PERCEPTION OF UNPLEASANTNESS OR DUKKHA
| So in essence, the body is a mass of discomfort and pain.
It is dukkha. This too is another character of body. Overcoming this nature by changing
postures and by movement is second nature to us. It is taken for granted. Furthermore, it
requires regular and frequent maintenance from becoming even more unpleasant. We must wash
and bathe regularly. We must brush our teeth daily. There are those beings who adorn their
bodies with perfumed and other numerous adornments to make it appear even more pleasant.
As we grow older with decay, the body becomes even more unpleasant and painful. When we
get sick often, it is even more painful. It is one big regular maintenance and repair job
to keep this body going in a reasonably acceptable state to oneself and to others. But the
investigator must and will realise its true nature. That it is unpleasant and painful. The perception that normally prevails with regard to body, is a perception of pleasantness. This is a very strong perception, even though it is the wrong perception. By constant observation of the body with mindfulness and serenity of mind, the investigator realises its true nature and develops the right perception of unpleasantness and the perception of dukkha. So in addition to the perception of impermanence there develops the perception of dukkah. By observing the posture of the body the meditator experiences the dukkha in body, in addition to its impermanent nature. |