नवसीवथिक
Navasīvathika
Nine charnel ground contemplations
九種屍觀
Grammar 語法
compound: nava (nine) + sīvathika (charnel ground — from sīvatha, a cemetery for abandoned corpses)
Definition 釋義
The nine progressive contemplations of a corpse in the charnel ground, described in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta: from a fresh corpse (1) through bloated and discoloured (2–3), to eaten by animals (4–6), through to skeleton (7–8) and finally scattered bones (9). After each contemplation, the meditator reflects: 'This body of mine is of the same nature — it will become thus.' This practice is not morbid but liberating: it dissolves the 'beautiful' self-narrative and reveals the impermanent, impersonal nature of the body, undercutting sensual craving at its root.
Canonical Example 典籍例句
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ekāhaṃ mataṃ sīvathikaṃ uddhumātakaṃ... passeyya.
Just as, monks, a monk might see a corpse thrown in a charnel ground, dead for one day, bloated...
Source: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, MN 10
At a Glance
- Pali
- Navasīvathika
- IAST
- Navasīvathika
- Devanagari
- नवसीवथिक
- Chinese
- 九種屍觀
- Difficulty
- advanced
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