Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammaa Sambuddhassa
The Discourse on Respiration-Mindfulness
(Aanaapaanasati
Sutta—MN 118)
Thus have I heard.
At one time the Blessed One was living at Saavatthii, in the palace of
Migaara’s mother, in the Eastern Park, together with many very well-known elder
disciples-the Venerable Saariputta, the Venerable Mahaa-Moggallaana, the
Venerable Mahaa-Kassapa, the Venerable Mahaa-Kaccaayana, the Venerable
Mahaa-Ko.t.thita, the Venerable Mahaa-Kappina, the Venerable Mahaa-Cunda, the
Venerable Anuruddha, the Venerable Revata, the Venerable Aananda, and other
very well-known elder disciples. Now at that time the elder bhikkhus were
teaching and instructing the new bhikkhus: some elder bhikkhus were teaching
and instructing ten new bhikkhus; some elder bhikkhus were teaching and
instructing twenty new bhikkhus; some elder bhikkhus were teaching and
instructing thirty new bhikkhus; some elder bhikkhus were teaching and
instructing forty new bhikkhus. And these new bhikkhus, taught and instructed by
the elder bhikkhus, successively achieved high distinction.[1]
And at that time, on the Assembly Day (uposatha) of the fifteenth, on the night
of the Pavaara.naa ceremony,[2] when
the moon was full, the Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Order
of bhikkhus. Then, surveying the silent Order of bhikkhus, he addressed the
bhikkhus thus:
“I am content,
bhikkhus, with this progress; I am content at heart, bhikkhus, with this
progress. Therefore, strive still more strenuously to attain the unattained, to
achieve the unachieved, to realize the unrealized.[3] I shall wait here at Saavatthii for the
Komudii moon of the fourth month.”[4]
The bhikkhus of the countryside heard: “The Blessed
One, it seems, will wait there at Saavatthii for the Komudii moon of the fourth
month.” And those bhikkhus of the countryside left for Saavatthii to see the
Blessed One. And the elder bhikkhus were still more strenuously teaching and
instructing the new bhikkhus: some elder bhikkhus were teaching and instructing
ten new bhikkhus: some elder bhikkhus were teaching and instructing twenty new
bhikkhus; some elder bhikkhus were teaching and instructing thirty new
bhikkhus; some elder bhikkhus were teaching and instructing forty new bhikkhus.
And those new bhikkhus, taught and instructed by the elder bhikkhus,
successively achieved high distinction.
Now, at that time, on the Assembly Day of the
fifteenth, on the night of the Komudii moon of the fourth month when the moon
was full, the Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Order of
bhikkhus. Then, surveying the silent Order of bhikkhus, he addressed the
bhikkhus thus:
“Free from chatter bhikkhus is this community, free
from idle talk, bhikkhus, is this community; it is purified and consists purely
of heartwood.[5] Such,
bhikkhus, is this Order of bhikkhus; such, bhikkhus, is this community.
“Such a community, bhikkhus, as is worthy of gifts,
worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of homage, as is an
incomparable field of merit for the world—such, bhikkhus, is this Order of
bhikkhus; such, bhikkhus, is this community.
“Such a community, bhikkhus, that a small gift given
to it becomes great, and a great gift greater—such, bhikkhus, is this Order of
bhikkhus; such, bhikkhus, is this community.
“Such a community, bhikkhus, as it would be hard for
the world to see its like—such, bhikkhus, is this Order of bhikkhus; such,
bhikkhus, is this community.
“Such a community, bhikkhus, as would be worth
travelling many leagues with a knapsack to see—such, bhikkhus, is this Order of
bhikkhus; such, bhikkhus, is this community.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who are arahats, in whom the cankers are destroyed, who have lived the
life, done what is to be done, laid down the burden, reached the highest good,
destroyed the fetters of being, and, through knowing rightly, are
liberated—such bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of
bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who, with the destruction of five lower fetters,[6] will
reappear spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes) and there attain complete
extinction without ever returning here from that world—such bhikkhus, indeed,
are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus, bhikkhus
who, with the destruction of three fetters,[7] and
the attenuation of greed, hate, and delusion, are once-returners; returning
once to this world, they will make an end of suffering—such bhikkhus, indeed,
are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who, with the destruction of three fetters, are stream-enterers, and
being no more subject to states of woe (and) assured (of their future), are
headed for full enlightenment—such bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in
this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the four foundations of
mindfulness[8]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the four right efforts[9]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the four roads to power[10]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the five faculties[11]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the five powers[12]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the seven factors of
enlightenment[13]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of the noble eightfold path[14]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of amity—such bhikkhus, indeed, are
there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of compassion—such bhikkhus, indeed,
are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of altruistic joy—such bhikkhus,
indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of equanimity[15]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of meditation on the foul[16]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of perception of impermanence[17]—such
bhikkhus, indeed, are there, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus.
“There are, bhikkhus, in this Order of bhikkhus,
bhikkhus who dwell devoted to the practice of respiration-mindfulness.
“Respiration-mindfulness, bhikkhus, developed and
repeatedly practised, is of great fruit, of great benefit;
respiration-mindfulness, bhikkhus, developed and repeatedly practised, perfects
the four foundations of mindfulness; the four foundations of mindfulness,
developed and repeatedly practised, perfect the seven enlightenment factors;
the seven enlightenment factors, developed and repeatedly practised, perfect
clear vision and deliverance.
“And how developed, bhikkhus, how repeatedly
practised, is respiration-mindfulness of great fruit, of great benefit?
“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, or to
the root of a tree, or to an empty place, sits down; having folded his legs
crosswise, set his body erect, established mindfulness in front of him, ever
mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
(i) “Breathing in long, he knows, ‘I breathe in
long’; or breathing out long, he knows, ‘I breathe out long.’
(ii) “Breathing in short, he knows, ‘I breathe in
short’; or breathing out short, he knows, ‘I breathe out short.’
(iii) “`Experiencing the
whole body (of breath), I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself;
‘experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(iv) “`Calming the bodily
formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘calming the bodily
formation,’ I shall breathe out, thus he trains himself.[18]
(v) “`Experiencing rapture, I shall breathe in,’
thus he trains himself; ‘experiencing rapture, I shall breathe out,’ thus he
trains himself.[19]
(vi) “`Experiencing bliss, I
shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘experiencing bliss, I shall breathe
out,’ thus he trains himself.
(vii) “`Experiencing the
mental formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘experiencing
the mental formation, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(viii) “`Calming the mental
formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘calming the mental
formation, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(ix) “`Experiencing the
mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘experiencing the mind, I
shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(x)
“`Gladdening the mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘gladdening
the mind, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(xi) “`Concentrating the
mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘concentrating the mind, I
shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(xii) “`Liberating the mind,
I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘liberating the mind, I shall
breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(xiii) “`Contemplating
impermanence, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘contemplating
impermanence, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(xiv) “`Contemplating fading
away, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘contemplating fading away,
I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.[20]
(xv) “`Contemplating
cessation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘contemplating
cessation, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.
(xvi) “`Contemplating
relinquishment, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘contemplating
relinquishment, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.[21]
“That is how
respiration-mindfulness, developed and repeatedly practised, is of great fruit,
of great benefit.
“And how developed, bhikkhus, how repeatedly
practised, does respiration-mindfulness perfect the four foundations of
mindfulness?
A. (i-iv) “On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu,
breathing in long, knows, ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, knows, ‘I
breathe out long’; breathing in short, knows, ‘I breathe in short’; or
breathing out short, knows, ‘I breathe out short’; trains thus: ‘I shall
breathe in experiencing the whole (breath) body’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe
out experiencing the whole (breath) body’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in
calming the bodily-formation;’ trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out calming the
bodily formations’—on that occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating
the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away
covetousness and grief regarding the world.[22]
“I say that this, bhikkhus, is a certain body among
the bodies, namely, respiration. That is why on that occasion, bhikkhus, a
bhikkhu abides contemplating the body in the body, clearly comprehending,
mindful, having put away covetousness and grief regarding the world.
B. (v-viii) “On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu
trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in experiencing rapture’; trains thus, ‘I shall
breathe out experiencing rapture’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in
experiencing bliss’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out experiencing bliss’;
trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation’; trains
thus, ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation’; trains thus, ‘I
shall breathe in calming the mental formation’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe
out calming the mental formation’—on that occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides
contemplating the feelings in the feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending,
mindful, having put away covetousness and grief regarding the world.
“I say that this, bhikkhus, is a certain feeling
(experience) among feelings (experiencings), namely, the giving attention
completely to in-breathing and out-breathing. That is why on that occasion,
bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the feelings in the feelings, ardent,
clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and grief
regarding the world.
C. (ix-xii) “On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu
trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mind’; trains thus, ‘I shall
breathe out experiencing the mind’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in gladdening
the mind’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out gladdening the mind’; trains thus,
‘I shall breathe in concentrating the mind’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out
concentrating the mind’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in liberating the mind’;
trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out liberating the mind’—on that occasion,
bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the mind in the mind, ardent, clearly
comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and grief regarding the
world.
“I do not say, bhikkhus, that there is development of
respiration-mindfulness in one who is forgetful and does not clearly
comprehend. That is why on that occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides
contemplating the mind in the mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful,
having put away covetousness and grief regarding the world.
D. (xiii-xvi) “On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a
bhikkhu trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence’; trains
thus, ‘I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence’; trains thus, ‘I shall
breathe in contemplating fading away’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out
contemplating fading away’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe in contemplating
cessation’; trains thus, ‘I shall breathe out contemplating cessation’; trains
thus, ‘I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment’; trains thus, ‘I shall
breathe out contemplating relinquishment’—on that occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu
abides contemplating mental objects in mental objects, ardent, clearly
comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and grief regarding the
world.
“Having seen with understanding what is the abandoning
of covetousness and grief, he becomes one who looks on with complete
equanimity. That is why on that occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides
contemplating mental objects in mental objects, ardent, clearly comprehending,
mindful, having put away covetousness and grief regarding the world.
“That is how respiration-mindfulness, developed and
repeatedly practised, perfects the four foundations of mindfulness.
“And how developed, bhikkhus, how repeatedly
practised, do the four foundations of mindfulness perfect the seven
enlightenment factors?
A. (1)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body in the
body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and
grief regarding the world—on that occasion, unremitting mindfulness is
established in him.
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus,
unremitting mindfulness is established in a bhikkhu—on that occasion the
mindfulness enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by
development it comes to perfection in him.
“Abiding thus mindful, he
investigates, examines that state with understanding, and embarks upon a
scrutiny (of it).
(2) “On whatever
occasion, bhikkhus, abiding thus mindful, a bhikkhu investigates, examines that
state with understanding, and embarks upon a scrutiny (of it)—on that occasion
the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he
develops it, and by development it comes to perfection in him.
“In him who investigates, examines
that state with understanding, and embarks upon a scrutiny (of it), tireless
energy is aroused.
(3) “On whatever
occasion, bhikkhus, in a bhikkhu who investigates, examines that state with
understanding, and embarks upon a scrutiny (of it), tireless energy is
aroused—on that occasion the energy enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and
he develops it, and by development it comes to perfection in him.
“In him who has aroused energy,
unworldly[23]
rapture arises.
(4)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, in a bhikkhu who has aroused energy, unworldly
rapture arises—on that occasion the rapture enlightenment factor is aroused in
him, and he develops it, and by development it comes to perfection in him.
“The body and mind of one whose mind
is held in rapture, become tranquillized.
(5)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, the body and the mind of a bhikkhu whose mind
is held in rapture become tranquillized—on that occasion the tranquillity
enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by development
it comes to perfection in him.
“The mind of one who is
tranquillized in body and blissful becomes concentrated.
(6)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, the mind of a bhikkhu who is tranquillized in
body and blissful becomes concentrated—on that occasion the concentration
enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by development
it comes to perfection in him.
“He becomes one who looks with
complete equanimity on the mind thus concentrated.
(7)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu becomes one who looks with complete
equanimity on the mind thus concentrated—on that occasion the equanimity
enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it, and by development
it comes to perfection in him.
B. (1)-(7)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the feelings in
the feelings …[24]—on
that occasion the equanimity enlightenment factor … comes to perfection in him.
C. (1)-(7)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the mind in the
mind …—on that occasion the equanimity enlightenment factor … comes to
perfection in him.
D. (1)-(7)
“On whatever occasion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating mental-objects
in mental-objects …—on that occasion the equanimity enlightenment factor …
comes to perfection in him.
“Thus developed, bhikkhus, thus
repeatedly practised, the four foundations of mindfulness fulfil the seven
enlightenment factors.
“And how developed, bhikkhus, how
repeatedly practised, do the seven enlightenment factors perfect clear vision
and deliverance?
(1)
“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor
dependent on seclusion, on fading away, on cessation, resulting in
relinquishment.
(2)
“He develops the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor dependent on
seclusion, on fading away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
(3)
“He develops the energy enlightenment factor dependent on seclusion, on fading
away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
(4)
“He develops the rapture enlightenment factor dependent on seclusion, on fading
away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
(5)
“He develops the tranquillity enlightenment factor dependent on seclusion, on
fading away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
(6)
“He develops the concentration enlightenment factor dependent on seclusion, on
fading away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
(7)
“He develops the equanimity enlightenment factor dependent on seclusion, on
fading away, on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
“Thus developed, bhikkhus, thus
repeatedly practised, the seven factors of enlightenment perfect clear vision
and deliverance.”
So said the Blessed One. Glad at
heart, the bhikkhus rejoiced at his words.