Ānāpānassatisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 118

Mindfulness of Breathing · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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the four right efforts … the four bases of psychic power … the five faculties … the five powers … the seven awakening factors … the noble eightfold path. There are such mendicants in this Saṅgha. In this Saṅgha there are mendicants who are committed to developing the meditation on love … compassion … rejoicing … equanimity … ugliness … impermanence. There are such mendicants in this Saṅgha. In this Saṅgha there are mendicants who are committed to developing the meditation on mindfulness of breathing.

mindfulness of breathingĀnāpānassati, monksbhikkhave, developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti very beneficialmahānisaṁsā.
mindfulness of breathingĀnāpānassati, monksbhikkhave, developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā the fourcattāro kinds of mindfulness meditationsatipaṭṭhāne fulfillsparipūreti.
the fourCattāro kinds of mindfulness meditationsatipaṭṭhānā developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā the sevensatta awakening factorsbojjhaṅge fulfillparipūrenti.
the sevenSatta awakening factorsbojjhaṅgā developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā knowledge and freedomvijjāvimuttiṁ fulfillparipūrenti.

Mendicants, when mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it is very fruitful and beneficial. Mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, fulfills the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. The four kinds of mindfulness meditation, when developed and cultivated, fulfill the seven awakening factors. And the seven awakening factors, when developed and cultivated, fulfill knowledge and freedom.

howKathaṁ developedbhāvitā andca, monksbhikkhave, mindfulness of breathingānāpānassati howkathaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti very beneficial?mahānisaṁsā?

And how is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated to be very fruitful and beneficial?

hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu gone to the wildernessaraññagato orvā gone to the root of a treerukkhamūlagato orvā gone to an empty hutsuññāgāragato orvā sits downnisīdati cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ having foldedābhujitvā straightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ having setpaṇidhāya to the foreparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ having establishedupaṭṭhapetvā.
heSo just mindfulsatova breathes inassasati just mindfulsatova breathes outpassasati.

It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and brings mindfulness to the present. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out.

heavilyDīghaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ “I breathe in” (quote)assasāmī’ti knowspajānāti, heavilydīghaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ “I breathe out” (quote)passasāmī’ti knowspajānāti;
lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ “I breathe in” (quote)assasāmī’ti knowspajānāti, lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ “I breathe out” (quote)passasāmī’ti knowspajānāti;
experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati.

Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ Breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’

experiencing rapture‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing rapture‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
experiencing bliss‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing bliss‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
experiencing the mental process‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing the mental process‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
stilling‘passambhayaṁ the mental processcittasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, stilling‘passambhayaṁ the mental processcittasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati.

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the mental process.’

experiencing the mind‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing the mind‘cittapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
gladdening‘abhippamodayaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, gladdening‘abhippamodayaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
immersing in samādhi‘samādahaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, immersing in samādhi‘samādahaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
freeing‘vimocayaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, freeing‘vimocayaṁ the mindcittaṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati.

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out freeing the mind.’

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’

in this wayEvaṁ developedbhāvitā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, mindfulness of breathingānāpānassati in this wayevaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti very beneficialmahānisaṁsā.

Mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated in this way, is very fruitful and beneficial.

howKathaṁ developedbhāvitā andca, monksbhikkhave, mindfulness of breathingānāpānassati howkathaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā the fourcattāro kinds of mindfulness meditationsatipaṭṭhāne fulfills?paripūreti?

And how is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so as to fulfill the four kinds of mindfulness meditation?

at whateverYasmiṁ timesamaye, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu heavilydīghaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ “I breathe in” (quote)assasāmī’ti knowspajānāti, heavilydīghaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ “I breathe out” (quote)passasāmī’ti knowspajānāti;
lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ “I breathe in” (quote)assasāmī’ti knowspajānāti, lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ “I breathe out” (quote)passasāmī’ti knowspajānāti;
experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
in the bodykāye observing the bodykāyānupassī, monksbhikkhave, at thattasmiṁ timesamaye a monkbhikkhu meditatesviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ.
among bodiesKāyesu a certain body, Ikāyaññatarāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, thusevaṁ sayvadāmi namely—the in-breaths and out-breathsyadidaṁ—assāsapassāsā.
thereforeTasmātiha, monksbhikkhave, in the bodykāye observing the bodykāyānupassī at thattasmiṁ timesamaye a monkbhikkhu meditatesviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Whenever a mendicant knows that they breathe heavily, or lightly, or experiencing the whole body, or stilling the physical process— at that time they’re meditating by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. For I say that the in-breaths and out-breaths are an aspect of the body. That’s why at that time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

at whateverYasmiṁ timesamaye, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu experiencing rapture‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing rapture‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
experiencing bliss‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing bliss‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
experiencing the mental process‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, experiencing the mental process‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
stilling‘passambhayaṁ the mental processcittasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe in” (quote)assasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati, stilling‘passambhayaṁ the mental processcittasaṅkhāraṁ “I will breathe out” (quote)passasissāmī’ti trainssikkhati;
among feelingsvedanāsu observing feelingsvedanānupassī, monksbhikkhave, at thattasmiṁ timesamaye a monkbhikkhu meditatesviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ.
among feelingsVedanāsu a certain feeling, Ivedanāññatarāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, thusevaṁ sayvadāmi namely—to the in-breaths and out-breathsyadidaṁ—assāsapassāsānaṁ carefulsādhukaṁ attentionmanasikāraṁ.
thereforeTasmātiha, monksbhikkhave, among feelingsvedanāsu observing feelingsvedanānupassī at thattasmiṁ timesamaye a monkbhikkhu meditatesviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Whenever a mendicant practices breathing while experiencing rapture, or experiencing bliss, or experiencing the mental process, or stilling the mental process— at that time they meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. For I say that careful application of mind to the in-breaths and out-breaths is an aspect of feelings. That’s why at that time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

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