The body has a million paths to take.
The body has a million paths to take; why must it walk the path we call “health”? In the journey of the body, some bodies head towards rheumatoid arthritis, some towards lupus, some towards hypertension, some towards coronary heart disease, and others towards liver cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, etc. Each body has its own path to follow; you cannot control it, you cannot command it. It has its own freedom and destiny.
Where the body is headed is not the point; the point is that you want to control it to follow your path. Because that will lead to your confusion and suffering. Wanting to control the fate of your body is like wanting to control a cow, a horse, a dog, or even your child’s fate. If you think it’s absurd to want to control a cow, a horse, a dog or your child’s destiny; similarly, if you want to control your body’s fate, that is also absurd. Have you noticed?
How the body behaves is not fundamentally the cause of our suffering; rather, it is your ambition for it, your desire for control and selection that causes our pain. We have many incorrect views about the body: first thinking of it as “mine,” which is the most ridiculous thought; secondly wanting to grasp its fate and make it follow our path instead of its own—that’s the craziest behavior. These two points are the causes of our bodily suffering in this world. If there were no expectations or misconceptions about the body, living in this world would simply mean being grateful for our bodies—no matter where they go or what they become.
The body is an unmanned boat sailing through the vast ocean of time and space. If by chance you dreamt of it and boarded it, then happily follow its journey wherever it may drift and whatever it may encounter. After all, you on board are merely being dreamed of; that boat never intended to be yours in the first place. In this boundless ocean, time does not exist; therefore do not focus on your age. Age is not real; thus do not focus on your lifespan. Long and short are equivalent; big and small are similar. In this vast sea of existence, who cares about life and death except for yourself?
A wise person cherishes their body and everything that appears upon it—pain, arthritis, heart disease, aging—they embrace everything. Everything becomes an object of their awareness; these existences ignite their life force. Arthritis blossoms from their body; pain serves as a kind voice waking them from dreams; aging becomes an experience akin to slow mountain skiing… A clear mind observes abundant life where each moment presents an opportunity for their passionate flame of life to rise—what could there be that they do not like?
The body walks its own path while the mind has no path to tread; thus it joyfully observes what the body brings forth—painful experiences or deformities due to aging—it welcomes all with open arms. Just like sitting on a tour bus as a child enjoying whatever comes along—stones, wildflowers, dead trees—you find joy in everything encountered along the way. The body has a million paths ahead; wise individuals appreciate any one of those paths.
Love where your body is headed but know that this does not prevent you from wanting this or that along this journey—doing this or doing that—it’s okay as long as you are aware of it. The body has a million paths ahead; with an open mind embrace and follow each one joyfully. Follow your body’s journey across time and space like a shepherd riding his cow—whether that cow is strong or aged hold onto the shepherd’s heart tightly. The grasslands are beautiful regardless of which path you’re on or what kind of cow you’re riding.
by – Taiwan Fearless Tathagata Great Perfection Meditation Center