How should I treat my body? Should I ignore it completely since it's just a temporary vessel, or should I take care of it?

The scriptures offer a balanced perspective on how to view and treat the physical body. Chapter 8 advises that you should give up attachment to this "skeleton made by joining skin, flesh, blood, and bone," as it can be an obstacle to your supreme goal. You are instructed to "consider the body only as a servant" and not to pamper it excessively, which could make it a "doorway to hell." However, it should not be neglected. The guidance is to provide necessary food and clothing for sustenance and look after it temporarily, with the specific purpose of applying it toward spiritual progress to ultimately overcome the cycle of birth and death.