Vimuttimagga: Mindfulness of Respiration

by Ven. Upatissa

Q. What is mindfulness of respiration? What is the practising of it? What are its salient characteristic, function and near cause? What are its benefits? What is the procedure?

A. Inhalation is the incoming breath. Exhalation is the outgoing breath. The perceiving of the incoming breath and the outgoing breath — this is being mindful, mindfulness and right mindfulness. The undisturbed dwelling of the mind (in this mindfulness) is the practising of it. To cause the arising of perception as regards respiration is its salient characteristic. Attending to contact is its function. Removal of discursive thoughts is its near cause.

Benefits

"What are its benefits?" If a man practises mindfulness of respiration, he attains to the peaceful, the exquisite, the lovely, and the blissful life. He causes evil and demeritorious states to disappear and to perish as soon as they arise. He is not negligent as regards his body or his organ of sight. His body and mind do not waver or tremble. He fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness, the seven enlightenment factors and freedom. This has been praised by the Blessed One. This is the abode of the Noble Ones, of Brahma and of the Tathagata.

Procedure

"What is the procedure?" The new yogin having gone to a forest, to the foot of a tree or to a wide open space, sits down, with legs crossed under him, with the body held erect, with mindfulness established in front. He is mindful in respiration. Mindful of the outgoing breath, that yogin knows, when he breathes out a long breath: "I breathe out a long breath;" when he breathes in a long breath, he knows: "I breathe in a long breath;" when he breathes in a short breath, he knows: "I breathe in a short breath;" when he breathes out a short breath, he knows: "I breathe out a short breath." Thus he knows. "I am breathing in, in such and such a way," thus he trains himself. "I am breathing out, in such and such a way," thus he trains himself. (Experiencing the whole body; calming the bodily formations), experiencing joy, experiencing bliss, experiencing the mental formations, calming the mental formations, (experiencing the mind), gladdening the mind, concentrating the mind, freeing the mind, discerning impermanence, discerning dispassion, discerning cessation, discerning renunciation, thus he trains himself. "Discerning renunciation, I breathe out in such and such a way," thus he trains himself; "discerning renunciation, I breathe in, in such and such a way," thus he trains himself.

Here, he trains himself in "breathing in" means: "mindfulness is fixed at the nose-tip or on the lip." These are the places connected with breathing in and breathing out. That yogin attends to the incoming breath here. He considers the contact of the incoming and the outgoing breath, through mindfulness that is fixed at the nose-tip or on the lip. Mindfully, he breathes in; mindfully, he breathes out. He does not consider (the breath) when it has gone in and also when it has gone out. He considers the contact of the incoming breath and the outgoing breath, at the nose-tip or on the lip, with mindfulness. He breathes in and breathes out with mindfulness. It is as if a man were sawing wood. That man does not attend to the going back and forth of the saw. In the same way the yogin does not attend to the perception of the incoming and the outgoing breath in mindfulness of respiration. He is aware of the contact at the nose-tip or on the lip, and he breathes in and out, with mindfulness. If, when the breath comes in or goes out, the yogin considers the inner or the outer, his mind will be distracted. If his mind is distracted, his body and mind will waver and tremble. These are the disadvantages. He should not purposely breathe very long or very short breaths. If he purposely breathes very long or very short breaths, his mind will be distracted and his body and mind will waver and tremble. These are the disadvantages.

He should not attach himself to diverse perceptions connected with breath­ing in and breathing out. If he does so, his other mental factors will be disturb­ed. If his mind is disturbed, his body and mind will waver and tremble. Thus countless impediments arise because the points of contact of the incoming breath and the outgoing breath are countless. He should be mindful and should not let the mind be distracted. He should not essay too strenuously nor too laxly. If he essays too laxly, he will fall into rigidity and torpor. If he essays too strenuously, he will become restless. If the yogin falls into rigidity and torpor or becomes restless, his body and mind will waver and tremble. These are the disadvantages.

To the yogin who attends to the incoming breath with mind that is cleansed of the nine lesser defilements the image (nimitta) arises with a pleasant feeling similar to that which is produced in the action of spinning cotton or silk cotton. Also, it is likened to the pleasant feeling produced by a breeze. Thus in breathing in and out, air touches the nose or the lip and causes the setting-up of air per­ception mindfulness. This does not depend on colour or form. This is called the image. If the yogin develops the image and increases it at the nose-tip, between the eye-brows, on the forehead or establishes it in several places, he feels as if his head were filled with air. Through increasing in this way his whole body is charged with bliss. This is called perfection.

And again, there is a yogin: he sees several images from the beginning. He sees various forms such as smoke, mist, dust, sand of gold, or he experiences something similar to the pricking of a needle or to an ant's bite. If his mind does not become clear regarding these different images, he will be confused. Thus he fulfills overturning and does not gain the perception of respiration. If his mind becomes clear, the yogin does not experience confusion. He attends to respiration and he does not cause the arising of other perceptions. Meditating thus he is able to end confusion and acquire the subtle image. And he attends to respiration with mind that is free. That image is free. Because that image is free, desire arises. Desire being free, that yogin attends to respiration and becomes joyful. Desire and joy being free, he attends to respiration with equipoise. Equipoise, desire and joy being free, he attends to respiration, and his mind is not disturbed. If his mind is not disturbed, he will destroy the hindrances, and arouse the meditation (jhana) factors. Thus this yogin will reach the calm and sublime fourth meditation, jhana. This is as was fully taught above.

Counting, Connection, Contacting, and Fixing

And again, certain predecessors taught four ways of practising mindful­ness of respiration. They are counting, connection, contacting and fixing.

Q. What is counting? A. A new yogin counts the breaths from one to ten, beginning with the outgoing breath and ending with the incoming breath. He does not count beyond ten. Again, it is taught that he counts from one to five but does not count beyond five. He does not miss. At that time (i.e., when he misses) he should count (the next) or stop that count. Thus he dwells in mindfulness of respiration, attending to the object. Thus should counting be understood.

"Connection:" Having counted, he follows respiration with mindfulness, continuously. This is called connection.

"Contacting:" Having caused the arising of air perception, he dwells, attending to the contact of respiration at the nose-tip or on the lip. This is called contacting.

"Fixing:" Having acquired facility in contacting, he should establish the image, and he should establish joy and bliss and other states which arise here. Thus should fixing be known.

That counting suppresses uncertainty. It causes the abandoning of un­certainty. Connection removes gross discursive thinking and causes unbroken mindfulness of respiration. Contacting removes distraction and makes for steady perception. One attains to distinction through bliss.

Sixteen Ways of Training in Mindfulness of Respiration

(1) and (2) "Breathing in a long breath [...] breathing out a short breath, breathing in a short breath, thus he trains himself." Knowledge causes the arising of non-confusion and the object. Q. What is non-confusion and what is the object? A. The new yogin gains tranquility of body and mind and abides in mindfulness of respiration. The respirations become subtle. Because of subtlety they are hard to lay hold of. If at that time, the yogin's breathing is long, he, through fixing, knows it is long. If the image arises he considers it through its own nature. Thus should non-confusion be known. And again he should consider the breaths, whether long or short (as the case may be). Thus should he practise. And again, the yogin causes the arising of the clear image through the object. Thus should one practise.

(3) "'Experiencing the whole body, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" In two ways he knows the whole body, through non-confusion and through the object. Q. What is the knowledge of the whole body through non-confusion? A. A yogin practises mindfulness of respiration and develops concentration through contact accompanied by joy and bliss. Owing to the experiencing of contact accompanied by joy and bliss the whole body becomes non-confused. Q. What is the knowledge of the whole body through the object? A. The incoming breath and the outgoing breath comprise the bodily factors dwelling in one sphere. The object of respiration and the mind and the mental properties are called "body." These bodily factors are called "body." Thus should the whole body be known. That yogin knows the whole body thus: "Though there is the body, there is no being or soul."

The Three Trainings

"Thus he trains himself" refers to the three trainings. The first is the training of the higher virtue, the second is the training of the higher thought, the third is the training of the higher wisdom. True virtue is called the training of the higher virtue; true concentration is called the training of the higher thought; and true wisdom is called the training of the higher wisdom. That yogin by these three kinds of training meditates on the object, recollects the object and trains himself. He practises repeatedly. This is the meaning of "thus he trains himself."

(4) "'Calming the bodily formation, I breathe,' thus he trains himself:" Which are the bodily formations? He breathes in and out with such bodily formations as bending down; stooping, bending all over, bending forward, moving, quivering, trembling and shaking. And again, he calms the gross bodily formations and practises the first meditation, jhana, through the subtle bodily formations. From there, he progresses to the second meditation, jhana, through the more subtle bodily formations. From there, he progresses to the third meditation, jhana, through the still more subtle bodily formations. From there, he progresses to the fourth meditation, jhana, having ended (the bodily formations) without remainder. Q. If he causes the ending of respiration without remainder, how is he able to practise mindfulness of respiration? A. Because he has grasped well the general characteristics, the image arises even when the respirations lapse. And because of these many characteristics, he is able to develop the image and enter into meditation, jhana.

(5) "'Experiencing joy through the object, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself." He attends to respiration. He arouses joy in two meditations, jhanas. This joy can be known through two ways: through non-confusion and through the object. Here the yogin enters into concentration and experiences joy through non-confusion, through investigation, through overcoming and through the object.

(6) "'Experiencing bliss, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" He attends to respiration. He arouses bliss in three meditations, jhanas. This bliss can be known through two ways: through non-confusion and through the object. The rest is as was fully taught above.

(7) "'Experiencing the mental formations, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" "Mental formations" means: "Perception and feeling." He arouses these mental formations in four meditations, jhanas. He knows through two ways: through non-confusion and through the object. The rest is as was fully taught above.

(8) "'Calming the mental formations, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" The mental formations are called perception and feeling. He calms the gross mental formations and trains himself. The rest is as was fully taught above.

(9) "'Experiencing the mind, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" He attends to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath. The mind is aware of entering into and going out of the object, through two ways: through non-confusion and through the object. The rest is as was fully taught above.

(10) "'Gladdening the mind, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" Joy means rejoicing. In two meditations, jhanas, he causes the mind to exult. Thus he trains himself. The rest is as was fully taught above.

(11) "'Concentrating the mind, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" That yogin attends to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath. Through mindfulness and through meditation, jhana, he causes the mind to be intent on the object. Placing the mind well he establishes it. Thus he trains himself.

(12) "'Freeing the mind, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" That yogin attends to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath. If his mind is slow and slack, he frees it from rigidity; if it is too active, he frees it from restlessness. Thus he trains himself. If his mind is elated, he frees it from lust. Thus he trains himself. If it is depressed, he frees it from hatred. Thus he trains himself. If his mind is sullied, he frees it from the lesser defilements. Thus he trains himself. And again, if his mind is not inclined towards the object and is not pleased with it, he causes his mind to be inclined towards it. Thus he trains himself.

(13) "'Discerning impermanence, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" He attends to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath. Discerning the incoming and the outgoing breath, the object of the incoming and the outgoing breath, the mind and the mental properties and their arising and passing away, he trains himself.

(14) "'Discerning dispassion, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" He attends to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath (thinking) thus: "This is impermanence; this is dispassion; this is extinction, this is Nibbdna." Thus he breathes in and trains himself.

(15) "'Discerning cessation, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" Discerning many hindrances, according to reality, (he thinks), "These are impermanent, the destruction of these is extinction, Nibbdna." Thus with tranquillized vision he trains himself.

(16) "'Discerning renunciation, I breathe in,' thus he trains himself:" Discerning tribulation according to reality, (he thinks), "These are imperma­nent," and freeing himself from tribulation, he abides in the peace of extinction, Nibbdna. Thus he trains himself and attains to bliss. The tranquil and the sublime are to be understood thus: All activities are brought to rest. All defilements are forsaken. Craving is destroyed. Passion is absent. It is the peace of blowing out.

Of these sixteen, the first twelve fulfill serenity and insight, and are discerned as impermanence. The last four fulfill only insight. Thus should serenity and insight be understood.

And again, all these are of four kinds. The first is that practice which leads to the completion of discernment. There is a time when one discerns (impermanence) through attending to the incoming breath and the outgoing breath. This is called the knowledge of the long and the short through practis­ing. Calming the bodily formations and the mental formations, gladdening the mind, concentrating the mind and freeing the mind — this is called the arising of the knowledge of the whole body, bliss and the mental formations. "Experiencing the mind" means: "The completion of discernment." "There is a time when one discerns" and so forth refers to the four activities which always begin with the discernment of impermanence.

And again, practice means attaining to a state (of meditation, jhana) through mindfulness of respiration. This is practice. Through this mind­fulness of respiration, one attains to the state which is with (-out, even) initial application of thought. That is the state which is with initial and sustained application of thought, and the state of sustained application of thought. The experiencing of joy is the state of the second meditation, jhana. The experiencing of bliss is the state of the third meditation, jhana. The experien­cing of the mind is the state of the fourth meditation, jhana.

And again, all these are of two kinds. They are practice and fulfillment. Such practice as is included within fulfillment does not cause decrease of the sixteen bases. Practice is like a seed; it is the cause of merit. Fulfillment is like a flower or a fruit, because it proceeds from a similar thing.

If mindfulness of respiration is practised, the four foundations of mind­fulness are fulfilled. If the four foundations of mindfulness are practised, the seven enlightenment factors are fulfilled. If the seven enlightenment factors are practised, freedom and wisdom are fulfilled.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Q. How is such a state attained?

A. The foundation of mindfulness which begins with the long incoming breath and the long outgoing breath is the reviewing of the body. That which begins with the experiencing of joy is the reviewing of feeling. That which begins with the experiencing of the mind is the reviewing of thought. That which begins with the discernment of impermanence is the reviewing of states. Thus one who practises mindfulness of respiration fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness.

The Seven Enlightenment Factors

How are the seven enlightenment factors fulfilled through the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness? If the yogin practises the (four) foundations of mindfulness, he is able to abide non-confused in mindfulness; this is called the enlightenment factor of mindfulness. That yogin, abiding in mindfulness, investigates subjection to ill, impermanence and phenomena; this is called the enlightenment factor of inquiry into states (dhamma). Inquiring into states thus, he strives earnestly without slackening; this is called the enlightenment factor of exertion. Developing exertion, he arouses joy that is clean; this is called the enlightenment factor of joy. Through the mind being full of joy, his body and mind are endowed with calm; this is called the enlightenment factor of calm. Through calmness his body attains to ease and his mind is possessed of concentration; this is called the enlightenment factor of concentration. Owing to concentration, the mind acquires equanimity; this is called the enlightenment factor of equanimity. Thus because of the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness, the seven enlightenment factors are fulfilled.

How are freedom and wisdom fulfilled through the practice of the seven enlightenment factors? The yogin who has practised the seven enlightenment factors much, gains in a moment the wisdom of the Path and the Fruit of freedom. Thus because of the practice of the seven enlightenment factors wisdom and freedom are fulfilled.

Q. All formations are endowed with initial and sustained application of thought according to planes. That being so, why is only initial application of thought suppressed in mindfulness of respiration, and not the other?

A. It is used here in a different sense. Discursiveness is a hindrance to meditation, jhana. In this sense, it is suppressed.

Why is air contact pleasant ? Because it calms the mind. It is comparable to the soothing of a heavenly musician's (gandhabba's) mind with sweet sounds. By this discursive thinking is suppressed. And again, it is like a person walking along the bank of a river. His mind is collected, is directed towards one object and does not wander. Therefore in mindfulness of respiration, the suppression of discursive thinking is taught.


Mindfulness of respiration has ended.


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Translated by Rev. N.R.M. Ehara, Soma Thera, and Kheminda Thera.