Smiling
my beloved as a white skeleton
I breathe out.
6.
Seeing my beloved’s body as a
Scattered
number of fresh bones scattered
fresh bones
here and there, I breathe in.
Smiling to my beloved’s body as
Smiling
a number of fresh bones scattered
here and there, I breathe out.
7.
Seeing my beloved’s body as a
Dried bones
number of dried bones, I breathe in.
Smiling to my beloved’s body as a
Smiling
number of dried bones, I breathe out.
8.
Seeing my beloved’s body being
Wrapped
wrapped in a shroud, I breathe in.
in a shroud
Smiling to my beloved’s body being
Smiling
wrapped in a shroud, I breathe out.
9.
Seeing my beloved’s body being
Placed in coffin
placed in a coffin, I breathe in.
Smiling to my beloved’s body being
Smiling
placed in a coffin, I breathe out.
10.
Seeing my beloved’s body being
Cremated
cremated, I breathe in.
Smiling to my beloved’s body being
Smiling
cremated, I breathe out.
11.
Seeing my beloved’s remains being
Remains mixing
mixed with the earth, I breathe in.
with earth
Smiling to my beloved’s remains being
Smiling
mixed with the earth, I breathe out.
This exercise helps us to accept that sooner or later those we love most will pass away. There is no escaping that fact. As in the preceding exercise, the images presented by the Nine Contemplations can be replaced by simpler ones.
When we can envision the death of one we love, we are able to let go of anger and reproachful feelings toward that person. We learn to live in a sweeter way with those we love, to look after them and to make them happy. Our awareness of impermanence keeps thoughtless words and actions about those we love from invading our daily lives. We learn how to avoid hurting the ones most important to us and avoid sowing seeds of suffering in ourselves and in them.
Exercise Four
Impermanence
Contemplation
1.
Seeing the vigor and strength of the
The vigor of
one who makes me suffer, I breathe in.
one who makes
me suffer
Smiling to the vigor and strength
Smiling
of the one who makes me suffer,
I breathe out.
2.
Seeing the dead body of the one who
The dead body
makes me suffer, I breathe in.
of one who
makes me suffer
Smiling to the dead body of the one
Smiling
who makes me suffer, I breathe out.
3.
Seeing the dead body, gray in color,
Gray corpse
of the one who makes me suffer,
I breathe in.
Smiling to the dead body, gray in color,
Smiling
of the one who makes me suffer,
I breathe out.
4.
Seeing the bloated dead body of the
Bloated corpse
one who makes me suffer, I breathe in.
Smiling to the bloated dead body
Smiling
of the one who makes me suffer,
I breathe out.
5.
Seeing the festering dead body of the
Festering corpse
one who makes me suffer, I breathe in.
Smiling to the festering dead body
of the one who makes me suffer,
Smiling
I breathe out.
6.
Seeing the dead body of the one who
Infested corpse
makes me suffer infested with worms
and flies, I breathe in.
Smiling to the dead body of the
Smiling
one who makes me suffer infested
with worms and flies, I breathe out.
7.
Seeing the white skeleton of the one
White skeleton
who makes me suffer, I breathe in.
Smiling to the white skeleton of the
Smiling
one who makes me suffer,
I breathe out.
8.
Seeing the dead body of the one
Scattered
who makes me suffer as a number of
fresh bones
fresh bones scattered here and there,
I breathe in.
Smiling to the dead body of the one
Smiling
who makes me suffer as a number of
fresh bones scattered here and there,
I breathe out.
9.
Seeing the dead body of the one
Scattered
who makes me suffer as scattered
dried bones
dried bones, I breathe in.
Smiling to the dead body of the one
Smiling
who makes me suffer as scattered
dried bones, I breathe out.
10.
Seeing the dead body of the one
Rotten bones
who makes me suffer as rotten bones
turned to dust
turned to dust, I breathe in.
Smiling to the dead body of the one
Smiling
who makes me suffer as rotten bones
turned to dust, I breathe out.
This exercise is just like the two that precede it, but the object of the meditation is someone who makes us suffer so much that we are filled with hate and anger. We meditate in order to be able to see the frailty and the impermanence of those who hurt us. This meditation will dissolve our anger and foster love and compassion for someone we hate, and for ourselves, too. Very often those with whom we get most angry are those we most love. Our anger is a function of that deep love, which can be released by the exercise.
Exercise Five
Impermanence
Looking Deeply, Healing
1.
Knowing I will get old, I breathe in.
Getting old
Knowing I can’t escape old age,
No escape
I breathe out.
2.
Knowing I will get sick, I breathe in.
Getting sick
Knowing I can’t escape sickness,
No escape
I breathe out.
3.
Knowing I will die, I breathe in.
Dying
Knowing I can’t escape death,
No escape
I breathe out.
4.
Knowing that the human species
Death of civilization
and our civilization will die,
I breathe in.
Knowing that our civilization cannot
No escape
escape death, I breathe out.
5.
Knowing that one day I will have to
Abandoning
what I cherish
I breathe in.
Knowing I can’t escape having to
No escape
abandon all that I cherish today,
I breathe out.
6.
Knowing that my actions are my only
Actions true
belongings, I breathe in.
belongings
&n
bsp; Knowing that I cannot escape the
No escape
consequences of my actions,
from consequences
I breathe out.
7.
Determined to live my days deeply in
Living mindfully
mindfulness, I breathe in.
Seeing the joy and the benefit of living
Seeing joy
mindfully, I breathe out.
8.
Vowing to offer joy each day to my
Offering joy
beloved, I breathe in.
Vowing to ease the pain of my
Easing pain
beloved, I breathe out.
This exercise helps us to come face to face with the anxieties and fears that lie deep in our subconscious, and to transform the latent tendencies Buddhists call anuśaya. In principle, we all know very well that we cannot avoid growing old, falling sick, dying, and being separated from those we love, but we do not want to give our attention to these things. We do not want to be in touch with the anxiety and the fear but prefer to let them sleep deep in our minds. That is why they are called latent tendencies (anuśaya literally means “lying asleep along with”). But although they are lying asleep in our hearts, they still follow us and secretly influence our whole way of thinking, speaking, and acting. When we hear people speaking about, or are ourselves witness to, old age, sickness, death, and separations from loved ones, the latent tendencies in us are watered and become more deeply rooted—along with our other sorrows, longings, hatreds, and angers. Because we are not able to resolve the anuśaya, we repress them, and they become more deeply rooted and cause sicknesses whose symptoms can be recognized in everything we do. We must learn a different way to treat the anuśaya. The Buddha himself taught this exercise and advised his followers to practice it every day. Buddha taught that rather than repressing our fears and anxieties, we should invite them into our consciousness, recognize them, welcome them. When we begin to practice conscious breathing, mindfulness is lit up within us. In that gentle light, if we simply acknowledge the presence of our fears and smile to them as we would smile to an old friend, quite naturally they will lose some of their energy. When once again they return to our subconscious, they will be that much weaker. If we practice every day, they will continue to grow weaker. The circulation of feelings in our consciousness under the light of mindfulness will prevent their regrowth; we will see into their essence, and there will be no more manifestations of the former mental and physical sicknesses. The latent tendencies will have been transformed.
In our own time people are very afraid that our civilization and even the human species will come to an end as a result of global warming. Because of this fear they are not able to see clearly what they should do or should not do. The first step is to accept that our species is impermanent and that sooner or later it has to end. However, it does not have to end by global warming, and the understanding of impermanence gives people enough peace and calm to act in a positive way.
This exercise helps us to live the present moment in a joyous, calm, and awakened way. Right in this moment, we will come to understand that we are able to bring joy to those in our company.
Exercise Six
Fading of Desire
Looking Deeply, Letting Go
1.
Contemplating the attractive body
Attractive body
of a woman, I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent nature of
Impermanent
that body, I breathe out.
nature of body
2.
Contemplating the attractive body
Attractive body
of a man, I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent nature of
Impermanent
that body, I breathe out.
nature of body
3.
Contemplating the danger that my
Danger from
craving for sex can bring about,
craving sex
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
4.
Contemplating the suffering that my
Danger from
craving for sex can bring about,
craving sex
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
5.
Contemplating the hardship that my
Hardship from
craving for sex can bring about,
craving sex
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
6.
Contemplating running after
Running after
possessions, I breathe in.
possessions
Seeing the impermanent nature
Impermanent
of possessions, I breathe out.
nature of
possessions
7.
Contemplating my desire for a car,
Desire for a car
Seeing the impermanent nature of
Impermanent
a car, I breathe out.
nature of car
8.
Contemplating my desire for
Desire for a house
a house, I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent nature of
Impermanent
a house, I breathe out.
nature of house
9.
Contemplating my
Material security
desire for material security,
I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent
nature of material security,
Impermanent
I breathe out.
nature of security
10.
Contemplating the danger that my
Danger of
craving for wealth can bring about,
craving for wealth
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
11.
Contemplating the suffering that
Suffering from
my craving for wealth can bring about,
craving for wealth
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
12.
Contemplating the hardship that
Hardship from
my craving for wealth can bring about,
craving for wealth
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
13.
Contemplating the pursuit of fame,
Pursuit of fame
I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent nature
Impermanent
of that fame, I breathe out.
nature of fame
14.
Contemplating the danger that my
Danger of craving
craving for fame can bring about,
for fame
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
15.
Contemplating the suffering that
Suffering from
my craving for fame can bring about,
craving for fame
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
16.
Contemplating the hardship that my
Hardship from
craving for fame can bring about,
craving for fame
I breathe in.
Letting go of the craving, I breathe out.
Letting go
17.
Contemplating my greed for clothes
Greediness
and food, I breathe in.
Seeing the impermanent nature
Impermanent
of clothes and food, I breathe out.
nature of clothes
and food