ānāpānassati: [ānāpāna+sati]
breath awareness, (lit:) mindfulness of in and out breathing.
Ānāpānassati has its own entire saṃyutta (SN 54).
The standard description of the practice of ānāpānassati is given for example in the Mahārāhulovāda Sutta:
“ānāpānassatiṃ,
rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. ānāpānassati hi te, rāhula, bhāvitā
bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā. kathaṃ bhāvitā ca, rāhula,
ānāpānassati, kathaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā ? idha,
rāhula,..
Develop
mindfulness of breathing, Rahula. When mindfulness of breathing is
developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial. And how is
mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated to be very fruitful
and beneficial? It’s when..
A bhikkhu, having gone to the forest
or having gone at the root of a tree
or having gone to an empty room,
nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā
sits down folding the legs crosswise,
ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya
setting kāya upright,
parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā.
and setting sati parimukhaṃ.
So sato·va assasati, sato·va passasati.
Thus sato he breathes in, thus sato he breathes out.
Dīghaṃ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṃ assasāmī’ ti pajānāti.
Breathing in long he understands: ‘I am breathing in long’.
Dīghaṃ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṃ passasāmī’ ti pajānāti.
Breathing out long he understands: ‘I am breathing out long’.
Rassaṃ vā assasanto ‘rassaṃ assasāmī’ ti pajānāti.
Breathing in short he understands: ‘I am breathing in short’.
Rassaṃ vā passasanto ‘rassaṃ passasāmī’ ti pajānāti.
Breathing out short he understands: ‘I am breathing out short’.
‘Sabba·kāya·paṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘feeling the whole kāya, I will breathe in’.
‘Sabba·kāya·paṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘feeling the whole kāya, I will breathe out’.
‘Passambhayaṃ kāya·saṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘calming down the kāya·saṅkhāras, I will breathe in’.
‘Passambhayaṃ kāya·saṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘calming down the kāya·saṅkhāras, I will breathe out’.
‘Pīti·paṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘experiencing pīti, I will breathe in’.
‘Pīti·paṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘experiencing pīti, I will breathe out’.
‘Sukha·paṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘experiencing sukha, I will breathe in’.
‘Sukha·paṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He trains himself: ‘experiencing sukha, I will breathe out’.
Citta-saṅkhāra-paṭisaṃvedī
assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Citta-saṅkhāra-paṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ ti
sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṃ citta-saṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
‘Passambhayaṃ citta-saṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He
trains himself: ‘perceiving the mental formation, I will breathe in’.
He trains himself: ‘perceiving the mental formation, I will breathe
out’. He trains himself: ‘calming down the mental formation, I will
breathe in’. He trains himself: ‘calming down the mental formation, I
will breathe out’.
‘Citta-paṭisaṃvedī
assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Citta-paṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
‘Abhippamodayaṃ cittaṃ assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Abhippamodayaṃ cittaṃ
passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Samādahaṃ cittaṃ assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
‘Samādahaṃ cittaṃ passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Vimocayaṃ cittaṃ
assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Vimocayaṃ cittaṃ passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He
trains himself: ‘perceiving the mind, I will breathe in’. He trains
himself: ‘perceiving the mind, I will breathe out’. He trains himself:
‘gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’. He trains himself: ‘gladdening
the mind, I will breathe out’. He trains himself: ‘concentrating the
mind, I will breathe in’. He trains himself: ‘concentrating the mind, I
will breathe out’. He trains himself: ‘releasing the mind, I will
breathe in’. He trains himself: ‘releasing the mind, I will breathe
out’.
‘Anicc·ānupassī
assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Anicc·ānupassī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
‘Virāg·ānupassī assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Virāg·ānupassī passasissāmī’
ti sikkhati. ‘Nirodh·ānupassī assasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Nirodh·ānupassī
passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati. ‘Paṭinissagg·ānupassī assasissāmī’ ti
sikkhati. ‘Paṭinissagg·ānupassī passasissāmī’ ti sikkhati.
He
trains himself: ‘contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’. He
trains himself: ‘contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out’. He
trains himself: ‘contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’. He
trains himself: ‘contemplating fading away, I will breathe out’. He
trains himself: ‘contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’. He trains
himself: ‘contemplating cessation, I will breathe out’. He trains
himself: ‘contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’. He trains
himself: ‘contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out’.
“evaṃ
bhāvitā kho, rāhula, ānāpānassati, evaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti
mahānisaṃsā. evaṃ bhāvitāya, rāhula, ānāpānassatiyā, evaṃ bahulīkatāya
yepi te carimakā assāsā tepi viditāva nirujjhanti no aviditā”ti.
Mindfulness
of breathing, when developed and cultivated in this way, is very
fruitful and beneficial. When mindfulness of breathing is developed and
cultivated in this way, even when the final breaths in and out cease,
they are known, not unknown.”
This
last statement is worthy of note: ‘When mindfulness of breathing is
developed and cultivated in this way, even when the final breaths
[before death] in and out cease, they are known, not unknown’.
According to the Padīpopama Sutta and the Icchānaṅgala Sutta, the Buddha himself had a predilection for ānāpānassati:
evaṃ
bhāvito kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi evaṃ bahulīkato mahapphalo
hoti mahānisaṃso. ahampi sudaṃ, bhikkhave, pubbeva sambodhā
anabhisambuddho bodhisattova samāno iminā vihārena bahulaṃ viharāmi.
tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, iminā vihārena bahulaṃ viharato neva kāyo
kilamati na cakkhūni; anupādāya ca me āsavehi cittaṃ vimucci.
concentration
based on breath awareness, when developed and cultivated, is very
fruitful and beneficial. Before my awakening, when I was still
unawakened but an awakened-to-be, I too usually practiced this kind of
meditation. And while I was usually practicing this kind of meditation
neither my body nor my eyes became fatigued. And my mind was freed from
defilements by not grasping.
ekaṃ
samayaṃ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe. tatra kho
bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi — “icchāmahaṃ, bhikkhave, temāsaṃ
paṭisallīyituṃ. nāmhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena
piṇḍapātanīhārakenā”ti. “evaṃ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato
paṭissutvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṃ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena
piṇḍapātanīhārakena.
At
one time the Buddha was staying in a forest near Icchānaṅgala. There he
addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, I wish to go on retreat for three
months. No-one should approach me, except for the one who brings my
alms-food.” “Yes, sir,” replied those bhikkhus. And no-one approached
him, except for the one who brought the alms-food.
atha
kho bhagavā tassa temāsassa accayena paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bhikkhū
āmantesi — “sace kho, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṃ
puccheyyuṃ — ‘katamenāvuso, vihārena samaṇo gotamo vassāvāsaṃ bahulaṃ
vihāsī’ti, evaṃ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṃ aññatitthiyānaṃ
paribbājakānaṃ evaṃ byākareyyātha — ‘ānāpānassatisamādhinā kho, āvuso,
bhagavā vassāvāsaṃ bahulaṃ vihāsī’ti.
Then
after three months had passed, the Buddha came out of retreat and
addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, if wanderers who follow another path
were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what was the ascetic Gotama’s usual
meditation during the rainy season residence?’ You should answer them
like this. ‘Reverends, the ascetic Gotama’s usual meditation during the
rainy season residence was concentration based on breath awareness.’
The Buddha has high praise for a bhikkhu who practices ānāpānassati:
“accharāsaṅghātamattampi
ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ānāpānassatiṃ bhāveti bhāveti, ayaṃ vuccati,
bhikkhave — ‘bhikkhu arittajjhāno viharati, satthusāsanakaro
ovādapatikaro, amoghaṃ raṭṭhapiṇḍaṃ bhuñjati’. ko pana vādo ye naṃ
bahulīkarontī”ti!
“If,
bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops breath awareness, even as long as a finger
snap, they are called a bhikkhu who does not lack concentration, who
follows the Teacher’s instructions, who responds to advice, and who does
not eat the country’s alms in vain. How much more so those who practice
it abundantly!”
As stated in the Mahākappina Sutta, ānāpānassati produces stability of the body and the mind:
tena
kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākappino bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti
pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā.
addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ mahākappinaṃ avidūre nisinnaṃ pallaṅkaṃ
ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā. disvāna
bhikkhū āmantesi:
Now,
at that time Venerable Mahākappina was sitting not far from the Buddha
crosslegged, with his body straight, and mindfulness established between
the mouth and the nostrils. The Buddha saw him crosslegged, with his
body straight, and mindfulness established between the mouth and the
nostrils, and addressed the bhikkhus:
“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etassa bhikkhuno kāyassa iñjitattaṃ vā phanditattaṃ vā”ti?
“Bhikkhus, do you see any motion or trembling in that bhikkhu’s body?”
“yadāpi
mayaṃ, bhante, taṃ āyasmantaṃ passāma saṅghamajjhe vā nisinnaṃ ekaṃ vā
raho nisinnaṃ, tadāpi mayaṃ tassa āyasmato na passāma kāyassa iñjitattaṃ
vā phanditattaṃ vā”ti.
“Sir,
whenever we see that bhikkhu meditating—whether in the middle of the
Community or alone in private—we never see any motion or trembling in
his body.”
“ānāpānassatisamādhissa,
bhikkhave, bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā neva kāyassa iñjitattaṃ vā hoti
phanditattaṃ vā, na cittassa iñjitattaṃ vā hoti phanditattaṃ vā.
Bhikkhus,
when concentration through breath awareness has been developed and
cultivated, there’s no motion or trembling of the body, and there’s no
motion or trembling of the mind. trouble or difficulty.
The practice of ānāpānassati is recommended as a remede for mental upset:
cetaso vikkhepassa pahānāya ānāpānassati bhāvetabbā
to abandon mental upset, breath awareness should be practiced
It
is also recommended to ‘cut off’ thoughts (vitakk·upacchedāya) and
remove distressing external thought-patterns (bāhirā vitakkāsayā
vighāta·pakkhikā)
ānāpānassati bhāvetabbā vitakkupacchedāya
breath awareness should be practiced to cut off thoughts
ānāpānassatiyā ajjhattaṃ parimukhaṃ sūpaṭṭhititāya ye bāhirā vitakkāsayā vighātapakkhikā, te na honti
When
breath awareness is well establish internally between the mouth and the
nostrils, there are no distressing external thoughts
The Ānāpānassati Sutta explains how the practice of ānāpānassati fulfills the practice of the four satipaṭṭhānas:
“kathaṃ
bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati kathaṃ bahulīkatā cattāro
satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti? yasmiṃ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dīghaṃ vā
assasanto ‘dīghaṃ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṃ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṃ
passasāmī’ti pajānāti; rassaṃ vā assasanto ‘rassaṃ assasāmī’ti pajānāti,
rassaṃ vā passasanto ‘rassaṃ passasāmī’ti pajānāti;
‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī
passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī’ti
sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; kāye
kāyānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno
satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. kāyesu kāyaññatarāhaṃ,
bhikkhave, evaṃ vadāmi yadidaṃ — assāsapassāsā. tasmātiha, bhikkhave,
kāye kāyānupassī tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
And
how is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so as to
fulfill the four kinds of mindfulness meditation? Whenever a bhikkhu
knows that they breathe heavily, or lightly, or experiencing the whole
body, or stilling the body’s motion— at that time they’re meditating by
observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire
and aversion for the world. For I say that the inbreaths and out-breaths
are an aspect of the body. That’s why at that time a bhikkhu is
meditating by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful,
rid of desire and aversion for the world.
“yasmiṃ
samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘pītipaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,
‘pītipaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘sukhapaṭisaṃvedī
assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sukhapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;
‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,
‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṃ
cittasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṃ cittasaṅkhāraṃ
passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; vedanāsu vedanānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ
samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke
abhijjhādomanassaṃ. vedanāsu vedanāññatarāhaṃ, bhikkhave, evaṃ vadāmi
yadidaṃ — assāsapassāsānaṃ sādhukaṃ manasikāraṃ. tasmātiha, bhikkhave,
vedanāsu vedanānupassī tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno
satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
Whenever
a bhikkhu practices breathing while experiencing rapture, or
experiencing bliss, or experiencing these emotions, or stilling these
emotions— at that time they meditate observing an aspect of
feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the
world. For I say that close attention to the in-breaths and out-breaths
is an aspect of feelings. That’s why at that time a bhikkhu is
meditating by observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful,
rid of desire and aversion for the world.
“yasmiṃ
samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘cittapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,
‘cittapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘abhippamodayaṃ cittaṃ
assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘abhippamodayaṃ cittaṃ passasissāmī’ti
sikkhati; ‘samādahaṃ cittaṃ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘samādahaṃ cittaṃ
passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘vimocayaṃ cittaṃ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,
‘vimocayaṃ cittaṃ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; citte cittānupassī,
bhikkhave, tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya
loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. nāhaṃ, bhikkhave, muṭṭhassatissa asampajānassa
ānāpānassatiṃ vadāmi. tasmātiha, bhikkhave, citte cittānupassī tasmiṃ
samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke
abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
Whenever
a bhikkhu practices breathing while experiencing the mind, or
gladdening the mind, or immersing the mind in samādhi, or freeing the
mind— at that time they meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen,
aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. There is
no development of mindfulness of breathing for someone who is unmindful
and lacks awareness, I say. That’s why at that time a bhikkhu is
meditating by observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful,
rid of desire and aversion for the world.
“yasmiṃ
samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘aniccānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,
‘aniccānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘virāgānupassī assasissāmī’ti
sikkhati, ‘virāgānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘nirodhānupassī
assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘nirodhānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;
‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī
passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; dhammesu dhammānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ
samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke
abhijjhādomanassaṃ. so yaṃ taṃ abhijjhādomanassānaṃ pahānaṃ taṃ paññāya
disvā sādhukaṃ ajjhupekkhitā hoti. tasmātiha, bhikkhave, dhammesu
dhammānupassī tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
Whenever
a bhikkhu practices breathing while observing impermanence, or
observing fading away, or observing cessation, or observing letting go—
at that time they meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen,
aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. Having
seen with wisdom the giving up of desire and aversion, they watch over
closely with equanimity. That’s why at that time a bhikkhu is meditating
by observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of
desire and aversion for the world.
“evaṃ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati evaṃ bahulīkatā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti.
That’s how mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, fulfills the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.
“evaṃ
bhāvite kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhimhi evaṃ bahulīkate, sukhaṃ
ce vedanaṃ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti, ‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti,
‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti; dukkhaṃ ce vedanaṃ vedayati, ‘sā aniccā’ti
pajānāti, ‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti, ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti;
adukkhamasukhaṃ ce vedanaṃ vedayati, ‘sā aniccā’ti pajānāti,
‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti, ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti”.
When
mindfulness of breathing has been developed and cultivated in this way,
if they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent,
that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t delight in it. If
they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that
they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t delight in it. If they
feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that
they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t delight in it.
“sukhaṃ
ce vedanaṃ vedayati, visaṃyutto naṃ vedayati; dukkhaṃ ce vedanaṃ
vedayati, visaṃyutto naṃ vedayati; adukkhamasukhaṃ ce vedanaṃ vedayati,
visaṃyutto naṃ vedayati.
If
they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a
painful feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a neutral feeling,
they feel it detached.
“seyyathāpi,
bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca, vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya,
tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya; evameva
kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayamāno
‘kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti, jīvitapariyantikaṃ
vedanaṃ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti,
‘kāyassa bhedā uddhaṃ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni
anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.
Suppose
an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. As the oil and the wick
are used up, it would be extinguished due to lack of fuel. In the same
way, feeling the end of the body approaching, they understand: ‘I feel
the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching,
they understand: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’ They understand:
‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything
that’s felt, since I no longer delight in it, will become cool right
here.’”
Practicing
ānāpānassati can also lead to either (an arahant’s) knowledge, or
anāgāmitā (diṭṭheva dhamme aññā, sati vā upādisese anāgāmitā”ti, SN
54.4), or alternatively, at SN 54.5, to final knowledge (paṭikacca
aññaṃ) at the time of death (maraṇakāle), or to becoming an attainer of
Nibbāna in the interval [between lives] (antarāparinibbāyī), or to
becoming an attainer of Nibbāna upon landing [in a new existence]
(upahaccaparinibbāyī), or to becoming an attainer of Nibbāna without
exertion (asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī), or to becoming an attainer of Nibbāna
with exertion (sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī), or to be bound upstream, heading
towards the Akaniṭṭha realm (uddhaṃsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī).
Practicing
ānāpānassati is also said to lead to fully attaining virāga, nirodha,
upasama, abhiññā, sambodhi and nibbāna (ekantanibbidāya virāgāya
nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattati, AN
1.297).
Concentration based on breath awareness (ānāpānassati·samādhi) is
called at SN 54.12 “the dwelling of a noble one” (ariya·vihāro), “the
dwelling of (a) Brahmā” (brahma·vihāro), “the dwelling of the Tathāgata”
(tathāgata·vihāro).
“seyyathāpi,
bhikkhave, gimhānaṃ pacchime māse ūhataṃ rajojallaṃ, tamenaṃ
mahāakālamegho ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti; evameva kho, bhikkhave,
ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako
ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso
antaradhāpeti vūpasameti.
Just
as, bhikkhus, in the last month of summer, when the dust and dirt is
stirred up, a large sudden storm disperses and settles it on the spot,
in the same way, when this concentration based on breath awareness is
developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously
pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities
on the spot whenever they arise.
For trainees (sekha), it leads to the destruction of āsavas. For arahant s, it procures a pleasant abiding, and sati·sampajañña.
“ye
te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṃ yogakkhemaṃ
patthayamānā viharanti, tesaṃ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato
āsavānaṃ khayāya saṃvattati.
For
those bhikkhus who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s
desire, but live aspiring for the supreme sanctuary—the development and
cultivation of concentration due to mindfulness of breathing leads to
the ending of defilements.
“ye
ca kho te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto
katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṃyojanā
sammadaññā vimuttā, tesaṃ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato
diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārāya ceva saṃvattati satisampajaññāya ca.
For
those bhikkhus who are perfected—who have ended the defilements,
completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the
burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth,
and are rightly freed through enlightenment—the development and
cultivation of concentration based on breath awareness leads to blissful
abiding in the present life, and to mindfulness and thorough
understanding.
Practicing
ānāpānassati·samādhi leads to giving up the fetters (saṃyojanappahānāya
saṃvattati, SN 54.17), uprooting the underlying tendencies
(anusayasamugghātāya, 54.18), full understanding of the course
(addhānapariññāya, 54.19), and the ending of defilements (āsavānaṃ
khayāya, 54.20).
“pañcahi,
bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu ānāpānassatiṃ āsevanto
nacirasseva akuppaṃ paṭivijjhati. katamehi pañcahi? idha, bhikkhave,
bhikkhu appaṭṭho hoti appakicco subharo susantoso jīvitaparikkhāresu;
appāhāro hoti anodarikattaṃ anuyutto; appamiddho hoti jāgariyaṃ
anuyutto; bahussuto hoti sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā
ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṃ sabyañjanaṃ
kevalaparipuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ brahmacariyaṃ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa
dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā
suppaṭividdhā; yathāvimuttaṃ cittaṃ paccavekkhati.
“Mendicants,
a bhikkhu cultivating mindfulness of breathing who has five things will
soon penetrate the unshakable. What five? It’s when a bhikkhu has few
requirements and duties, and is easily looked after and contented with
life’s necessities. They eat little, not devoted to filling their
stomach. They are rarely drowsy, and are dedicated to wakefulness.
They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned.
These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good
in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice
that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings,
remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing
them, and comprehending them theoretically. They review the extent of
their mind’s freedom.
appamiddho
hoti jāgariyaṃ anuyutto; yāyaṃ kathā ābhisallekhikā
cetovivaraṇasappāyā, seyyathidaṃ — appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā
pavivekakathā asaṃsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā
paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, evarūpiyā kathāya
nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī; yathāvimuttaṃ cittaṃ
paccavekkhati.
They
get to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the
heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk
about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, keeping your distance,
arousing energy, ethics, concentration, wisdom, freedom, and the
knowledge and vision of freedom. They review the extent of their mind’s
freedom.
āraññako hoti pantasenāsano; yathāvimuttaṃ cittaṃ paccavekkhati.
They live in the wilderness, in remote lodgings. They review the extent of their mind’s freedom.