English
‘I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment.’ I train myself, ‘I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.’ That which, bhikkhus, one might rightly call ‘noble abiding,’ or ‘divine abiding,’ or ‘Tathāgata’s abiding,’ one would rightly call the concentration of mindfulness of breathing ‘noble abiding,’ or ‘divine abiding,’ or ‘Tathāgata’s abiding.’ Those bhikkhus, bhikkhus, who are trainees, whose minds have not yet attained, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage, for them, the concentration of mindfulness of breathing, developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints. And those bhikkhus, bhikkhus, who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, who have done what had to be done, who have laid down the burden, who have attained their own goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who are liberated through right knowledge, for them, the concentration of mindfulness of breathing, developed and cultivated, leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life, and to mindfulness and clear comprehension. That which, bhikkhus, one might rightly call ‘noble abiding,’ or ‘divine abiding,’ or ‘Tathāgata’s abiding,’ one would rightly call the concentration of mindfulness of breathing ‘noble abiding,’ or ‘divine abiding,’ or ‘Tathāgata’s abiding.’ First. 2. The Discourse on Doubts 988. At one time, āya Venerable Lomasakanghiya was staying among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at the Nigrodha Park. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached Venerable Lomasakanghiya. Having approached, and greeted Venerable Lomasakanghiya, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to Venerable Lomasakanghiya: “Is the training dwelling, venerable, the same as the Tathāgata’s dwelling, or is the training dwelling different, and the Tathāgata’s dwelling different?” “It is not, friend Mahānāma, that the training dwelling is the same as the Tathāgata’s dwelling. The training dwelling is different, friend Mahānāma, and the Tathāgata’s dwelling is different. Those monks, friend Mahānāma, who are in training, whose minds have not yet attained, who aspire to the unexcelled security from bondage, they dwell having abandoned the five hindrances. Which five? They dwell having abandoned the hindrance of sensual desire, having abandoned the hindrance of ill-will… having abandoned the hindrance of sloth and torpor… having abandoned the hindrance of restlessness and remorse… having abandoned the hindrance of doubt. Those monks, friend Mahānāma, who are in training, whose minds have not yet attained, who aspire to the unexcelled security from bondage, they dwell having abandoned these five hindrances. But those monks, friend Mahānāma, who are Arahants, whose defilements are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, who have done what had to be done, who have laid down the burden, who have attained their own goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who are liberated through right knowledge, for them the five hindrances are abandoned, their roots cut off, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. Which five? The hindrance of sensual desire is abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. The hindrance of ill-will is abandoned… The hindrance of sloth and torpor… The hindrance of restlessness and remorse… The hindrance of doubt is abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. Those, friend Mahānāma, Mahānāma, monks who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained their own true goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, liberated through right knowledge, for them these five hindrances are abandoned, their roots cut, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future. Therefore, friend Mahānāma, by this method it should be understood that – different is the dwelling of one in training, different is the dwelling of the Tathāgata. Once, friend Mahānāma, the Blessed One was dwelling in Icchānaṅgala, in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. There, friend Mahānāma, the Blessed One addressed the monks – ‘I wish, monks, to retreat for three months. No one should approach me, except for one bringing alms food.’ ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ friend Mahānāma, those monks replied to the Blessed One, and no one approached the Blessed One, except for one bringing alms food. Then, friend, after the passing of those three months, the Blessed One, having emerged from his retreat, addressed the monks – ‘If, monks, other sect ascetics were to ask you thus – ‘Friend, by what dwelling did the recluse Gotama mostly dwell during the rainy season?’ Being asked thus, monks, you should answer those other sect ascetics thus – ‘Friend, the Blessed One mostly dwelt during the rainy season by the concentration of mindfulness of breathing.’ Here, monks, mindful I breathe in, mindful I breathe out. Breathing in long, I know ‘I breathe in long’; breathing out long, I know ‘I breathe out long’…and so on… ‘I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment,’ I know; ‘I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment,’ I know.’ Indeed, monks, if one were to speak rightly, one would say – ‘This is a noble dwelling,’ or ‘This is a divine dwelling,’ or ‘This is a Tathāgata’s dwelling.’ Speaking rightly, one would say of the concentration of mindfulness of breathing – ‘This is a noble dwelling,’ or ‘This is a divine dwelling,’ or ‘This is a Tathāgata’s dwelling.’ ‘Those, monks, And those monks, trainees, whose minds have not yet reached (the goal), dwelling, aspiring for the unexcelled security from bondage, for them, mindfulness of breathing concentration, developed and made much of, conduces to the destruction of the taints. And those monks, bhikkhus, who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained their own true goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, liberated through perfect knowledge, for them, mindfulness of breathing concentration, developed and made much of, conduces to a pleasant dwelling in this very life, and to mindfulness and clear comprehension. Indeed, bhikkhus, if one were to speak rightly, saying – 'This is a noble dwelling,' 'This is a divine dwelling,' 'This is a Tathāgata's dwelling.' One would rightly say of mindfulness of breathing concentration – 'This is a noble dwelling,' 'This is a divine dwelling,' 'This is a Tathāgata's dwelling.' "By this method, friend Mahānāma, it should be understood, that the dwelling of a trainee is one thing, and the dwelling of a Tathāgata is another." The Second. 3. The First Discourse to Ānanda 989. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Then indeed, Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, having paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One – "Is there, indeed, Bhante, one quality, developed and made much of, that fulfills four qualities? Do four qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill seven qualities? Do seven qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill two qualities?" "There is, Ānanda, one quality, developed and made much of, that fulfills four qualities. Four qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill seven qualities. Seven qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill two qualities." "Which, then, Bhante, is that one quality, developed and made much of, that fulfills four qualities? Do four qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill seven qualities? Do seven qualities, developed and made much of, fulfill two qualities?" ...fulfill them? "The concentration through mindfulness of breathing, Ananda, one practice, developed and cultivated, fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness. The four foundations of mindfulness, developed and cultivated, fulfill the seven factors of awakening. The seven factors of awakening, developed and cultivated, fulfill knowledge and liberation." "How, Ananda, is concentration through mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so as to fulfill the four foundations of mindfulness? Here, Ananda, a monk gone to the wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, sits down, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him. Mindful, he breathes in. Mindful, he breathes out. Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I breathe in long.' Breathing out long, he discerns, 'I breathe out long.' ... He trains himself, 'I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.'" "When, Ananda, a monk breathing in long, discerns, 'I breathe in long,' breathing out long, discerns, 'I breathe out long,' breathing in short... ... He trains himself, 'I shall breathe in calming the bodily formation.' He trains himself, 'I shall breathe out calming the bodily formation' — in the body, Ananda, the monk at that time dwells contemplating the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and distress concerning the world. For what reason? I declare, Ananda, that this — the in-breaths and out-breaths — is a certain kind of body. Therefore, Ananda, in the body, the monk at that time dwells contemplating the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and distress concerning the world." "When, Ananda, a monk He trains himself, 'I shall breathe in experiencing rapture.' ... experiencing pleasure... ... experiencing the mental formation... ... He trains himself, 'I shall breathe in calming the mental formation.' He trains himself, 'I shall breathe out calming the mental formation' — in feelings, Ananda,