#011 MASTER T. Message

Hello students,
Here is one of the significant pieces of knowledge
I prefer to invite you to learn more.

The Life Handbook # 6
“The Body Elements”

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (FFM) can be accessed by both the theory and the practice methods. After learning the FFM, you reflect on it and find ways to apply it to real life, suit yours, and put it to use. You now want to reach the fruit of well-balanced practice, in which you unite with the nature the FFM referred to, resulting in learn-practice-realization. When you master these, you will become an enlightened person.

Your life conduct is in the FFM from birth until now. It makes you realize normality, pure nature, externally and internally and vice versa. To become pure, it is no longer a messenger but one with nature. It is pure in virtue, so it can be independent and be with everything in every posture.

You were close to the FFM and absorbed the pure life of one who comprehended the truth of the life cycle of birth and death. The purification shines into the light. The FFM represents the Buddha, so you meet him through learning and practising it. You are as close to him as possible and absorb his words from the FFM into yourself to get the strength to create spiritual power and train yourself in purification to enter enlightenment.

You are learning step by step, slowly, to decode the FFM into practice with guidance from The Life Handbook; you will be on the right track and will stay aware of the situation of getting lost.

Concerning the body elements, the Buddha said:
All monks, there is more to know.
You analyse this body; however, it is placed or disposed of.
Consider it according to the characteristics of each element.
The earth element, the water element,
The fire element, the wind element.
You all, just like a skilful cow butcher or his apprentice.

After having slaughtered a cow and having divided it into portions
You would sit down at the junction of the four roads.
In the same way, you all,
Reflect on this very body
However, it is placed or disposed of.

Consider the body elements in the body internally,
Observe the body elements in the body externally.
Observe the normality of which element is arising in the body.
Observe the normality of which element is going away in the body.
Observe the normality of which element arises and goes away in the body.

Or be mindful that the body element exists and is right in front of you.

But that it is for you to be realized.
But that is for you to be reminded of.
But you are not attached to it.

Neither are you attached to anything in your life.
All monks should observe the body elements of the body constantly.

End of reflection on the body elements.

The Life Handbook always gave people the proper contexts for mindfulness practice. The people were likely familiar with cutting a cow into sections and groups according to their physical parts and organs. So you related the four elements of the body, earth, water, fire, and wind.
 
The earth element is a solid, tangible material, and the water element is the fluid part. The warm part indicating the body’s normal and abnormal body temperature is the fire element, and the body part that flows in the body is the wind element. Your observation becomes increasingly refined from coarser body parts and postures to the more refined ones of breathing to see even the impurities of things.

In this chapter, The Life Handbook made you realize that the body is not the body since it comprises just the elements. You trained to be mindful will understand what the Life Handbook says clearly.

Your conscience is fully awake, and you can see with your inside eye. The Life Handbook shows you to pick up one element, the wind element when it moves in and out of the body. And from there, it helped you understand the rest of the elements. So knowing one element leads you to know the others.
 
While observing the wind element going through the breathing from the nose down inside, it also touches on the other elements. You can feel the liquid flowing in the body, good and bad, including the impurities. The moving or stillness touches the solid or lumpy part of the earth element and the changing body temperature. The changes are related to the three characteristics you have observed. It happens and exists in front of you, and you can detach from it, which is seeing the condition pass away. Here is a profound understanding of the FFM. Such frequent arising of insight wisdom will lead to perfect knowledge eventually.
 
In The Life Handbook, you observe the body internally,” which means while being still; you can see the four elements in the body, that of earth, water, fire and wind internally, externally or both. That means you observe them closely, sometimes externally, when you back out to be at your home, seeing the earth element being an outer part, or actually, it occurs internally and externally almost simultaneously.

You are an observer naturally and look at the elements as something normal, whether arising or passing away, without delusion.

The Life Handbook said, “Be mindful of the earth, water, fire and wind elements emerging before you and realize that they are merely understanding. You see them until they change and pass away. And you can tell when you are most mindful, whether the body is breathing in or out.

After you observe them as impermanent, imperfect, and uncontrollable, the Life Handbook says, “You must stay detached.” That is for you to watch them. And it said, “In the same way, you must not cling to anything in the world.” The world means life and everything about life. Being detached from what you observe, you do not cling to it. You own nothing, or nothing belongs to you or anyone. Things are part of nature and will return to earth, water, fire and wind. There is nothing to hold on to.

The Life Handbook also tells you to observe the earth, water, fire and wind elements constantly or continuously to be mindful of things to reach powerful mindfulness.

The Life Handbook divided the FFM into sections or chapters to encourage you to observe and digest them more efficiently so all human beings can access it. The FFM shows how kind it was to all of you, and therefore, you appreciate its purity, wisdom and kindness. So try to concentrate and train yourself for purification physically, verbally and spiritually with the aim of enlightenment or liberation from suffering.

This kind of study is impressive and profound. You will be able to know more, and your acquaintance with one another is that of good friends. You have the same handbook, one life, one equal day, the same class, and an equal chance. However, only those who practice have the most opportunity to reach the path, the fruit, and enlightenment.

Here is why I have tried my best to teach, tell, and direct you about mindfulness practice. Some grasp and practice it immediately, some remain doubtful, some become lazy and tired, and some have not reasonably obtained the relative spiritual merit with the FFM, so they live in greed, anger and delusion. Until they reach an understanding, they will then be able to be awake and joyful following the FFM path, being a mindful person with determination to be enlightened and achieve perfect wisdom.

This kind of study requires patience and perseverance. I, too, have to be patient to teach you. The Life Handbook pointed to how you must take the journey yourself with your physical and spiritual strength to fulfil the FFM perfectly.

May all of you obtain mindfulness of one who is enlightened with all the power of the three parts of the FFM: learn, practice and realization.

See you again.
Your master,
Master T.