Majjhima Nikaya - Anapanasati Sutta

MN 118
Anapanasati Sutta
Mindfulness of Breathing
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M iii 78



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 2006 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
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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 Kaccana, 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 the new monks 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, laid to waste 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 wasting away of the
five lower fetters, are due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be
totally unbound, destined 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 wasting away of [the
first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion,
are once-returners, who — on returning only once more 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 wasting away 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 for 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 for awakening to
their culmination. The seven factors for 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 be of
great fruit, of great benefit?
"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.1 Always mindful, he
breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out
long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he
discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am
breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the
entire body.'2 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire
body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'3
He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the bodily fabrication.'
"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to
mental fabrication.'4 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental
fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental
fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental
fabrication.'
"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the
mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will
breathe out releasing the mind.'5
"[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14] He trains himself,
'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion [literally, fading].' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in focusing on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
focusing on cessation.' [16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on
relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on
relinquishment.'
"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to
be of great fruit, of great benefit.
The Four Frames of Reference
"And how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to bring
the four frames of reference to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns, 'I am breathing in
long'; or breathing out long, discerns, 'I am breathing out long'; or breathing
in short, discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, discerns,
'I am breathing out short'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&... out
sensitive to the entire body'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out
calming bodily fabrication': On that occasion the monk remains focused on the
body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside 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, 'I will breathe in...&...out
sensitive to rapture'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out sensitive to
pleasure'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out sensitive to mental
fabrication'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out calming mental
fabrication': On that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in & of
themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this — careful attention to
in-&-out breaths — is classed as a feeling among feelings,6 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, 'I will breathe in...&...out
sensitive to the mind'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out satisfying
the mind'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out steadying the mind';
trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out releasing the mind': On that
occasion the monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. I don't
say that there is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in one of lapsed 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, 'I will breathe in...&...out
focusing on inconstancy'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out focusing
on dispassion'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out focusing on
cessation'; trains himself, 'I will breathe in...&...out focusing on
relinquishment': On that occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities
in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress
with reference to the world. He who sees with discernment the abandoning of
greed & distress is one who watches carefully 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 for Awakening
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the
seven factors for 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 for
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 for 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, persistence is aroused unflaggingly. When persistence is
aroused unflaggingly in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension
of that quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for 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 for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him
it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm.
When the body & mind of an monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then serenity as
a factor for 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 for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it,
and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he
carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a
factor for 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 for awakening to their culmination.
Clear Knowing & Release
"And how are the seven factors for 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 for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent
on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops
analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening... persistence as a factor for
awakening... rapture as a factor for awakening... serenity as a factor for
awakening... concentration as a factor for awakening... equanimity as a factor
for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on
cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors for awakening are developed & pursued so as to
bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.



Notes
1. To the fore (parimukham): The Abhidhamma takes an etymological approach to
this term, defining it as around (pari-) the mouth (mukham). In the Vinaya,
however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4) where it undoubtedly means the
front of the chest. There is also the possibility that the term could be used
idiomatically as "to the front," which is how I have translated it here.
2. The commentaries insist that "body" here means the breath, but this is
unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation —
refers to the breath as "bodily fabrication." If the Buddha were using two
different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have
been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when
explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the
practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The
step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many
similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN
119).
3. "In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That's
why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications." — MN 44.
4. "Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind.
That's why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications." — MN 44.
5. AN 9.34 shows how the mind, step by step, is temporarily released from
burdensome mental states of greater and greater refinement as it advances
through the stages of jhana.
6. As this shows, a meditator focusing on feelings in themselves as a frame of
reference should not abandon the breath as the basis for his/her concentration.
See also: SN 54.8.