This dissolving lump of body (Ajahn Chah)

Ajahn Chah (ajahnchah.org) via Ven. Sujato, Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Mmm, this body feels good on my skin for now.

How does the body decline? Consider a lump of ice.

Originally it was simply water. Then it freezes and becomes ice for a while. Then it melts and returns to water again. We can see how [water inclines to] ice [and then] declines [again] much the same as the body.

We all, without exception, are lumps of deterioration. When we are born we bring this inherent nature of dissolution with us. We can’t avoid it. At birth we bring old age, sickness, and death along with us. Right now the lump is hard, just like the lump of ice. But look at the body closely.

It’s aging every day. It declines just like the lump of ice, following the way of nature. Soon, like that lump of ice, the body will melt away and be all gone, too.