From the Story of Three Brothers Named Black: The Contemplation of Impurity – A Key to Freedom from Desire

There were once three brothers who, because of their wealth, lived in luxury, each with eight wives. One day, they heard the Buddha preach, and the eldest brother was so deeply moved that he asked to become a monk. The youngest brother followed simply because he did not want to be apart from his elder, yet his heart remained entangled with attachment. In the end, the eldest brother attained realization through the contemplation of impurity, while the youngest returned to lay life. This story comes from the fourth chapter of the Dhammapada, on the contemplation of impurity.

Seeing Beauty: The "Window" of Desire

In this dharma talk, Venerable Thích Chân Quang explains that "seeing beauty" means gazing with fascination at the body of the opposite sex. This is a natural instinct, but it is also the doorway through which the mind begins to waver.

"The phrase 'seeing beauty' in the old days meant gazing with fascination at the body of the opposite sex." – Venerable Thích Chân Quang

When we walk out into the world, if we keep our eyes glued to revealing images, our hearts become like "a weak tree in the wind." Even a small gust can shake us, leading our thoughts and actions astray.

The Contemplation of Impurity: Transforming Desire into Liberation

Đại Hắc, the eldest brother, after becoming a monk, was taught by the Buddha to go to a charnel ground and contemplate corpses. Seeing bodies burned and decomposing, he realized that this body is subject to impermanence (anicca), temporary and fleeting, nothing to crave or cling to. It was precisely this contemplation of impurity that opened his wisdom and led him to attain liberation.

"Whoever lives contemplating impurity, wisely guards the senses, eats in moderation, and is faithful and diligent—such a one cannot be threatened by Mara, like a mountain of stone unmoved by the wind." – The Dhammapada

The contemplation of impurity is not a disgust with life. Rather, it is a way of seeing clearly the true nature of the body—a mass of flesh and skin that will grow old, fall ill, and die. When we see this clearly, desire naturally lessens, and the mind becomes as steady as a mountain of stone.

Three Other Essential Factors: Guarding the Senses, Moderation, and Diligence

The sutra also mentions three important factors for a strong spiritual life:

Guarding the senses: Controlling the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, so that the six sense objects cannot pull us along.

Moderation in eating: Treating food simply as a means to nourish the body, without indulgence or greed.

Diligence: Making steady effort in practice, without laziness or indulgence.

In modern life, these three factors are more necessary than ever. When we know how to eat just enough, keep the mind alert and clear, and make effort to learn and practice each day, we will have the strength to face every temptation.

A Lesson for the Modern Age

Venerable Chân Quang points out that today's society displays so much of the body so openly that people are easily stirred. But one who practices the contemplation of impurity will not be swept away. He reminds us: "If we go out and see the female body displayed so excessively, we can be certain that such a society is declining, drifting away from morality."

Thus, this practice is not merely a personal matter; it also helps protect the community from the trend of moral decline. Let us remember that a person's true beauty lies not in the outer body, but in a pure heart and awakened wisdom.

Let us begin today. Even just a few minutes of contemplating this body as subject to impermanence (anicca) will soften the mind and make it less likely to chase after desire. With that, no matter the storms of life, we can stand firm like a mountain of stone.