Aging and death.

According to Samyuktagamas sutra II, Hetupratyaya (the primary and secondary cause), chapter I, Samyukt Nara Pratyata, section Buddha, unit Differentiation, there is a paragraph about aging and death: “Dear monks, what is “aging and death”? Human beings and other species have features: old-age, weakness, lost tooth, gray–haired, wrinkles, old senses, which is called aging. Human beings and other species have features: releast, destructibility, disappearance, body disintegration, which is called death. Therefore, these processes are called aging and death.”

Through the truth of an unclean human, what do you think?

Firstly, the hope to search for an immortal body which is supposed to be craving for existence is converse to the truly natural process.

Secondly, the hope to end this life which is for being bored with the unclean body is not craving for existence.

Thirdly, going beyond certain permanent – break, the true Buddhists use the body as a means to deliver from birth - death and desires, in order to reach the ultimate enlightenment and Nirvana with a statement: “Birth is stopped, wish is fulfilled, everything is done, this life is the last, I will not reborn anytime.”

The contemplation of an impure body   is a part of the fourfold stage of mindfulness which consists of breath observation, mind concentration, respect – inspiring deportment,… When practitioners deeply observe yourself, you could reach the results. That is: "Whoever eats will be full, whoever practices will be enlightened”.

 

“Life is short and impermanent,

In each ksana

Breathing in but not out,

This body becomes a corpse

Those who are awakened will understand it,

Do not care about irrelevant things,

Fix yourself, and practice,

Eating vegetables, chanting Buddha,

Keeping body, mouth, mind pure,

And five precepts pervasive for a thousand years.”

 

 (TT. Thích Chân Tính)

                  

        Tâm Cung

 

_{Translated into English by Nguyen Hoang Thoai}