Imaṃ kāyaṃ

Renderings

• imaṃ kāyaṃ: this (wretched human) body

Introduction

Justifying parentheses

1) We call imaṃ kāyaṃ ‘this (wretched human) body.’ The parenthesis ‘wretched’ is justified because the dictionaries say ayaṃ and idaṃ often imply sarcasm or contempt:

• Imaṃ has ‘a touch of (often sarcastic) characterisation,’ says PED (sv Ayaṃ).

• DOP (sv Idaṃ) says: ‘such, like that (often implying contempt).’

2) The parenthesis ‘human’ is for stylistic purposes. The same idea is seen in Pāli, because the suttas sometimes refer to the human body as mānusaṃ dehaṃ (S.1.27). Thus we take imaṃ kāyaṃ as standing for imaṃ (mānusaṃ) kāyaṃ.

Illustrations

Illustration: imasmiṃ kāye, this (wretched human) body

Now, willingly, let blows from hands affect this (wretched human) body, let bows from clods of earth affect it and blows from sticks affect it and blows from weapons affect it, for this teaching of the Buddhas is being done.
☸ Kāmaṃdāni imasmiṃ kāye pāṇisamphassāpi kamantu leḍḍusamphassāpi kamantu daṇḍasamphassāpi kamantu satthasamphassāpi kamantu karīyati hidaṃ buddhānaṃ sāsanan ti (M.1.186).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

When this (wretched human) body is bereft of three states―vitality, warmth, and consciousness―it is then discarded and forsaken, left lying senseless like a log.
☸ Yadā kho āvuso imaṃ kāyaṃ tayo dhammā jahanti āyu usmā ca viññāṇaṃ athāyaṃ kāyo ujjhito avakkhitto seti yathā kaṭṭhaṃ acetananti (M.1.296).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

‘Come friends, lift this (wretched human) body of mine onto the bed and carry it outside before it is scattered in this very world like a handful of chaff.’
☸ etha me āvuso imaṃ kāyaṃ mañcakaṃ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha purā’yaṃ kāyo idheva vikirati seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhiti (S.4.40).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

I took delight in ornaments and finery. Afflicted by lust for sensuous pleasure, I ministered to this (wretched human) body by bathing it, and anointing it (with oil and perfume).
☸ Vibhūsāmaṇḍanaratā nahāpanucchādanehi va
Upakāsiṃ imaṃ kāyaṃ kāmarāgena aṭṭitā (Thī.v.89).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

‘So it is, householder, so it is. This (wretched human) body of yours is ailing, enveloped and smothered (in ailments). If anyone carrying around (such a wretched) body were to claim to be healthy even for a moment, that would only be folly. ’
☸ Evametaṃ gahapati evametaṃ gahapati. Āturohāyaṃ gahapati kāyo aṇḍabhūto pariyonaddho. Yo hi gahapati imaṃ kāyaṃ pariharanto muhuttampi ārogyaṃ paṭijāneyya kimaññatra bālyā (S.3.1).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

The foolish common men who cherish this (wretched human) body cause the terrible cemeteries to grow. They take on renewed states of individual existence.
☸ Yemaṃ kāyaṃ mamāyanti andhabālā puthujjanā
Vaḍḍhenti kaṭasiṃ ghoraṃ ādiyanti punabbhavaṃ (Th.v.575).

Illustration: imaṃ kāyaṃ, this (wretched human) body

Those who abandon (attachment to) this (wretched human) body as if it were a dung-smeared snake, having rejected the origin of individual existence will realise the Untroubled and be free of perceptually obscuring states.
☸ Yemaṃ kāyaṃ vivajjenti gūthalittaṃ va pannagaṃ
Bhavamūlaṃ vamitvāna parinibbissantināsavā ti (Th.v.576).

Illustration: imasmiṃ kāye, this (wretched human) body

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of the danger (of the body)? In this regard, Ānanda, a bhikkhu… reflects that this (wretched human) body is very unpleasant and a great danger. Many illnesses arise in it, namely, illnesses of the eye, ear, nose… cold, heat, hunger, thirst, faeces and urine. Thus he abides contemplating the danger of this (wretched human) body.
☸ Katamācānanda ādīnavasaññā? Idhānanda bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā itipaṭisañcikkhatibahu dukkho kho ayaṃ kāyo bahu ādīnavo. Iti imasmiṃ kāye vividhā ābādhā uppajjanti seyyathīdaṃ cakkhurogo sotarogo ghānarogo… sītaṃ uṇhaṃ jighacchā pipāsā uccāro passāvo ti. Iti imasmiṃ kāye ādīnavānupassī viharati (A.5.110).

Illustration: imasmiṃ kāye, this (wretched human) body

Just as a butcher or his apprentice having killed a cow and cut it into pieces were seated with it at a crossroads, the bhikkhu contemplates this very body however placed or disposed in terms of material phenomena; likewise a bhikkhu contemplates this very body however placed or disposed in terms of material phenomena: ‘In this (wretched human) body there is the Solidness Phenomenon, the Liquidness Phenomenon, the Warmth Phenomenon, and the Gaseousness Phenomenon.’
☸ seyyathāpi bhikkhave dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā gāviṃ vadhitvā cātummahāpathe bilaso paṭivibhajitvā nisinno assa evameva kho bhikkhave bhikkhu imameva kāyaṃ yathāṭhitaṃ yathāpaṇihitaṃ dhātuso paccavekkhati: atthi imasmiṃ kāye paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū ti (M.1.58).

Illustration: imasmiṃ kāye, this (wretched human) body

A ‘carbuncle’ is a metaphor for this (wretched human) body made of the four great material phenomena. It has nine openings, nine orifices. Whatever oozes out of them is foul, foul-smelling, and disgusting. Therefore be disillusioned with this (wretched human) body.
☸ ‘Gaṇḍo ti kho bhikkhave imasseva cātummahābhūtikassa kāyassa adhivacanaṃ. Tassa nava vanamukhāni nava abhedanamukhāni. Yaṃ kiñci paggharati asuciññeva paggharati duggandhaññeva paggharati jegucchiyaññeva paggharati. Tasmātiha bhikkhave imasmiṃ kāye nibbindathā ti (A.4.386).

Illustration: iminā kāyena, this (wretched human) body

But, bhante, does the Blessed One recall ever having gone to the brahmā world by means of psychic power, using this (wretched human) body composed of the four great material phenomena?”
☸ Abhijānāti kho pana bhante bhagavā iminā cātummahābhūtikena kāyena iddhiyā brahmalokaṃ upasaṅkamitāti (S.5.282-4).

Illustration: kāyamimaṃ, this (wretched human) body

Knowing this (wretched human) body is (fragile) like a clay pot, having made this mind (powerful) like a city, battle Māra with the weapon of penetrative discernment. One should guard the victory. One should be free of attachment.
☸ Kumbhūpamaṃ kāyamimaṃ viditvā nagarūpamaṃ cittamidaṃ ṭhapetvā
Yodhetha māraṃ paññāvudhena jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā (Dh.v.40).

Illustration: ayaṃ kāyo, this (wretched human) body

Bhikkhus, this (wretched human) body is not (in reality) yours, nor is it (in reality) owned by others. It should be seen as (the consequence of) previous karmically consequential conduct, originated, arisen from intentionality, and to be necessarily experienced.
☸ Nāyaṃ bhikkhave kāyo tumhākaṃ nāpi aññesaṃ. purāṇamidaṃ bhikkhave kammaṃ abhisaṅkhataṃ abhisañcetayitaṃ vedaniyaṃ daṭṭhabbaṃ (S.2.64-5).

Illustration: ayaṃ kāyo, this (wretched human) body

This (wretched human) body subsists on food, it survives because of food, without food it does not survive.
☸ ayaṃ kāyo āhāraṭṭhitiko āhāraṃ paṭicca tiṭṭhati anāhāro no tiṭṭhati (S.5.64).

Illustration: ayaṃ kāyo, this (wretched human) body

Not long, indeed, till it will rest, this (wretched human) body here, beneath the clod, discarded, void of consciousness, like a useless block of wood.
☸ Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo paṭhaviṃ adhisessati
Chuddho apetaviññāṇo niratthaṃ va kaliṅgaraṃ (Dh.v.41).

Illustration: ayaṃ kāyo, this (wretched human) body

Willingly let this (wretched human) body be broken apart, let the lumps of flesh be dissolved, let both my legs drop off at the knee-joint: I will neither eat, nor drink, nor leave my dwelling, nor even lie down on my side as long as the arrow of craving is unremoved.
Kāmaṃ bhijjatuyaṃ kāyo maṃsapesī visīyaruṃ
Ubho jaṇṇukasandhīhi jaṅghāyo papatantu me
Nāsissaṃ na pivissāmi vihārā ca na nikkhame
Napi passaṃ nipātessaṃ taṇhāsalle anūhate (Th.v.312-3).

Illustration: kāyaṃ imaṃ, this (wretched human) body

When will I dwell alone in the woods, free of fear, seeing (according to reality) that this (wretched human) body is unlasting, a seat of punishment and illness, ravaged by old age and death? When, oh when, will it be?
☸ Kadā aniccaṃ vadharoganīḷaṃ kāyaṃ imaṃ maccujarāyupaddutaṃ
Vipassamāno vītabhayo vihassaṃ eko vane taṃ nu kadā bhavissati (Th.v.1093).

Illustration: imassa kāyassa, this (wretched human) body

Properly reflecting, you should use almsfood not for fun, not for exuberance, not for the sake of comeliness and good looks, but just for the maintenance and nourishment of this (wretched human) body for restraining its troublesomeness, for supporting the religious life.
☸ Paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṃ āhāreyyāsi neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṃsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya (M.3.134).