the lower tenet would mean how the body does not exist sufficiently in substance. And the same meditation on emptiness of body in accordance with the higher tenet would mean how the body does not inherently exist or it is not naturally formed.

And that also involves by the same face of the coin, two sides of the coin that involves the selflessness of the body. Through that way when a practitioner realizes these attributes about nature of phenomena, in this case with the body, then one is coming to realize the first of the four truths, the true suffering. That’s how then one would realize true suffering. Brief, by doing meditation on the four mindfulness, one would realize the four truths. When one realizes four truths, then one would be freed from saṃsāra, one would attain liberation.

And that’s why the Buddha very skillfully has taught the means to attain liberation from saṃsāra to the lower tenet or lower vehicle practitioner by prescribing the method for mindfulness. Now when one does hear in the present context, the meditation on mindfulness of body, one needs to meditate how the body is empty or lacks inherent existence. Therefore, it is emptiness of inherent existence. And that would be the way to meditate on mindfulness of body here. But then it would mean how one actually go ahead or go about ahead with this meditating that the body is empty of inherent existence.

Well with regard to that there is instruction here by Śāntideva in the forthcoming parts of the chapter. In the instruction then about how to do meditation on the body as being not inherently existing, it advises that one needs to look at whether if the body supposedly is inherently existing, can it be found or not? So the first way to go about is one needs to search for the supposedly apparent inherent existence. And when searching for it, if the body does exist inherently, then it is pointed out that it should be able to be found. That when one looks for it, must be found.

The similar, it must be found like in the case of an example, say if we know someone is missing then we should be able to find the person when the person is searched for. So there should be something concretely found when searched for. The case, here in the case the question then put forth please. If it does exist then when we search for it, will it be found or not? If it does exist it must be something that can be presentable because of having found and then be presented.

If one grabs into one’s pocket, if there is money it should be in one’s hand, but if one having put one’s hand into the pocket comes out with empty hand, it means there is no money. When searched for if it is not found then we can ascertain it is not existing, it is not there. Therefore first to search and if it is not found during in the course of search and after having searched then while it is sure it is not there. In trying to ascertain whether body inherently exists or not, the analysis goes by looking at the bodily parts such as from bottom upward, is the foot the body or not? It is not.

Is the calf the body or not? It is not. Is the thigh body or not? It is not. Is the waist body or not?

It is not. Is the abdomen body or not? It is not. Is the reverse, the rear of the abdomen? Is the rear of the abdomen body or not?

It is not. These are not body because these are the basis upon which the label body is labeled. The basis of label cannot be the label itself. So the basis of the label for body cannot be the label the body itself. The body, shoulders are not body.

They are not the body because the body because they they are are the basis of the label body. The shoulders are not the body, the neck is not the body, the head is not the body, they cannot be the body because they are the basis upon with dependence on which the body is labeled as body. Now because of such analysis it then can be ascertained ascertained that it is not possible for body to be inherently existing. So to interpret, if you don’t mind, inherent is inherently existing can exactly use the synonym of truly existing, independently existing, existing from its own characteristic, existing from its own right and so forth. So in that sense, therefore, the body cannot be inherently existing.

So in this way here one needs to do meditation on the emptiness of body. In doing meditation on the emptiness of body one finds that the bodily parts are not body. The reason why bodily parts are not body is because they are the basis of label. They are the basis of label and the very label the body depends on them as the basis of label. So then what is body?

Well it is merely labeled with dependence on the basis of label and yet there is a part with that merely labeled with dependence on the basis of label that undeniably functions, that there is undeniable functioning from that merely labeled body and that is body merely labeled existing, not inherently existing. But when here one does meditation on emptiness of body, if in the conclusion of one’s meditation one thinks now there’s no body at all, then that is wrong because that indicates what has fallen into the extreme of nihilism, extreme of nothingness. On that way of meditation does not become meditation on emptiness because that way of meditation negates, even cancels out the conventionally or nominally or conventionally literally is nominal even nominally existing body which undeniably functions. Therefore such meditation would not become meditation on the emptiness of body. Such meditation is described as dismantling of dependent arising.

It is very effectively called as dismantling of dependent arising. If one does that, that there is all shortcomings in such direction because such direction is falling into extreme of Well, now here in accordance with Śāntideva, there was advice then it would come a natural question. How then would a proper meditation on emptiness of body should be? To get it right therefore I would suggest that you try to get it. Now let’s say with regards to body we have body of our own and other beings or people have bodies.

So there is one’s body and other’s body. Now whether we look at our body or when we look at other’s body, the moment we look at body, let’s say when we look at other’s body, the moment we look at it the body appears as if it is independently existing from its own side. Although in reality there is no independently existing body because body is dependent on bodily parts and labeled by name and concept and its parts. Yet the moment we look at body it appears independently existing as if not depending at all on its parts name, label, and so forth. Wouldn’t you agree that’s how body appears?

For example, translating third person in the case of Rinpoche when Khensur Rinpoche, the precious ex-abbot, that title is being mentioned, from the part of the person, meaning from Rinpoche, although it is modestly put, from Rinpoche’s side there is innate spontaneous thinking that the precious ex-abbot is me and it’s there. Although to analyze it it is not that independently existing as like that because already to be an ex-abbot one would have to be an abbot first. So the ex-abbot being labeled comes only after being an abbot. So it obviously implies that there must have been a time of labeling and it wasn’t prior to that that the ex-abbot was already there existing by that time. So although when analyzed that is how it is found that it is labeled given and not to be independently existing from the part of the person and yet there is a feeling that I am the precious ex-abbot.

So how true that would be. But anyway that’s how there is a feeling that I am the precious ex-abbot. Now similarly with each of you there would be a case whenever your name is being mentioned you would feel that that is me, as if the referent of that name being called is independently there, existing without depending on any parts or label and so forth. There is not any phenomena which exist without being dependent. On name and labeling, causes, condition, parts and others.

So there is not any independently existing phenomena. In the case of ourselves as a person in relation with names there is not any person independently existing without having been labeled in the first place. So here we need to now analyze the moment we feel that feeling that as if I am independently existing without depending on being labeled, in this case being labeled, that independently I am existing, then, the moment one gets that one needs to analyze whether the way one feels and perceives does it actually exist in that manner or not. This then means the very notion that I’m independently existing without dependence on label, that itself is what is to be negated, what is to be refuted, which is to be proven as not there. Now that should be kept as the basis of one’s analysis investigation and then check whether such way of existing is actually true or not.

It’s true or not is it to be found actually like that or not? That is the that is the or what is to be negated, the inherent existence as if it is there not depending on name and label. So that is what is to be that which is to be negated. Now one needs to search whether it is to be found on the bodily parts or on the bodily parts or on the composite of the body or apart from the body and so forth. One needs to search for it.

And when one comes to understanding that there is not such independently existing I or self, not depending on name and label, bodily parts and so forth. The moment one realizes that then there is a feeling of a mere emptiness of that concrete feeling. Mere emptiness of concrete feeling. So the actual phrase used is there will come a time when there will be a mere empty of having negated the concrete concrete appearance. So appearance in this case means as a feeling and perspective outlook.

So there will be a feeling of empty, of mere negation of concrete concrete feeling. So when that arises it means one is coming to realize emptiness. Through such way of analysis, if we are able to negate the object, negate what is to be negated, meaning inherent existence, then we would that would lead for us to be able to realize emptiness. And if we are we would be able to realize emptiness. And similarly if we are able to do our analysis in that way then it would be possible to negate inherent existence that which is to be proven as not existing at all like that.

It is extremely subtle to realize that because that is extremely subtle topic. Therefore, Therefore it obviously means with our present state of mind which is very gross mind not even able to remain, even able to remain, unwandering for one minute or less and so, it would be extremely difficult to realize that through such a state of mind. It needs to realize that it needs the mind to be pacified, stable, and very clear. For example, if on the wall there is very fine painting painted yet the room where such painting on the wall is done is dark then to be able to see the painting we would need a a lamp. And the lamp needs to be bright otherwise one will not be able to see although one may have the lamp.

Not only it has to be bright it has to be stable, and then it will be able to see the painting. In the case if the lamp is not bright, one would not be able to see the painting well. Also if the lamp is unstable because of being blown by wind, then it won’t be able to see. One will not be able to see the painting. If one has pure practice of morality, one would gain clarity of mind.

If one has meditative concentration practice going well then that would bring the stability part of the mind. So one would be able to say that when it comes to emptiness, oh, it’s very good. Yeah, I can see it. Okay. So we just have only a few minutes for questions.

Has to be found, is it? Alright. My same question. Same question. No.

So if you’ve got any questions, I’ll leave. Stop. It’s not necessary to have questions because it was explained clearly. And it continues, and there’s less room to have any doubts. So that’s a gift to you for your next Tuesday.

No. I I inserted the gift part. So the questionnaire is in Tibetan will be translated and you will get the English questions. Yeah. So it would be good if all can attend the next Tuesday for the examination.

There’s nothing to be scared or nervous about because you just write what you feel to write, and there would not be any markings of giving marks and so forth.