As Buddhist we study our humanity ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro

As Buddhist we study our humanity. We learn about our body and mind, and how to prevent them from becoming a source of suffering. Looking at the body we begin with those parts that can be easily seen: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth and skin. Are these things truly attractive? Do they really belong to us? Consider skin for example. People identify with skin a lot. They worry about its texture and its colour. In Asia women want pale skin; in Europe they want a tan. Huge sums of money are spent every year on beautifying the skin. But what exactly is skin? Here are some of my favourite skin facts:

50% of dust in the home is actually dead skin. Globally, skin accounts for about a billion tons of dust in the atmosphere. The number of bacteria living off each person's skin is about 1,000,000,000,000.

By examining the objects of desire and attachment more closely, the unrealistic assumptions on which they are based become clear, and the path to freedom opens up.

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