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will fulfill his virtues – this is not possible." (A.N. 5.21) This should be elaborated. Therefore, by him, this, which is called the conduct of good manners, starting with the duty of the shrine courtyard, that too must be diligently fulfilled. Then – Dwelling and family, gain, the group, and work as the fifth; Travel, relatives, illness, books, psychic power – these are the ten. Among these ten obstacles thus stated, whatever obstacle exists, that must be cut off. With obstacles thus cut off, the meditation subject must be taken up. That too is of two kinds: the universal meditation subject, and the specific meditation subject. Among these, the universal meditation subject is loving-kindness towards the community of bhikkhus and so on, mindfulness of death, and some say, the perception of impurity. Indeed, by the meditator bhikkhu, first, having delimited, loving-kindness should be developed towards the bhikkhus within the boundary; then towards the deities within the boundary; then towards the rulers in the alms-round village; then, including the people there, towards all beings. Indeed, by his loving-kindness towards the community of bhikkhus, he generates gentle-mindedness in his co-residents, and then he has a pleasant dwelling. By his loving-kindness towards the deities within the boundary, he is well-protected by deities whose minds are softened, with righteous protection. By his loving-kindness towards the rulers in the alms-round village, by rulers whose minds are softened... He is well-protected with the requisites by righteous protection. There, among humans, he wanders unmolested by those whose minds are gladdened with loving-kindness. With loving-kindness towards all beings, his movement is unimpeded everywhere. But reflecting on the recollection of death, "I must surely die," he abandons unrighteous seeking, and with ever-increasing urgency, he is not of a sluggish disposition. Through the perception of impurity, craving does not arise even for divine objects. Because these three are so beneficial to him, and because they are the foundation for the practice of striving which is intended and desired everywhere, they are called "the meditation subjects for all purposes." Among the thirty-eight meditation subjects, that which is suitable for one's temperament is to be constantly cultivated by him; thus, by the method already stated, it is also called "the protective meditation subject." Here, however, this very meditation subject of mindfulness of breathing is called "the protective meditation subject." This is the summary here. For the detailed explanation, one who desires the discourse on the purification of virtue and the discourse on the cutting off of impediments should take it from the Visuddhimagga. Thus, by a disciple of the Buddha who has purified his virtue and cut off impediments, this meditation subject should be learned from one who has attained Arahantship by developing the fourth jhāna with this very meditation subject, and by cultivating insight. If he cannot find such a one, he should learn it from an Anāgāmī; if he cannot find such a one, from a Sakadāgāmī; if he cannot find such a one, from a Sotāpanna; if he cannot find such a one, from one who has attained the fourth jhāna through mindfulness of breathing; if he cannot find such a one, from a discerning teacher who is not confused about the Pāḷi and the commentaries. For Arahants and others teach only the path they themselves have realized. But this one, like one who clears a great elephant path in a dense forest, being unconfused everywhere, distinguishes between what is suitable and unsuitable and then teaches. Here is the progressive discourse: That bhikkhu, of light disposition, endowed with disciplinary conduct, having approached a teacher of the aforementioned kind, should observe the duties and counter-duties. From him, whose mind is pleased with the offering, the five-fold meditation subject should be learned. These are the five parts: learning, questioning, attending, absorption, and characteristic. Therein, "learning" means the grasping of the meditation subject. "Questioning" means the questioning of the meditation subject. "Attending" means the attending to the meditation subject. "Absorption" means the absorption in the meditation subject. "Characteristic" means the characteristic of the meditation subject. It is said to be the understanding of the nature of the meditation subject, "This meditation subject has such a characteristic." Thus, one learning the five-fold meditation subject does not tire oneself, nor does one trouble the teacher. Therefore, having had a little taught, and having recited for a long time, having thus learned the five-fold meditation subject, if it is suitable there, one should dwell right there. If it is not suitable there, having asked the teacher, if one is dull-witted, going up to a yojana, if one is sharp-witted, going even far away, having approached a dwelling place free from the eighteen faults of dwelling places, and endowed with the five qualities of dwelling places, dwelling there, having cut off minor impediments, having done the meal duties, having dispelled the intoxication of food, having gladdened the mind by recollecting the qualities of the Triple Gem, without forgetting even a single word from what was learned from the teacher, this meditation subject of mindfulness of breathing should be attended to. This is the summary here. But the detailed explanation, for one desiring this path of discourse, should be taken from the Visuddhimagga (Vism. 1.55). But as for what was said, "This meditation subject of mindfulness of breathing should be attended to," here is the method of attention: Counting, following, touching, placing, noting; Turning away, purification, and their contemplation. "Counting" is just counting. "Following" is tracking. "Touching" is the point of contact. "Placing" is absorption. "Noting" is insight... Thus. "Unrolling" is the path. "Purity" is the fruit. "Their reflection" is reviewing. There, by this beginner noble son, first, by counting, this meditation object should be attended to. And by one who counts, it should not be kept below five, it should not be taken above ten, a break should not be shown in between. For one who keeps it below five, the mind-state flutters in a confined space, like a herd of cattle confined in a narrow pen. For one who takes it above ten, the mind-state becomes dependent on counting. For one who shows a break in between, the mind wavers, "Has my meditation reached its peak, or not?" Therefore, avoiding these faults, one should count. And by one who counts, first, it should be counted with slow counting, with the counting of a grain measurer. For a grain measurer, having filled a measure, says "one" and pours it out. Filling it again, seeing some refuse, discarding it, he says "one, one." This is the method for "two, two," and so on. Just so, by this one, taking that which appears in the in-breaths and out-breaths, starting with "one, one," up to "ten, ten," observing it as it proceeds, one should count. For him who counts thus, the outgoing and incoming in-breaths and out-breaths become clear. Then by him, abandoning that slow counting, the grain-measurer's counting, it should be counted with quick counting, with the counting of a cowherd. For a skilled cowherd, taking pebbles in his lap, holding a rope-stick, goes to the pen early in the morning, strikes the cows on their backs, and sitting on the top of the gate-post, as each cow reaches the gate, he throws a pebble and counts "one, two." The herd of cattle, having spent the three watches of the night with difficulty in a confined space, comes out, rubbing against each other, quickly, quickly, in groups, in groups. He counts quickly, quickly, "three, four, five, ten." Thus for this one also, counting in the former manner, the in-breaths and out-breaths p... having become manifest, they move back and forth quickly, quickly, again and again. Then, knowing that they "move back and forth again and again," without grasping inside or outside, taking each one as it reaches the door, "one, two, three, four, five, one, two, three, four, five, six, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven… …eight… nine… ten," one should count quickly, quickly. For in a meditation subject tied to counting, the mind becomes one-pointed by the power of counting alone, like anchoring a boat in a strong current by means of a supporting pole. As he thus counts quickly, quickly, the meditation subject appears to him as if it were continuously occurring. Then, knowing that it "occurs continuously," without grasping the breath inside or outside, he should count with speed, with speed, in the same manner as before. For when one introduces the mind together with the in-breathing breath, the inside becomes like a fatty mass struck by the wind; when one draws out the mind together with the out-breathing breath, the mind becomes scattered on external, diverse objects. But only for one who establishes mindfulness on the point of contact and develops it, does the development succeed. Therefore it was said: "without grasping the breath inside or outside, he should count with speed, with speed, in the same manner as before." For how long should this be counted? Until mindfulness is established on the object of in-breaths and out-breaths without counting. For counting is only for the purpose of cutting off scattered thoughts outside and establishing mindfulness on the object of in-breaths and out-breaths. Having thus attended to counting, one should attend to following. Following means withdrawing the counting and continuously following the in-breaths and out-breaths with mindfulness; and this is not by way of following the beginning, middle, and end. For the beginning of the out-breathing breath is the navel, the middle is the heart, the end is the tip of the nose. For the in-breathing breath,