The Eighteen Realms

Meditation on the Eighteen Realms of Phenomena

When Anathapindika, the lay disciple of the Buddha, was about to pass away and was in great pain he was given teachings by the Venerable Śāriputra to help him let go of ideas of self and life span. These teachings can be found in the Sutra on Teachings to be Given to the Sick. After Śāriputra guided Anathapindika in a meditation on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, to nourish the seeds of joy in him, he began to offer the cream of the Buddha’s teachings: “Friend Anathapindika, please meditate like this: ‘These eyes are not me. I am not caught in these eyes.’”

The paired phrases in these meditations ride the stillness of our breath. Contemplating the senses, what is sensed, and what is perceived can help establish a Right View: all that is “me” — indeed, everything that exists — is a mutual weaving together of cell, sense, perception, mental construction and consciousness itself. Each element is a fleeting sound in the melody of life.

Meditation on the sense organs

1. Breathing in, I am aware of the eyes;
   Breathing out, the eyes are not a permanent and independent Self.
2. Breathing in, I am aware of the ears;
   Breathing out, the ears are not a permanent and independent Self.
3. Breathing in, I am aware of the nose;
   Breathing out, the nose is not a permanent and independent Self.
4. Breathing in, I am aware of the tongue;
   Breathing out, the tongue is not a permanent and independent Self.
5. Breathing in, I am aware of the physical body;
   Breathing out, the physical body is not a permanent and independent Self.
6. Breathing in, I am aware of the brain;
   Breathing out, the brain is not a permanent and independent Self.

Meditation on the objects of the senses

1. Breathing in, I am aware of forms;
   Breathing out, no form has a permanent, independent Self.
2. Breathing in, I am aware of sounds;
   Breathing out, no sound has a permanent, independent Self.
3. Breathing in, I am aware of smells;
   Breathing out, no smell has a permanent, independent Self.
4. Breathing in, I am aware of tastes;
   Breathing out, no taste has a permanent, independent Self.
5. Breathing in, I am aware of contact of the body;
   Breathing out, no contact of the body has a permanent, independent Self.
6. Breathing in, I am aware of mental formations;
   Breathing out, no mental formation has a permanent, separate Self.

Meditation on consciousness

1. Breathing in, I am aware of seeing;
   Breathing out, seeing does not form a permanent and independent Self.
2. Breathing in, I am aware of hearing;
   Breathing out, hearing does not form a permanent and independent Self.
3. Breathing in, I am aware of smelling;
   Breathing out, smelling does not form a permanent and independent Self.
4. Breathing in, I am aware of tasting;
   Breathing out, tasting does not form a permanent and independent Self.
5. Breathing in, I am aware of touching;
   Breathing out, touching does not form a permanent and independent Self.
6. Breathing in, I am aware of thinking;
   Breathing out, thinking does not form a permanent and independent Self.

Meditation on arising

None of the six sense organs, six sense objects, or six sense consciousnesses have a permanent and independent Self. All things composed of impermanent and interdependent elements are themselves impermanent and interdependent. Together, the six sense organs, six sense objects and six sense consciousnesses do not form a permanent and independent Self.