I. Contemplation of the Body – Reflection on the Material Elements
5. The Reflection on the Material Elements
And further, monks, a monk reflects on this very body, however it be placed or disposed, by way of the material elements: “There are in this body the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, the element of wind.”[11]
Just as if, monks, a clever cow-butcher or his apprentice, having slaughtered a cow and divided it into portions, should be sitting at the junction of four high roads, in the same way, a monk reflects on this very body, as it is placed or disposed, by way of the material elements: “There are in this body the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind.”
Thus he lives contemplating the body in the body…
“Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness” (MN 10), translated from the Pali by Nyanasatta Thera. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 1 December 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html .