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- Samyutta Nikaya LIV.13
- Ananda Sutta
- To Ananda (on Mindfulness of Breathing)
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi
in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Then Ven.
Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side.
As he was sitting there he addressed the Blessed One, saying, "Is there one quality
that, when developed & pursued, brings four qualities to completion? And four
qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion? And
seven qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities to
completion?"
"Yes, Ananda, there is one quality that, when developed & pursued, brings four
qualities to completion; and four qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring
seven qualities to completion; and seven qualities that, when developed & pursued,
bring two qualities to completion. And what is the one quality that, when developed &
pursued, brings four qualities to completion? What are the four qualities that, when
developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion? What are the seven qualities
that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities to completion?
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the
four frames of reference (foundations of mindfulness) to completion. The four frames of
reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors of awakening to
completion. The seven factors of awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear
knowing & release to completion.
(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 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 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, Ven. Ananda delighted in the Blessed
One's words.