what is the meaning of the cryptic formula in the 4sp satipatthana formula? (for the Chinese parallel) Can anyone -- who knows chinese -- explain whether the interpretation of the cryptic formula in the Chinese agama parallel to MN 10 is the same as my interpretation?
My interpretation is that &quot;seeing body as body&quot; means &quot;seeing the body according to reality as it actually is&quot; -- rather than how the Theravada commentary interprets it, i.e. &quot;body in body&quot; as meaning &quot;you contemplate body in isolation of the 3 other frames of 4sp&quot;.
Here is the chinese sarvastivada MA 98 || MN 10 (B. Analayo trans.)

“Now I, being the Tathāgata of the present, free from attachment and fully awakened, have attained unsurpassable and complete awakening by abandoning the five hindrances, which defile the mind and weaken wisdom, by dwelling with the mind well established in the four satipaṭṭhānas, and by cultivating the seven factors of awakening.
“What are the four? [They are]
the satipaṭṭhāna of contemplating the body as a body, in the same way [the satipaṭṭhāna] of contemplating feelings [as feelings],
[the satipaṭṭhāna of contemplating] mind [as mind], and
the satipaṭṭhāna of contemplating dharmas as dharmas.

https://suttacentral.net/ma98/lzh/taisho

「云何為四？觀身 如身念處，如是觀覺、心、法如法念處。云何觀 身如身念處？比丘者，行則知行，住則知住，坐 則知坐，臥則知臥，眠則知眠，寤則知寤，眠 寤 則知眠寤。如是比丘觀內身如身，觀外 身如身，立念在身，有知有見，有明有達， 是謂比丘觀身如身。復次，比丘觀身如身， 比丘者，正知出入，善觀分別，屈伸低昂，儀 容庠序，善著僧伽梨及諸衣鉢，行住坐臥，眠 寤語默皆正知之。如是比丘觀內身如身， 觀外身如身，立念在身，有知有見，有明有 達，是謂比丘觀身如身。

For reference, this is how I translate and interpret the Pali 4sp formula:

Meaning of the cryptic 4sp formula
He abides, continuously seeing the body as a body, [as it actually is, according to reality]...
He abides, continuously seeing the experienced-sensations as experienced-sensations, [as it actually is, according to reality]...
He abides, continuously seeing the mind as mind, [as it actually is, according to reality]...
He abides, continuously seeing the ☸Dhamma as ☸Dhamma, [as it actually is, according to reality]...

There's a fuller post explaining and justifying my interpretation is at
http://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-real-meaning-of-cryptic-formula-in.html
"seeing body as body" and "body in body" both means "seeing the body according to reality as it actually is". This is to see the body without any additional interpretations or view. Essentially seeing what is there as it is.

This does not mean "you contemplate body in isolation of the 3 other frames of 4sp". You can choose to if you want to as your main focus, but any of the 4sp one cannot do purely in an isolated manner as one influences the other. E.g. if you are doing kayanupassana this influence vedena. Following highlights how the 4 elements (part of kayanupassana) influence feelings.


  vedana can certainly be connected with three of the four mahabhuta (elements), which are collectively known as rupa. These three are pathavi (earth element), tejo (fire element) and vayo (air element). Apo (water element) is too subtle to touch, or is so subtle that one finds difficulty in feeling it. Now, to illustrate the connection between vedana and the three bhuta, when you have a cramp, which is the tightening of the muscles, it is pathavi; when you feel temperature of the body it is tejo; when you suffer from pain in the stomach, it may be something to do with vayo, for when the air in your stomach is stuck and finds no vent to get out, you have that experience of unpleasant feeling called pain. The connection of vedana with these mahabhuta makes it all the more manifest and helps one realize its true nature.


Source: Vipassana and Vedana as Understood by a Novice by U Tin Lwin