Ānāpānasati Sutta -Majjhmima Nikaya No 118
When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it is of great fruit and great benefit. When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it completes the four focuses of mindfulness. When the four focuses of mindfulness are developed and cultivated, they complete the seven enlightenment factors. When the seven enlightenment factors are developed and cultivated, they complete true knowledge and deliverance (Awakening).
Mindfulness of Breathing Completes the Four Focuses of Mindfulness
And how does mindfulness of breathing, developed and cultivated,complete the four focuses of mindfulness?
The Four Focuses of Mindfulness lead in one direction only, to the purification of beings, to going beyond sadness and crying, to the disappearance of physical and mental suffering, for the attainment of the true way, for the realisation of Nibbāna. What are the four?
- Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of the body, energised, knowing the purpose of what you are doing, and mindful.
- Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of experience (vedanā), energised, knowing the purpose of what you are doing, and mindful.
- Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of the mind (citta),
energised, knowing the purpose of what you are doing, and mindful.
- Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of mind-objects, energised, knowing the purpose of what you are doing, and mindful.
(1) When the in-breath and out breath are long and you are aware that they are long;
When the in-breath and out breath are short and you are aware that they are short;
When you learn to experience the whole of the breath as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to calm the breath (passambhayam kāya sankhāram) as you breathe in and out;
-on those occasions you are mindful of the body, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful. In and out breathing is regarded by the Buddha as a body in the category “bodies”. That is why on the occasion a meditator abides mindful of the body, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful.
(Experiencing the whole body – sabba kāya patisamvedī – thus refers to experiencing the whole breath)
(2) When you learn to experience joy(pīti) as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to experience pleasure(sukha) as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to experience the mental formation (of pīti-sukha) as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to calm (passambhayam citta sankhāram) this mental formation (of pīti-sukha) as you breathe in and out; -on those occasions you are mindful of experience, having restrained the five hindrances, energised,fully aware of the purpose, and mindful. For being mindful of the pleasure associated with this stage of breath meditation is being mindful of experience(vedanā).That is why on that occasion a meditator abides mindful of experience, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful,
(3) When you learn to experience the citta (nimitta) as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to brighten the nimitta (bring joy to the citta) as you breathe in and out;
When you learn to settle the nimitta (still the citta) as you breathe in and out;When you learn to enter jhāna (liberate the citta) as you breathe in and out;-on those occasions you are mindful of the citta, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful. I do not say that there is the development of mindfulness of breathing for one who is dull, who is not FULLY aware (reaching a jhāna with the hindrances gone). That is why onthat occasion a meditator abides mindful of the mind (citta), having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful.
(4) When you learn to explore impermanence in breath meditation;When you learn to explore things fading away in breath meditation;When you learn to explore things ceasing in breath meditation;When you learn to explore relinquishing things in breath meditation;-on these occasions you are mindful of mind-objects (the Dhamma), having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, andmindful. Having seen with wisdom the impermanence, fading away, cessation and relinquishment, of the five hindrances, you are mindful with equanimity.That is why on that occasion you are mindful of mind-objects, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful. That ishow mindfulness of breathing, developed and cultivated, completes the four focuses of mindfulness.
Four Focuses of Mindfulness Complete the Seven Enlightenment Factors
How do the four focuses of mindfulness, developed and cultivated, complete the seven enlightenment factors?
(1) When you are mindful of the body, having restrained the five hindrances, energised, fully aware of the purpose, and mindful-on that occasion steady mindfulness is established in you. On whatever occasion steady mindfulness is established in you-on that occasion the mindfulness enlightenment factor is aroused in you. You develop it and, by development, it comes to fulfilment in you.
(2) When you are thus mindful, you explore Dhamma with wisdom. On whatever occasion, abiding thus mindful, you explore Dhamma with wisdom-on that occasion the exploration-of-Dhamma enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
(3) When you explore Dhamma with wisdom, and embark upon a full inquiry into it, unflagging energy is aroused. On whatever occasion unflagging energy is aroused as you explore Dhamma with wisdom-on that occasion the energy enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
(4) When you have aroused energy, spiritual joy(pīti) arises. On whatever occasion spiritual joy arises-on that occasion the joy enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
(5) When you experience spiritual joy, your body and mind become tranquil. On whatever occasion the body and the mind become tranquil and you experience joy-on that occasion the tranquillity enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
(6) When your body is tranquil and you feel pleasure in the mind, the mind becomes still. On whatever occasion the mind becomes still and joyful-on that occasion the stillness enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
(7) You observe such a still mind with equanimity. On whatever occasion you observe with equanimity the still mind-on that occasion the equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in you, and you develop it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in you.
That is how the four focuses of mindfulness, developed and cultivated, complete the seven enlightenment factors.
Here,you develop the mindfulness enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion (physical and mental), fading away and cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.
You develop the exploration-of-Dhamma enlightenment factor…
the energy enlightenment factor …
the joy enlightenment factor …
the tranquillity enlightenment factor …
the stillness enlightenment factor …
the equanimity enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.
That is how the seven enlightenment factors, developed and cultivated, complete true knowledge and deliverance (full Awakening).
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