THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[(9) MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING]
145. Now comes the description of the development of mindfulness of
breathing as a meditation subject. It has been recommended by the Blessed
One thus: 'And, bhikkhus, this concentration through mindfulness of
breathing, when developed and practised much, is both peaceful and
sublime, it is an unadulterated blissful abiding, and it banishes at once
and stills evil unprofitable thoughts as soon as they arise' (S.v,321;
Vin.iii,70).
[Text]
It has been described by the Blessed One as having sixteen bases
thus: 'And how developed, bhikkhus, how practised much, is concentra-
tion through mindfulness of breathing both peaceful and sublime, an
unadulterated blissful abiding, banishing at once and stilling evil
unprofitable thoughts as soon as they arise?
'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, [267] 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) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in experiencing the whole
body"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body",
(iv) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in tranquillizing the bodily forma-
tion"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out tranquillizing the bodily forma-
tion".
*(v) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in experiencing happiness"; he
trains thus: "I shall breathe out experiencing happiness", (vi) He trains
thus: "I shall breathe in experiencing bliss"; he trains thus: "I shall
breathe out experiencing bliss", (vii) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in
experiencing the mental formation"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out
experiencing the mental formation", (viii) He trains thus: "I shall breathe
in tranquillizing the mental formation"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe
out tranquillizing the mental formation".
'(ix) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in experiencing the [manner of]
consciousness"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out experiencing the [man-
ner of] consciousness", (x) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in gladdening
the [manner of] consciousness"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out glad-
dening the [manner of] consciousness", (xi) He trains thus: "I shall breathe
in concentrating the [manner of] consciousness"; he trains thus: "I shall
breathe out concentrating the [manner of] consciousness", (xii) He trains
thus: "I shall breathe in liberating the [manner of] consciousness"; he
trains thus: "I shall breathe out liberating the [manner of] conscious-
ness".
'(xiii) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in contemplating imperma-
nence"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence".
(xiv) He trains thus: "I shall breathe in contemplating fading away"; he
trains thus: "I shall breathe out contemplating fading away", (xv) He
trains thus: "I shall breathe in contemplating cessation"; he trains thus:
"I shall breathe out contemplating cessation", (xvi) He trains thus: "I
shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment"; he trains thus: "I shall
breathe out contemplating relinquishment" • ' (S.v,321-22).
146. The description [of development] is complete in all respects, how-
ever, only if it is given in due course after a commentary on the text. So
it is given here (§186) introduced by a commentary on the [first part of
the] text.
[Word Commentary]
And how developed, bhikkhus, how practised much, is concentration
through mindfulness of breathing: here in the first place how is a ques-
tion showing desire to explain in detail the development of concentration
through mindfulness of breathing in its various forms. Developed,
bhikkhus, ...is concentration through mindfulness of breathing: this shows
the thing that is being asked about out of desire to explain it in its
various forms. How practised much ...as soon as they arise?: here too
the same explanation applies.
147. Herein, developed means aroused or increased, concentration through
mindfulness of breathing (lit. 'breathing-mindfulness concentration') is
either concentration associated with mindfulness that discerns breathing,
or it is concentration on mindfulness of breathing. Practised much: prac-
tised again and again.
148. Both peaceful and sublime (santo c' eva panlto ca): it is peaceful in
both ways and sublime in both ways; the two words should each be
understood as governed by the word 'both' (eva). What is meant? Unlike
foulness, which as a meditation subject is peaceful and sublime only by
penetration, but is neither (n'eva) peaceful nor sublime in its object since
its object [in the learning stage] is gross, and [after that] its object is
repulsiveness—unlike that, this is not unpeaceful or unsublime in any
way, but on the contrary it is peaceful, stilled and quiet both on account
of the peacefulness of its object and on account of the peacefulness of
that one of its factors called penetration. And it is sublime, something
one cannot have enough of, both on account of the sublimeness of its
object and on [268] account of the sublimeness of the aforesaid factor.
Hence it is called 'both peaceful and sublime'.
149. // is an unadulterated blissful abiding: it has no adulteration, thus it
is unadulterated; it is unalloyed, unmixed, particular, special. Here it is
not a question of peacefulness to be reached through preliminary work
[as with the kasinas] or through access [as with foulness, for instance]. It
is peaceful and sublime in its own individual essence too starting with
the very first attention given to it. But some
38
say that it is 'unadulter-
ated' because it is unalloyed, possessed of nutritive value and sweet in
its individual essence too. So it should be understood to be 'unadulter-
ated' and a 'blissful abiding' since it leads to the obtaining of bodily and
mental bliss with every moment of absorption.
150. As soon as they arise: whenever they are not suppressed. Evil: bad.
Unprofitable (akusala) thoughts: thoughts produced by unskilfulness
(akosalla). It banishes at once: it banishes, suppresses, at that very
moment. Stills (vupasameti): it thoroughly calms (sutthu upasameti);
or else, when eventually brought to fulfilment by the noble path, it cuts
off, because of partaking of penetration; it tranquillizes, is what is
meant.
151. In brief, however, the meaning here is this: 'Bhikkhus, in what way,
in what manner, by what system,.is concentration through mindfulness
of breathing developed, in what way is it practised much, that it is both
peaceful... as soon as they arise?'.
152. He now said, 'Here, bhikkhus', etc., giving the meaning of that in
detail.
Herein, here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu means: bhikkhus, in this dispensa-
tion a bhikkhu. For this word here signifies the [Buddha's] dispensation
as the prerequisite for a person to produce concentration through mind-
fulness of breathing in all its modes,
39
and it denies that such a state
exists in any other dispensation. For this is said: 'Bhikkhus, only here is
there an ascetic, here a second ascetic, here a third ascetic, here a fourth
ascetic; other dispensations are devoid of ascetics' (M.i,63; AXiZSZ).**
That is why it was said above
4
in this dispensation a bhikkhu'.
153. Gone to the forest ...or to an empty place: this signifies that he has
found an abode favourable to the development of concentration through
mindfulness of breathing. For this bhikkhu's mind has long been dissi-
pated among visible data, etc., as its object, and it does not want to
mount the object of concentration-through-mindfulness-of-breathing; it
runs off the track like a chariot harnessed to a wild ox.
41
Now suppose a
cowherd [269] wanted to tame a wild calf that had been reared on a wild
cow's milk, he would take it away from the cow and tie it up apart with
a rope to a stout post dug into the ground; then the calf might dash to and
fro, but being unable to get away, it would eventually sit down or lie
down by the post. So too, when a bhikkhu wants to tame his own mind
which has long been spoilt by being reared on visible data, etc., as object
for its food and drink, he should take it away from visible data, etc., as
object and bring it into the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty
place and tie it up there to the post of in-breaths and out-breaths with the
rope of mindfulness. And so his mind may then dash to and fro when it
no longer gets the objects it was formerly used to, but being unable to
break the rope of mindfulness and get away, it sits down, lies down, by
that object under the influence of access and absorption. Hence the An-
cients said:
154. 'Just as a man who tames a calf
Would tie it to a post, so here
Should his own mind by mindfulness
Be firmly to the object tied'.
This is how an abode is favourable to his development. Hence it was
said above: 'This signifies that he has found an abode favourable to the
development of concentration through mindfiilness of breathing'.
155. Or alternatively, this mindfiilness of breathing as a meditation sub-
ject—which is foremost among the various meditation subjects of all
Buddhas, [some] Paccekabuddhas and [some] Buddhas' disciples as a
basis for attaining distinction and abiding in bliss here and now—is not
easy to develop without leaving the neighbourhood of villages, which
resound with the noises of women, men, elephants, horses, etc., noise
being a thorn to jhana (see A.v,135), whereas in the forest away from a
village a meditator can at his ease set about discerning this meditation
subject and achieve the fourth jhana in mindfulness of breathing; and
then, by making that same jhana the basis for comprehension of forma-
tions [with insight] (Ch. XX, §2f.), he can reach Arahantship, the highest
fruit. That is why the Blessed One said 'gone to the forest', etc., in
pointing out a favourable abode for him.
156. For the Blessed One is like a master of the art of building sites (see
D.i,9,12; ii,87). [270] As the master of the art of building sites surveys
the proposed site for a town, thoroughly examines it, and then gives his
directions, 'Build the town here', and when the town is safely finished,
he receives great honour from the royal family, so the Blessed One
examines an abode as to its suitability for the meditator, and he directs,
'Devote yourself to the meditation subject here', and later on, when the
meditator has devoted himself to the meditation subject and has reached
Arahantship and says, 'The Blessed One is indeed fully enlightened', the
Blessed One receives great honour.
157. And this bhikkhu is compared to a leopard. For just as a great
leopard king lurks in a grass wilderness or a jungle wilderness or a rock
wilderness in the forest and seizes wild beasts—the wild buffalo, wild
ox, boar, etc.—, so too, the bhikkhu who devotes himself to his medita-
tion subject in the forest, etc., should be understood to seize successively
the paths of stream-entry, once-return, non-return, and Arahantship; and
the noble fruitions as well. Hence the Ancients said:
'For as the leopard by his lurking [in the forest] seizes beasts
So also will this Buddhas' son, with insight gifted, strenuous,
By his retreating to the forest seize the highest fruit of all'
(Miln. 369).
So the Blessed One said 'gone to the forest', etc., to point out a
forest abode as a place likely to hasten his advancement.
158. Herein, gone to the forest is gone to any kind of forest possessing
the bliss of seclusion among the kinds of forests characterized thus:
'Having gone out beyond the boundary post, all that is forest' (Ps.i,176;
Vbh. 251), and 'A forest abode is five hundred bow lengths distant'
(Vin.iv,183). To the root of a tree: gone to the vicinity of a tree. To an
empty place: gone to an empty, secluded space. And here he can be said
to have gone to an 'empty place' if he has gone to any of the remaining
seven kinds of abode (resting place).
42
[271]
159. Having thus indicated an abode that is suitable to the three seasons,
suitable to humour and temperament,
43
and favourable to the develop-
ment of mindfulness of breathing, he then said sits down, etc., indicating
a posture that is peaceful and tends neither to idleness nor to agitation.
Then he said having folded his legs crosswise, etc., to show firmness in
the sitting position, easy occurrence of the in-breaths and out-breaths,
and the means for discerning the object.
160. Herein, crosswise is the sitting position with the thighs fully locked.
Folded: having locked. Set his body erect: having placed the upper part
of the body erect with the eighteen backbones resting end to end. For
when he is seated like this, his skin, flesh and sinews are not twisted, and
so the feelings that would arise moment by moment if they were twisted
do not arise. That being so, his mind becomes unified, and the medita-
tion subject, instead of collapsing, attains to growth and increase.
161. Established mindfulness in front of him (parimukham satirh
upatthapetvd) = having placed (thapayitva) mindfulness {satirh) facing
the meditation subject (kammatthdndbhimukham). Or alternatively, the
meaning can be treated here too according to the method of explanation
given in the Patisambhida, which is this: Pari has the sense of control
(pariggaha), mukharh (lit. mouth) has the sense of outlet (niyydna), sati
has the sense of establishment (upatthdna); that is why parimukham
satirh ("mindfulness as a controlled outlet") is said' (Ps.i,176). The mean-
ing of it in brief is: Having made mindfulness the outlet [from opposi-
tion, forgetfulness being thereby] controlled.
44
162. Ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out: having seated
himself thus, having established mindfulness thus, the bhikkhu does not
abandon that mindfulness; ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes
out; he is a mindful worker, is what is meant.
[Word Commentary Continued—First Tetrad]
163. (i) Now breathing in long, etc., is said in order to show the different
ways in which he is a mindful worker. For in the Patisambhida, in the
exposition of the clause 'Ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes
out' this is said: 'He is a mindful worker in thirty-two ways: (1) when he
knows unification of mind and non-distraction by means of a long in-
breath, mindfulness is established in him; owing to that mindfulness and
that knowledge he is a mindful worker. (2) When he knows unification
of mind and non-distraction by means of a long out-breath ... (31) by
means of breathing in contemplating relinquishment ... (32) When he
knows unification of mind and non-distraction by means of breathing out
contemplating relinquishment, mindfulness is established in him; owing
to that mindfulness and that knowledge he is a mindful worker' (Ps.i,176).
164. Herein, breathing in long (assasanto) is producing a long in-breath.
[272] 'Assdsa is the wind issuing out; passdsa is the wind entering in' is
said in the Vinaya Commentary. But in the Suttanta Commentaries it is
given in the opposite sense. Herein, when any infant comes out from the
mother's womb, first the wind from within goes out and subsequently
the wind from without enters in with fine dust, strikes the palate and is
extinguished [with the infant's sneezing]. This, firstly, is how assdsa and
passdsa should be understood.
165. But their length and shortness should be understood by extent
(addhdna). For just as water or sand that occupies an extent of space is
called a 'long water', a 'long sand', a 'short water', a 'short sand', so in
the case of elephants' and snakes' bodies the in-breaths and out-breaths
regarded as particles
45
slowly fill the long extent, in other words, their
persons, and slowly go out again. That is why they are called 'long'.
They rapidly fill a short extent, in other words, the person of a dog, a
hare, etc., and rapidly go out again. That is why they are called 'short'.
166. And in the case of human beings some breathe in and breathe out
long, by extent of time, as elephants, snakes, etc., do, while others breathe
in and breathe out short in that way as dogs, hares, etc., do. Of these,
therefore, the breaths that travel over a long extent in entering in and
going out are to be understood as long in time; and the breaths that travel
over a little extent in entering in and going out, as short in time.
167. Now this bhikkhu knows 'I breathe in, I breathe out, long' while
breathing in and breathing out long in nine ways. And the development
of the foundation of mindfulness consisting in contemplation of the body
should be understood to be perfected in one aspect in him who knows
thus, according as it is said in the Patisambhida:
168. 'How, breathing in long, does he know: "I breathe in long", breath-
ing out long, does he know: "I breathe out long"? (1) He breathes in a
long in-breath reckoned as an extent. (2) He breathes out a long out-
breath reckoned as an extent. (3) He breathes in and breathes out long in-
breaths and out-breaths reckoned as an extent. As he breathes in and
breathes out long in-breaths and out-breaths reckoned as an extent, zeal
arises.
46
(4) Through zeal he breathes in a long in-breath more subtle
than before reckoned as an extent. (5) Through zeal he breathes out a
long out-breath more subtle than before reckoned as an extent. (6) Through
zeal he breathes in and breathes out long in-breaths and out-breaths more
subtle than before reckoned as an extent. As, through zeal, he breathes in
and breathes out long in-breaths and out-breaths more subtle than before
reckoned as an extent, gladness arises. [273] (7) Through gladness he
breathes in a long in-breath more subtle than before reckoned as as
extent. (8) Through gladness he breathes out a long out-breath more
subtle than before reckoned as an extent. (9) Through gladness he breathes
in and breathes out long in-breaths and out-breaths more subtle than
before reckoned as an extent. As, through gladness, he breathes in and
breathes out long in-breaths and out-breaths more subtle than before
reckoned as an extent, his mind turns away from the long in-breaths and
out-breaths and equanimity is established.
'Long in-breaths and out-breaths in these nine ways are a body. The
establishment (foundation)
47
is mindfulness. The contemplation is knowl-
edge. The body is the establishment (foundation), but it is not the mind-
fulness. Mindfulness is both the establishment (foundation) and the mind-
fiilness. By means of that mindfulness and that knowledge he contem-
plates that body. That is why "development of the foundation (establish-
ment) of mindfulness consisting in contemplation of the body as a body"
(see D.ii,290) is said' (Ps.i,177).
169. (ii) The same method of explanation applies also in the case of short
breaths. But there is this difference. While in the former case 'a long in-
breath reckoned as an extent' is said, here 'a short in-breath reckoned as
a little (duration)' (Ps.i,182) is given. So it must be construed as 'short'
as far as the phrase 'That is why "development of the foundation (estab-
lishment) of mindfulness consisting in contemplation of the body as a
body" is said' (Ps.i,183).
170. So it should be understood that it is when this bhikkhu knows in-
breaths and out-breaths in these nine ways as 'a [long] extent' and as 'a
little [duration]' that 'breathing in long, he knows "I breathe in long";...
breathing out short, he knows "I breathe out short" ' is said of him. And
when he knows thus:
'The long kind and the short as well,
The in-breath and the out-breath too,
Such then are the four kinds that happen
At the bhikkhu's nose tip here'.
171. (iii ) He trains thus: 7 shall breathe in ...I shall breathe out experi-
encing the whole body': he trains thus: * I shall breathe in making known,
making plain, the beginning, middle and end48
of the entire in-breath
body. I shall breathe out making known, making plain, the beginning,
middle and end of the entire out-breath body', thus he trains. Making
them known, making them plain, in this way he both breathes in and
breathes out with consciousness associated with knowledge. That is why
it is said, 'He trains thus: "I shall breathe in ... shall breathe out ..." '.
172. To one bhikkhu the beginning of the in-breath body or the out-
breath body, distributed in particles, [that is to say, regarded as succes-
sive arisings (see note 45)] is plain, but not the middle or the end; he is
only able to discern the beginning and has difficulty with the middle and
the end. To another the middle is plain, not the beginning or the end; he
is only able to discern the middle and has difficulty with the beginning
and the end. To another the end is plain, not the beginning or the middle;
he is only able to discern the end [274] and has difficulty with the begin-
ning and the middle. To yet another all stages are plain; he is able to
discern them all and has no difficulty with any of them. Pointing out
that one should be like the last-mentioned bhikkhu, he said: 'He trains
thus: "I shall breathe in ... shall breathe out experiencing the whole
body" '.
173. Herein, he trains: he strives, he endeavours in this way. Or else the
restraint here in one such as this is training in the higher virtue, his con-
sciousness is training in the higher consciousness, and his understanding
is training in the higher understanding (see Ps.i,184). So he trains in,
repeats, develops, repeatedly practises, these three kinds of training, on
that object, by means of that mindfulness, by means of that attention.
This is how the meaning should be regarded here.
174. Herein, in the first part of the system (nos. i and ii)
49
he should only
breathe in and breathe out and not do anything else at all, and it is only
afterwards that he should apply himself to the arousing of knowledge,
and so on. Consequently the present tense is used here in the text, 'He
knows: "I breathe in" ... he knows: "I breathe out" '. But the future tense
in the passage beginning ' "I shall breathe in experiencing the whole
body" ' should be understood as used in order to show that the aspect of
arousing knowledge, etc., has to be undertaken from then on.
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