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- Majjhima Nikaya 118
- Anapanasati Sutta
- Mindfulness of Breathing
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi
in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother, together
with many well-known elder disciples -- with Ven. Sariputta, Ven. Maha Moggallana, Ven. Maha Kassapa, Ven. Maha Kaccayana, Ven. Maha Kotthita, Ven. Maha Kappina, Ven. Maha Cunda, Ven. Revata, Ven. Ananda, and other well-known
elder disciples. On that occasion the elder monks were teaching & instructing. Some
elder monks were teaching & instructing ten monks, some were teaching &
instructing twenty monks, some were teaching & instructing thirty monks, some were
teaching & instructing forty monks. The new monks, being taught & instructed by
the elder monks, were discerning grand, successive distinctions.
Now on that occasion -- the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, the full-moon night of the
Pavarana ceremony -- the Blessed One was seated in the open air surrounded by the
community of monks. Surveying the silent community of monks, he addressed them:
"Monks, I am content with this practice. I am content at heart with this practice.
So arouse even more intense persistence for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the
reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. I will remain
right here at Savatthi [for another month] through the 'White water-lily' month, the
fourth month of the rains."
The monks in the countryside heard, "The Blessed One, they say, will remain right
there at Savatthi through the White water-lily month, the fourth month of the rains."
So they left for Savatthi to see the Blessed One.
Then the elder monks taught & instructed even more intensely. Some elder monks were
teaching & instructing ten monks, some were teaching & instructing twenty monks,
some were teaching & instructing thirty monks, some were teaching & instructing
forty monks. The new monks, being taught & instructed by the elder monks, were
discerning grand, successive distinctions.
Now on that occasion -- the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, the full-moon night of the
White water-lily month, the fourth month of the rains -- the Blessed One was seated in the
open air surrounded by the community of monks. Surveying the silent community of monks, he
addressed them:
"Monks, this assembly is free from idle chatter, devoid of
idle chatter, and is established on pure heartwood: such is this community of monks, such
is this assembly. The sort of assembly that is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality,
worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world: such
is this community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly to which a small
gift, when given, becomes great, and a great gift greater: such is this community of
monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that it is rare to see in the world:
such is this community of monks, such is this assembly -- the sort of assembly that it
would be worth traveling for leagues, taking along provisions, in order to see.
"In this community of monks there are monks who are Arahants, whose mental
effluents are ended, who have reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden,
attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who are released
through right gnosis: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of the
first set of five fetters, are due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally
unbound, never again to return from that world: such are the monks in this community of
monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the
first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, are
once-returners, who -- on returning only one more time to this world -- will make an
ending to stress: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the
first] three fetters, are stream-winners, steadfast, never again destined for states of
woe, headed for self-awakening: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to the development
of the four frames of reference...the four right exertions...the four bases of power...the
five faculties...the five strengths...the seven factors of awakening...the noble eightfold
path: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to the development
of good will...compassion...appreciation...equanimity...[the perception of the] foulness
[of the body]...the perception of inconstancy: such are the monks in this community of
monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to mindfulness of
in-&-out breathing.
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great
fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed &
pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of
reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors of awakening to their
culmination. The seven factors of awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear
knowing & release to their culmination.
(Mindfulness of In-&-Out Breathing)
"Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to
bring the four frames of reference to their culmination?
"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness,
to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise,
holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes
in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or
breathing out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. [2] Or breathing in
short, he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns that
he is breathing out short. [3] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the
entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [4] He trains himself
to breathe in calming the bodily processes, and to breathe out calming the bodily
processes.
"[5] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe
out sensitive to rapture. [6] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to
pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [7] He trains himself to
breathe in sensitive to mental processes, and to breathe out sensitive to mental
processes. [8] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental processes, and to
breathe out calming mental processes.
"[9] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe
out sensitive to the mind. [10] He trains himself to breathe in satisfying the
mind, and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [11] He trains himself to breathe in
steadying the mind, and to breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains himself
to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.
"[13] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to
breathe out focusing on inconstancy. [14] He trains himself to breathe in focusing
on dispassion [literally, fading], and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [15]
He trains himself to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing on
cessation. [16] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment, and to
breathe out focusing on relinquishment.
(The Four Frames of Reference)
"[1] Now, on whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns that he is
breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns that he is breathing out long; or
breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short,
discerns that he is breathing out short; trains himself to breathe in...&...out
sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe in...&...out calming the
bodily processes: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself
-- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the
world. I tell you, monks, that this -- the in-&-out breath -- is classed as a body
among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in &
of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world.
"[2] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out
sensitive to rapture; trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to pleasure;
trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to mental processes; trains himself
to breathe in...&...out calming mental processes: On that occasion the monk remains
focused on feelings in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing
greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this -- close
attention to in-&-out breaths -- is classed as a feeling among feelings, which is why
the monk on that occasion remains focused on feelings in & of themselves -- ardent,
alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"[3] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out
sensitive to the mind; trains himself to breathe in...&...out satisfying the mind;
trains himself to breathe in...&...out steadying the mind; trains himself to breathe
in...&...out releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the mind
in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with
reference to the world. I don't say that there is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in
one of confused mindfulness and no alertness, which is why the monk on that occasion
remains focused on the mind in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting
aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"[4] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out
focusing on inconstancy; trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on
dispassion; trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on cessation; trains
himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on relinquishment: On that occasion the monk
remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful
-- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. He who sees clearly with
discernment the abandoning of greed & distress is one who oversees with equanimity,
which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world.
"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so
as to bring the four frames of reference to their culmination.
(The Seven Factors Of Awakening)
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring
the seven factors of awakening to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of
itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse.
When his mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor of
awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a
comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this way,
examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment,
then analysis of qualities as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and
for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that
quality with discernment, unflagging persistence is aroused. When unflagging persistence
is aroused in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality
with discernment, then persistence as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops
it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh
arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then
rapture as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to
the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one who is enraptured, the body grows calm and the mind grows
calm. When the body & mind of an enraptured monk grow calm, then serenity as a factor
of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of
its development.
"[6] For one who is at ease -- his body calmed -- the mind becomes
concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease -- his body calmed -- becomes
concentrated, then concentration as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it,
and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he
oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor of awakening
becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
[Similarly with the other three frames of reference: feelings, mind, & mental
qualities.]
"This is how the four frames of reference are developed & pursued so as to
bring the seven factors of awakening to their culmination.
(Clear Knowing & Release)
"And how are the seven factors of awakening developed & pursued so as to bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination? There is the case where a monk develops
mindfulness as a factor of awakening dependent on seclusion...dispassion...cessation,
resulting in relinquishment. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor of
awakening...persistence as a factor of awakening...rapture as a factor of
awakening...serenity as a factor of awakening...concentration as a factor of
awakening...equanimity as a factor of awakening dependent on
seclusion...dispassion...cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors of awakening, when developed & pursued, bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's
words.