Mindfulness of Breathing
At Sāvatthī, the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: “Venerable sir, is there one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills four things? And four things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill seven things? And seven things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill two things?”
“There is, Ānanda, one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills four things; and four things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill seven things; and seven things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill two things.”
“But, venerable sir, what is the one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills four things; and the four things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill seven things; and the seven things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill two things?”
“Concentration by mindfulness of breathing, Ānanda, is the one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness. The four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment. The seven factors of enlightenment, when developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and liberation.
[i. Fulfilling the four establishments of mindfulness]
“How, Ānanda, is concentration by mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down.54 Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body, and set up mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
Body
“Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’
Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out short.’
He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily formation, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily formation, I will breathe out.’
Feelings
“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mental formation, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mental formation, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental formation, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental formation, I will breathe out.’55
Mind
“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe out.’56
Phenomena
“He trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe out.’
He trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’;
he trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’57
“Whenever, Ānanda, a monk, when breathing in long, knows: ‘I breathe in long’ … [as above] … when he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily formation, I will breathe out’—on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. For what reason? I call this a certain kind of body, Ānanda, that is, breathing in and breathing out. Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world.
Whenever, Ānanda, a monk trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’ … when he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental formation, I will breathe out’—on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. For what reason? I call this a certain kind of feeling, Ānanda, that is, close attention to breathing in and breathing out.58 Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world.
Whenever, Ānanda, a monk trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’ … when he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe out’—on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. For what reason? I say, Ānanda, that there is no development of concentration by mindfulness of breathing for one who is muddled and who lacks clear comprehension. Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world.
Whenever, Ānanda, a monk trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’ … when he trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out’—on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. Having seen with wisdom what is the abandoning of longing and dejection, he is one who looks on closely with equanimity.59 Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the monk dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world.
It is, Ānanda, when concentration by mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated in this way that it fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness.
[ii. Fulfilling the seven factors of enlightenment]
“And how, Ānanda, are the four establishments of mindfulness developed and cultivated so that they fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment?
Whenever, Ānanda, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, on that occasion unmuddled mindfulness is established in that monk. Whenever, Ānanda, unmuddled mindfulness has been established in a monk, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.60
“Dwelling thus mindfully, he discriminates that phenomenon with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it. Whenever, Ānanda, a monk dwelling thus mindfully discriminates that phenomenon with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of discrimination of phenomena61 is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of discrimination of phenomena; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of discrimination of phenomena goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“While he discriminates that phenomenon with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it, his energy is aroused without slackening. Whenever, Ānanda, a monk’s energy is aroused without slackening as he discriminates that phenomenon with wisdom, examines it, makes an investigation of it, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of energy is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of energy; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of energy goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“When his energy is aroused, there arises in him spiritual rapture. Whenever, Ānanda, spiritual rapture arises in a monk whose energy is aroused, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of rapture is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of rapture; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of rapture goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“For one whose mind is uplifted by rapture the body becomes tranquil and the mind becomes tranquil. Whenever, Ānanda, the body becomes tranquil and the mind becomes tranquil in a monk whose mind is uplifted by rapture, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of tranquillity is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of tranquillity; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of tranquillity goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“For one whose body is tranquil and who is happy the mind becomes concentrated. Whenever, Ānanda, the mind becomes concentrated in a monk whose body is tranquil and who is happy, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of concentration is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of concentration; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of concentration goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“He becomes one who closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated. Whenever, Ānanda, a monk becomes one who closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of equanimity is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of equanimity goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
“Whenever, Ānanda, a monk dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, on that occasion unmuddled mindfulness is established in that monk. Whenever, Ānanda, unmuddled mindfulness has been established in a monk, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
[All should be elaborated as in the case of the first establishment of mindfulness.]
“He becomes one who closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated. Whenever, Ānanda, a monk becomes one who closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of equanimity is aroused by the monk; on that occasion the monk develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity; on that occasion the enlightenment factor of equanimity goes to fulfillment by development in the monk.
It is, Ānanda, when the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated in this way that they fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment.
[iii. Fulfilling true knowledge and liberation]
How, Ānanda, are the seven factors of enlightenment developed and cultivated so that they fulfill true knowledge and liberation?
“Here, Ānanda, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.
He develops the enlightenment factor of discrimination of phenomena …
the enlightenment factor of energy …
the enlightenment factor of rapture …
the enlightenment factor of tranquillity …
the enlightenment factor of concentration …
the enlightenment factor of equanimity, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.
“It is, Ānanda, when the seven factors of enlightenment are developed and cultivated in this way that they fulfill true knowledge and liberation.” (SN 54:13; V 328–33 ≠ MN 118.15–43; III 82–88)