"Mindfulness of Breathing" (Ven. Nanamoli)

Ven. Nanamoli, Mindfulness of Breathing; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

How did the historical Buddha explain mindful meditation on breathing?

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PART I:

The Sutra on Mindfulness of Breathing

Ánápánasati Sutra (MN 118)

INTRODUCTION

I can't breathe until I mindfully rise.

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was living at Sávatthì, in the palace of Migára’s mother, in the Eastern Park, together with many very well-known elder disciples: Venerable Sáriputta, Ven. Mahá-Moggallána, Ven. Mahá-Kassapa, Ven. Mahá-Kaccáyana, Ven. Mahá-Koþþhita, Ven. Mahá-Kappina, Ven. Mahá-Cunda, Ven. Anuruddha, Ven. Revata, Ven. Ánanda, and other very well-known elder disciples.

Now at that time the elder wandering ascetics (bhikkhus) were teaching and instructing the new ascetics: some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing ten new ascetics; some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 20 new ascetics; some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 30 new ascetics; some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 40 new ascetics. And these new ascetics, taught and instructed by the elder ascetics, successively achieved high distinction [namely, the various stages of enlightenment].

And at that time, on the assembly day (lunar observance day, uposatha) of the fifteenth, on the night of the Paváraóá ceremony, when the moon was full, the Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Monastic Order. Then, surveying the silent Monastic Order, [the Buddha] addressed the ascetics thus:

 

“I am content, ascetics, with this progress; I am content at heart, ascetics, with this progress. Therefore, strive still more strenuously to attain the unattained, to achieve the unachieved, to realize the unrealized. I shall wait here at Sávatthì for the Komudì moon of the fourth month.”

The ascetics of the countryside heard: “The Blessed One, it seems, will wait there at Sávatthì for the Komudì moon of the fourth month.” And those ascetics of the countryside left for Sávatthì to see the Blessed One. And the elder ascetics were still more strenuously teaching and instructing the new ascetics: some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing ten new ascetics: some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 20 new ascetics; some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 30 new ascetics; some elder ascetics were teaching and instructing 40 new ascetics.

And those new ascetics, taught and instructed by the elder ascetics, successively achieved high distinction.

 

Now, at that time, on the assembly day of the fifteenth, on the night of the Komudì moon of the fourth month when the moon was full, the Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Monastic Order. Then, surveying the silent Monastic Order, he addressed the ascetics thus:

 

“Free from chatter ascetics is this community, free from idle talk, ascetics, is this community; it is purified and consists purely of heartwood. Such, ascetics, is this Monastic Order; such, ascetics, is this community.

“Such a community, ascetics, as is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of homage, as is an incomparable field of merit for the world [which is to say they were fully enlightened arhats] -- such, ascetics, is this Monastic Order; such, ascetics, is this community.

 

“Such a community, ascetics, that a small gift given to it becomes great, and a great gift greater-- such, ascetics, is this Monastic Order; such, ascetics, is this community.

 

“Such a community, ascetics, as it would be hard for the world to see its like -- such, ascetics, is this Monastic Order; such, ascetics, is this community.

 

“Such a community, ascetics, as would be worth traveling many leagues with a knapsack to see -- such, ascetics, is this Monastic Order; such, ascetic, is this community.

 

“There are, ascetic, in this Monastic Order, ascetics who are arhats, in whom the cankers are destroyed, who have lived the life, done what is to be done, laid down the burden, reached the highest good, destroyed the fetters of being, and, through knowing rightly, are liberated -- such ascetics, indeed, are there, ascetics, in this Monastic Order.

 

“There are, ascetics, in this Monastic Order, ascetics who, with the destruction of five lower fetters [of the Ten Samyojanas], will reappear spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes where only non-returners are born) and there attain complete extinction without ever returning here from that world -- such ascetics, indeed, are there, ascetics, in this Monastic Order.

 

“There are, ascetics, in this Monastic Order, ascetics who, with the destruction of three fetters, and the attenuation of greed, hate, and delusion, are once-returners; returning once to this world, they will make an end of suffering -- such ascetics, indeed, are there, ascetics, in this Monastic Order.

 

“There are, ascetics, in this Monastic Order, ascetics who, with the destruction of three fetters, are stream-enterers, and being no more subject to states of woe [by rebirth in subhuman lower planes of existence] (and) assured (of their future), are headed for full enlightenment (arhatship) -- such ascetics, indeed, are there, ascetics, in this Monastic Order.

  

[The 37 Requisites of Enlightenment]

“There are, ascetics, in this Monastic Order, ascetics who dwell devoted to the practice of the [37 Requisites of Enlightenment, namely, the:]

1. Four Foundations of Mindfulness... 
2. Four Right Efforts...
3. Four Roads to Power...
4. Five Faculties...
5. Five Powers...
6. Seven Factors of Enlightenment...
7. Eight Noble Path Factors...

to the practice of [the Four Divine Abidings, namely] amity (metta)... to the practice of compassion... to the practice of altruistic joy... to the practice of equanimity... to the practice of meditation on the foul (asubha bhavana)... to the practice of perception of impermanence... to the practice of mindfulness of breathing.

MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING

“Mindfulness of breathing, ascetics, developed and repeatedly practiced, is of great fruit, of great benefit.

“Mindfulness of breathing, ascetics, developed and repeatedly practiced, perfects the Four Foundations of Mindfulness; the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, developed and repeatedly practiced, perfect the Seven Factors of Enlightenment; the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, developed and repeatedly practiced, perfect clear vision and deliverance [liberation by wisdom].

 

“And how developed, ascetics, how repeatedly practiced, is mindfulness of breathing of great fruit, of great benefit?

THE METHOD: THE FOUR TETRADS

“Here, ascetics, an ascetic, gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty place, sits down; having folded legs crosswise, sets body erect, establishes mindfulness in front, ever mindful breathes in, mindful breathes out.

 

First Tetrad (Contemplation of the Body) More