DiscoverKPKP 3

A systematic listing of the thirty-two constituents of the body categorized into solid and liquid elements. This contemplation deconstructs the physical form from external features like hair and skin to internal organs and fluids to sever attachment to physical form.

KP 3  Dvattiṁsākāra - Thirty-Two Parts of the Body

Atthi imasmiṁ kāye—Kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco, maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ, hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ, antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ matthaluṅgaṁ, pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo, assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttanti.

In this body, there are—hairs of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, skin;[1] flesh, |sinews::tendons and ligaments connecting muscle to bone [nhāru]|, bones, |bone marrow::the soft tissue inside the bones [aṭṭhimiñjaṁ]|, kidneys;[2] heart, liver, |inner membrane::the pleura or fascia wrapping the organs [kilomaka]|, |spleen::the blood-filtering organ under the left ribs [pihaka]|, lungs;[3] intestines, |mesentery::the tissue binding the intestines; lit. intestine string [antaguṇa]|, |stomach contents::undigested food; lit. related to the belly [udariya]|, |feces::excrement, digested waste [karīsaṁ]|, brain;[4] |bile::digestive fluid, usually visualized in the gall bladder [pittaṁ]|, |phlegm::mucus of the respiratory tract [semha]|, |pus::fluid resulting from infection or decay [pubba]|, blood, |sweat::perspiration exuded from pore spaces [seda]|, |fat::thick, adipose tissue [meda]|, tears, |grease::liquid fat or skin oils (distinct from solid fat) [vasā]|, saliva, |nasal mucus::snot, fluid from the nose [siṅghāṇikā]|, |synovial fluid::lubricating fluid inside the joints [lasikā]|, and |urine::liquid waste stored in the bladder [mutta]|.[5]

[1] hairs of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, skin; Per commentaries, this group is known as the "Skin Pentad" (taca-pañcaka). It is the first section taught to novices upon ordination because attachment to physical beauty is rooted in these visible parts; discerning their nature as it is in actuality is the first step in severing attraction to the body.

[2] flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys; This group represents the structural "Earth Element" (pathavī-dhātu). It guides attention from the outer wrapping of the muscles and sinews down to the structural frame of the skeleton and the deep core of the marrow and kidneys.

[3] heart, liver, inner membrane, spleen, lungs; These represent the dense internal organs housed within the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

[4] intestines, mesentery, stomach contents, feces, brain; This group comprises the digestive tract and the nervous center. The brain was technically added by the commentaries (it is absent in the Suttas) to complete the count to 32 and to distinguish the marrow of the skull from the marrow of the bones.

[5] bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, and urine. These last twelve parts constitute the "Water Element" (āpo-dhātu). Unlike the previous twenty parts which are solid and structural, these are fluid and cohesive; they bind the earth element together "just as water binds flour into dough," preventing the body from scattering.

Topics & Qualities:

Investigation

Investigation

topic

Investigation involves the process of a careful inquiry of mental states, qualities, and phenomena, examining their arising, persisting, and ceasing in order to understand their true nature and support the cultivation of wisdom and awakening.

Also known as: inquiry, contemplation, examination, analysis, exploration
Pāli: vicaya, vīmaṃsā, parikkhati
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Recognition of unattractiveness

Recognition of unattractiveness

☀️ bright quality

Contemplation that perceives the body as composed of impure and impermanent parts, countering the delusion of beauty and sensual infatuation. This perception cools passion, fosters dispassion, and restores clear seeing of the body’s true nature as conditioned and transient.

Also known as: perception of unattractiveness, recognition of the drawbacks
Pāli: asubhasaññā
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Last updated on December 13, 2025

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