Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta II

Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta II

SN 54.13
Ananda Sutta
To Ananda
(On Mindfulness of Breathing)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 328
CDB ii 1780



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 1995 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1995
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. 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 reference1 to completion. The four frames of reference, when developed
& pursued, bring the seven factors for Awakening to completion. The seven
factors for 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,2 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 — putting aside
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 — putting aside 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 — putting
aside 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 — putting aside 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 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, 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 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 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
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 oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he oversees
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...
dispassion... 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... dispassion... cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors for 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.



Notes
1. Or: "foundations of mindfulness."
2. Lit., "fading."