Go to a mirror, and stand in front of it.
What do you see?
Your body?
What else?
Do you see that it's dirty, ugly, filthy and smelly?
Not only that, it's also a burden.
It's worst than looking after a baby, a child, an elderly, a handicapped, a sick, or a pet.
Why do I say that?
For a baby/child, an elderly etc, at least you have some free time when they're resting, sleeping.
But with this body? Not a chance!
Not even when we're sleeping.
Think about it : We toss and turn, just to ensure this body is comfortable, that we sleep well.
We on the fan/air-con, select the most comfortable temperature, bed, pillow etc,
And yet we can wake up in the mornings with a stiff neck, a sore back, aches, pains, a grouchy mood, and/or even a migraine!
From the moment we wake up, we have to brush teeth, wash face, clean it.
Dress it, clothe it, powder it or spray perfume on it.
In between, we bathe, scrub and exfoliate;
Cut the nails, the hair, before it drops all over the place.
Massage it, moisturise it - if not, it shows us wrinkles, dryness and flaky skin.
First it's hungry, then it's thirsty.
As and when it wants to eat/drink, we have to feed it.
First it desires something salty, then something sweet.
And when you give it sweet, it wants sour.
Then it craves for something spicy.
When you give it spicy, it complains it's heaty and breaks out in sweat.
So to cool it down, you drink something cold.
But it complains it's too cold!
You eat something disagreeable, it gets upset and throw tantrums - the stomach churns, you either throw up or release it down.
Sometimes when it's angry, it refuse to poo.
You get constipated, and maybe even piles.
And when you take medicine, it flushes it all down!
Today here ache; tomorrow there pain,
The joints become stiff, with the muscles, tendons and ligaments getting tighter everyday.
When it's unwell, you have to bring it to the doctor, take medicine/antibiotics, waste time and spend money.
You thought you're pampering it when you give it something good - with buffet treats and luxurious food.
But it turns around and flies into a mood.
First it wants to sit, then it wants to stand.
When you stand, it wants to sit again!
Just when you thought you can get some rest, it wants to move.
It protests it's putting on weight.
It's with us - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - as we lug it around like a heavy suitcase.
This body. Our burden.
"We're not here to make money, or to get married and have babies.
To make friends and/or enemies, or to eat, drink and be merry.
We're here to find a way out -
So as to help others find their way out."
"Eating, drinking, tasting are not important tasks.
Their result is body-waste."
- Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno
"Every Dhamma proclaimed by The Buddha is for the sole purpose of breaking away from this endless wandering-on, and its consequent untold suffering."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
"The body is an assemblage of filth, urine and excrement.
The things that are exuded from the hair of the head, the hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin and so on are all forms of excrement.
When they fall into food, people take offense at it. The food has to be thrown out, for no one can stomach it.
Moreover, the body has to be constantly washed and scrubbed if it is to look presentable. If we don't clean it, it will smell rank and no one will let us come near.
Clothing and other accessories, when away from the body, are clean and attractive, but as soon as they come into contact with the body, they become dirty.
If we let them go without washing for a long time, no one will let us come near, because of the smell.
From this, we can see that the body is a house of urine and excrement - unattractive; repulsive.
When alive, it's bad enough. When there is no more life to it, it's even more disgusting, to the point where nothing else can compare."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun .
"What's there in a body?
Nothing much .....Just Decay, Disease, and Death.".
.
"This body is nothing but a waste-making/producing machine."
P.S. So this Lunar New Year, when you wake up, dress/doll yourself up and lug this body to all your visitations, and stuff yourself silly with all the food and drinks, and then head back home, wash and retire for bed,
Please remember to take a few moments to notice what a burden this body really is.
Have a Happy Lunar New Year, Everyone! :)
