The Buddha was staying in Sravasti...

"Monks! This body is not yours, nor does it belong to others. It should be seen as the result of past karma, formed by past actions and intentions, something to be experienced."

"Here, monks! The well-informed noble disciple should pay careful attention to the law of dependent origination: 'When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.' That is to say:

With ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be;

With volitional formations as condition, consciousness comes to be;

With consciousness as condition, name-and-form comes to be;

With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be;

With the six sense bases as condition, contact comes to be;

With contact as condition, feeling comes to be;

With feeling as condition, craving comes to be;

With craving as condition, clinging comes to be;

With clinging as condition, existence comes to be;

With existence as condition, birth comes to be;

With birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

But with the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, volitional formations cease;

With the cessation of volitional formations, consciousness ceases;

With the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases;

With the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease;

With the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases;

With the cessation of contact, feeling ceases;

With the cessation of feeling, craving ceases;

With the cessation of craving, clinging ceases;

With the cessation of clinging, existence ceases;

With the cessation of existence, birth ceases;

With the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering."

This is the seventh discourse.

This scripture mainly expounds two important Buddhist concepts:

1. The non-self nature of the body: The Buddha points out that our body neither belongs to ourselves nor to others, but is the result of past karma.

2. The law of dependent origination: It explains in detail the operating principle of the twelve links of dependent origination, including:

   - The process of origination: explaining how suffering arises due to conditions such as ignorance

   - The process of cessation: explaining how suffering ceases when conditions such as ignorance are eliminated

This teaching tells us that all phenomena arise due to the combination of causes and conditions, and cease when these causes and conditions disperse. There is no eternally unchanging entity. Understanding this point is very important for practicing liberation.

Let me analyze this profound scripture in depth for you:

I. The Truth About the Body

The Buddha begins with a shocking statement: "This body is not yours, nor does it belong to others." This directly points to our attachment to "I" and "mine." We habitually think "this is my body," but in reality:

1. The body is a product of karma: It is formed by countless past causes and conditions, not coming from nowhere.

2. Unable to truly control: We cannot decide that the body will not get sick, not age, not die.

3. Temporary: The body is only a temporary vehicle, like the relationship between a traveler and a hotel room.

II. The Wisdom of Dependent Origination

The Buddha then expounds the law of dependent origination, which is a profound yet practical system of wisdom:

1. Basic principle: "When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases."

- This reveals the interconnectedness of all phenomena in the universe

- Nothing exists independently

- Everything operates in a chain of cause and effect

2. Detailed analysis of the twelve links of dependent origination:

From ignorance → volitional formations → consciousness → name-and-form → six sense bases → contact → feeling → craving → clinging → existence → birth → aging-and-death

This is:

- A complete chain explaining the cycle of rebirth

- A map revealing the root of suffering

- A compass pointing the direction of liberation

III. Insights and Reflections

1. About attachment

- Why do we suffer? Because we cling to an illusory "self"

- Why do we fear? Because we mistakenly believe there is a real "self" that needs protection

2. About liberation

- Breaking ignorance is the fundamental way out

- Understanding dependent origination is understanding the truth of life

- Letting go of attachment is the key to true freedom

3. Wisdom of life

- Everything is interdependent

- There is no eternally unchanging entity

- Accepting change brings peace

IV. Modern Implications

1. Psychological aspect

- Reducing attachment can bring inner peace

- Understanding impermanence helps better face life's ups and downs

2. Interpersonal relationships

- Understanding interdependence cultivates empathy

- Letting go of attachment helps build healthy relationships

3. Attitude towards life

- Face changes with a more open mind

- Cultivate wisdom rather than increase possessions

This scripture is not just a philosophical discourse, but a guide to life. It tells us:

- The truth of life is not in attachment, but in letting go

- The awakening of wisdom is not in accumulation, but in awareness

- The source of happiness is not in possession, but in understanding

By understanding and practicing these teachings, we can:

- Face life more wisely

- Handle problems more calmly

- Accept changes more peacefully

- Eventually achieve true liberation

This is why this scripture transcends time and space, still guiding those seeking truth today.