Do Not Train the Body, Contemplate the Body's Impermanence

The scorching summer heat brings us much suffering, yet the Buddha teaches that contemplating the body's impermanence is the foundational practice to dissolve attachment to self and attain liberation.

This year's summer is so hot that in many places, people have tragically died. Everyone knows the cause: the Earth is warming. But few ask themselves: what have we—humans living in these very bodies—done to contribute to this heating? Is it because we prize our physical bodies too highly, constantly chasing after their gratification? The Buddha taught us a profound contemplation regarding the body. It helps us not only stop harming the Earth, but also opens a true path to liberation.

**This Body is Impermanent**

In the Dhammapada, the Buddha recounts once seeing an elderly nun fall while seeking alms. He used that occasion to teach a core truth:

"Observe this body as it truly is."

This body is impermanent, an aggregation of impurities, fragile and easily broken. It will age, become ill, decay, and finally face death. In a verse, the Buddha compared the body to a gourd cast away in autumn, rolling among a pile of white bones. Yet, we constantly cling to it, calling it "me" and "mine." This is the root of attachment to self.

**Contemplating Bodily Impermanence: The Foundation for Dissolving Attachment**

Venerable Thich Chan Quang shares that early in his practice, he underestimated the contemplation of bodily impermanence, viewing it as a lower teaching. But the deeper his practice went, he realized:

"The contemplation of bodily impermanence is actually the solid and crucial foundational teaching."

Why? Because when we contemplate this body's impermanence, we shatter the foundation of self-attachment. No longer clinging to the body, we feel no anger when insulted, no greed when tempted. Gradually, our mind/heart becomes purified, achieving liberation even in our present daily life.

**Do Not Train the Body, Contemplate the Body**

In his talk, the Venerable warns against methods that teach training the body for liberation. Some believe that training both body and mind is "dual cultivation of life and spirit." In reality, when we train the body, we are clinging to it even more. He offers a deeply insightful statement:

"Training the body is attachment to the body."

In the Buddha's teachings, contemplating bodily impermanence is meant to dissolve attachment to the body. The Buddha gave us everything, more than all the physical training methods of outside paths. When we contemplate deeply, we find an incomparable happiness. Conversely, those who walk the path of physical training can easily be led into heterodox views, as they lack sufficient faith to recognize the truth.

**Like a Hen Incubating Eggs: Persist in Practice**

Venerable Thich Chan Quang teaches that we must diligently maintain mindfulness and awareness. Like a hen incubating eggs: if she keeps jumping out to play and then returning, the eggs will spoil and never hatch. Our mind is the same. We must constantly remember this body's impermanence, abide in the breath, and not let distracting thoughts carry us away. He encourages:

"If you can let go of even one thought, it is better than ten years wandering from one temple to another."

Even if we cannot attain sudden enlightenment immediately, we build a solid foundation. Just sit in meditation, contemplate bodily impermanence, and maintain awareness of the breath's coming and going. This life becomes peaceful, and ethical conduct gradually grows. Then one day, like Master Huong Nghiém who was enlightened upon hearing a pebble strike, we may suddenly awaken.

Starting today, in the midst of this sweltering summer, let us practice contemplating bodily impermanence. Do not train the body; do not chase illusions. Contemplate that this body is impermanent. In doing so, we find inner coolness, and gradually help the world cool down as well. This is the true path to happiness.