Mudra as a Meditative Aid?

[SCMatt]

I don’t think the Buddha is saying we should abandon the ecology, or burn down the forests! The sticks and branches mentioned are for the purpose of making a simile, people generally do not consider random objects in the physical environment as part of themselves. In the same way, the Buddha is saying that is how we should regard what is known as the 5 “khandas”. Translating that word is a bit tricky: bundle, aggregate, heap, etc…
The 5 are as follows:

1. form/appearances/body
2. feelings/sensations (pleasant, unpleasant, neither)
3. perceptions/concepts
4. activities (of the body, speech, and mind)
5. consciousness/subjectivity

Usually, we cling to and grasp at these 5 as if they are ourself, as if they belong to us. The Buddha here is instructing us to let go of these (as opposed to grasping at them and holding onto them).

That is simply my intellectual understanding of that dhamma, to actually deeply understand and live that teaching is to be awakened, so as you said, a very profound teaching indeed.

Here is some discussion on discourse about these grasping khandas:

Aggregates and bundles

Following the discussion on khandhas, I thought I’d gather a selection of representative passages that mention them. I’m experimenting with using “bundles” instead of “aggregates”, and I’d like some feedback. These are passages taken from my draft translations of AN and SN. I should briefly note here that the texts usually use upādānakkhandha. I translate upādāna as “grasping” rather than “clinging”, as clinging is specifically refusing to let go of what you have, whereas grasping is more about…