Just before the Buddha entered parinirvana, the four groups of Buddhist disciples nominated Ananda to ask the Buddha the following question,

“Buddha! When you are alive in this world, we rely on you to peacefully abide; after you enter parinirvana, onto what should we rely to peacefully abide” The Buddha replied compassionately, “After I enter parinirvana, everyone should rely on the Four Stages of Mindfulness to peacefully abide!”

What are the Four Stages of Mindfulness

1. Contemplating the body as impure{1}: A human body is mortal flesh combined together by the accumulation of Four Elements and Five Aggregates. Both the internal and external parts of the body are impure. It includes skin, bone, blood, flesh, phlegm, tears, urine, faeces, and so on. When one wakes up, one’s mouth would be filled with sticky saliva which is very filthy. After one gets drunk, filthy masses from the internal organs would be vomited out. When one is sick, rotten sores and tumour would burst with pus and blood. When one goes to the toilet, the body release excrement and urine which smells very unpleasant.





【Key Word】

{1} Contemplating the body as impure：觀身不淨