Sgrios Sadhana: Cycles of Unbecoming

It is with great pride that mass was held today with a sermon from our temple acolyte, Brother Foucault. During his presentation it was discussed the meditations and teachings that he has tirelessly studied. We were blessed to hear it, as we are blessed to have such an active and devoted following in our temple. Foucault's sermon can be read in it's entirety on the parchment below:

Listen, and I will tell you the Cycles of Unbecoming!

Thus I have heard:

At one time the Enlightened Sabonim

was staying amongst the Aislings at Suomi.  

There the Enlightened Sabonim addressed the hubae:

"Monks," and they replied, "Honorable Sabonim!"  

Then the Enlightened Sabonim spoke as follows:

This is the one and only way for monks,

for the purification of the spark,

for overcoming sorrow and despair,

for extinguishing suffering and grief,

for walking the path of the Sapphire Stream,

and the realization of awareness.

A monk must dwell on the constant understanding of

impermanence, observing the body within the body,

and removing the craving towards the world.  

A monk must dwell on the constant understanding of

impermanence, observing the spark within itself,

and removing the craving towards the world.

How does a monk observe the body within itself?

A monk, having gone into the druid's circle

at the foot of the stones,

or at the foot of a tree,

or in an empty room,

or deep within the Cthonic Remains,

sits down cross-legged,

keeps his body upright,

and fixes his awareness to his breathing.  

With this awareness, he is patient,

with this awareness, he breathes in,

with this awareness, he breathes out.

Waiting patiently, he understands properly:

"I am waiting patiently."

Breathing in a rising breath,

he understands properly:

"I am breathing in a rising breath."

Breathing out a falling breath,

he understands properly:

"I am breathing out a falling breath."

Full of breath, he understands properly:

"I am breathing full of breath."  

Empty of breath, he understands properly:

"I am empty of breath."

In this way he trains himself:

"Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe in,"

thus he trains himself.

"Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe out,"

thus he trains himself.

"With the bodily activities calmed,

I shall breathe in,"

thus he trains himself.

"With the bodily activities calmed,

I shall breathe out,"

thus he trains himself.

Thus he dwells observing body within itself internally,

or he dwells observing body within itself externally,

or he dwells observing body within itself both

internally and externally.

Thus he dwells observing the spark's birth in the body,

thus he dwells observing the spark's death in the body,

thus he dwells observing

the spark's birth & death in the body.

Now his awareness is established:

"This is the body!"

Thus he develops his awareness

so that there is understanding along with awareness.

In this way he dwells detached,

without clinging towards anything in the world.

This is how a monk dwells observing body within itself.

A monk, while moving or resting,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

whether he is looking straight ahead

or closing his eyes,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

while he is working or relaxing,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

whether wearing his robes or carrying his bowl,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

whether he is eating, drinking,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

while attending to the calls of nature,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence;

whether he is sleeping or waking,

speaking or in silence,

he does so with constant understanding of impermanence.

A monk reflects on this very body,

that is covered with skin

full of impurities of all kinds

from the soles of the feet to the hair of the head:

"In this body, there are hairs of the head,

hairs of the skin,

nails, teeth, flesh,

sinews, bones, marrow,

heart, waste, blood, and urine."

A monk, when he sees a dead body,

dead for one, two or three days,

swollen and festering,

regarding his own body considers:

"Indeed, this body is of the same nature,

it will become like that and cannot escape it."

A monk, when he sees a dead body,

being eaten by crows,

being eaten by vultures,

being eaten by jackals,

regarding his own body considers:

"Indeed, this body is of the same nature,

it will become like that and cannot escape it."

A monk, when he sees a dead body,

reduced to a skeleton and held together by tendons,

regarding his own body considers:

"Indeed, this body is of the same nature,

it will become like that and cannot escape it."

A monk, when he sees a dead body,

reduced to disconnected bones,

scattered in all directions,

here a bone of the hand,

there a bone of the foot,

here a bone of the ankle,

there a bone of the thigh,

here a bone of the spine,

and there a bone of the skull,

regarding his own body considers:

"Indeed, this body is of the same nature,

it will become like that and cannot escape it."

A monk reflects on this very body,

however it is placed or disposed,

considering it according to the each element:

"In this body, there is Srad, Athar, Creag, and Sal."  

Regarding his own body considers:

"Indeed, this body is of the same nature,

it will become like that and cannot escape it."

Thus he dwells observing body within itself internally,

or he dwells observing body within itself externally,

or he dwells observing body within itself both

internally and externally.

Thus he dwells observing the spark's birth in the body,

thus he dwells observing the spark's death in the body,

thus he dwells observing

the spark's birth & death in the body.

Now his awareness is established:

"This is the body!"

Thus he develops his awareness

so that there is understanding along with awareness.

In this way he dwells detached,

without clinging towards anything in the world.

This is how a monk dwells observing body within itself.