English
reckoned as prolonged, he breathes in. By means of joy, then, a more subtle long out-breath... ...long in-breath and out-breath, reckoned as prolonged, when he breathes in, when he breathes out. By means of joy, then, a more subtle long in-breath and out-breath, reckoned as prolonged, when he breathes in, when he breathes out, the mind turns towards the long in-breaths and out-breaths, equanimity is established. By these nine modes, the long in-breaths and out-breaths are the body. Mindfulness is the establishment. Contemplation is knowledge. The body is the establishment, not mindfulness. Mindfulness is both the establishment and mindfulness. With that mindfulness, with that knowledge, he contemplates that body. Therefore, it is called the development of mindfulness of the body as contemplation of the body within the body. This method applies to the short (breaths) too. But this is the distinction: just as here it is said "a long in-breath, reckoned as prolonged," so here it comes as "a short in-breath, reckoned as momentary, he breathes in." Therefore, in terms of short (breaths), it should be applied up to "therefore, it is called the development of mindfulness of the body as contemplation of the body within the body." Thus, this one, knowing the in-breaths and out-breaths in these ways, by means of prolonged and by means of momentary, when breathing in long, he knows "I breathe in long"... ...or when breathing out short, he knows "I breathe out short" – thus it should be understood. And for him who knows thus – Long and short is the in-breath, The out-breath is also like that; Four kinds revolve, Right at the tip of the nose, O monk. "Experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe in"... ..."I shall breathe out" – thus he trains. Making known, making manifest the beginning, middle, and end of the entire in-breath body, he trains "I shall breathe in." Making known, making manifest the beginning, middle, and end of the entire out-breath body, he trains "I shall breathe out." Thus making known, making manifest... making an effort, with a mind connected with knowledge, he breathes in and breathes out. Therefore, it is said: “I will breathe in, I will breathe out,” he trains. For some monk, in the body of the in-breath or the body of the out-breath, the beginning is clear, but not the middle and end. He can grasp only the beginning, he tires at the middle and end. For some, the middle is clear, but not the beginning and end. For some, the end is clear, but not the beginning and middle. He can grasp only the end, he tires at the beginning and middle. For some, all is clear, he can grasp all, he does not tire anywhere. Showing that one should be like that, it is said: “Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in… …I will breathe out,” he trains. Here, “he trains” means he strives, he exerts himself. The restraint of one who is thus, this is the training in higher virtue here. The concentration of one who is thus, this is the training in higher mind. The wisdom of one who is thus, this is the training in higher wisdom. Thus, these three trainings, on that object, with that mindfulness, with that attention, he trains, he cultivates, he develops, he makes much of. This is the meaning to be understood here. Here, because in the previous method, only the in-breath and out-breath are to be done, and nothing else. From now on, however, effort is to be made in the production of knowledge and so on. Therefore, there, having stated the Pāli in the present tense, “he understands, ‘I breathe in,’ he understands, ‘I breathe out,’” from now on, to show the aspect of the production of knowledge and so on that is to be done, the Pāli is presented in the future tense, in the manner of “Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in,” and so on. “Calming the bodily formation, I will breathe in… …I will breathe out,” he trains. This means, calming, thoroughly calming, stopping, pacifying the gross bodily formation, “I will breathe in, I will breathe out,” he trains. Here, the grossness and subtlety, and the tranquility, are to be understood thus. For this monk, Before, when not comprehended, the body and mind are agitated and coarse. When body and mind are coarse and not calmed, the in-breaths and out-breaths are also coarse, they proceed forcefully, the nose is not enough, one breathes in and out through the mouth. But when his body and mind are comprehended, then they are calm, they are tranquil. When they are tranquil, the in-breaths and out-breaths proceed subtly, they reach a state where one has to wonder, "Are they there or not?" Just as for a man who has run, or descended from a mountain, or put down a heavy burden from his head, standing there, his in-breaths and out-breaths are coarse, the nose is not enough, he breathes in and out through the mouth. But when he has dispelled that fatigue, and bathed and drunk, and placed a wet cloth on his chest, and lies down in cool shade, then his in-breaths and out-breaths are subtle, they reach a state where one has to wonder, "Are they there or not?" Just so, for this monk, before, when not comprehended, the body and... reach a state where one has to wonder, "Are they there or not?" What is the reason for that? For indeed, before, when not comprehended, there is no attention, no reflection, no mental application with the thought: "I shall calm these coarse, coarse bodily formations." But when comprehended, there is. Therefore, for him, from the time of not comprehending to the time of comprehending, the bodily formation becomes subtle. Therefore the ancients said: "When body and mind are agitated, it proceeds excessively; When the body is not agitated, it proceeds subtly." 221. Even in comprehension, it is coarse, in the approach to the first jhana, it is subtle. Even in that, it is coarse, in the first jhana, it is subtle. In the first jhana and in the approach to the second jhana, it is coarse, in the second jhana, it is subtle. In the second jhana and in the approach to the third jhana, it is coarse, in the third jhana, it is subtle. In the third jhana and in the approach to the fourth jhana, it is coarse, in the fourth jhana, it is extremely subtle, it reaches non-occurrence itself. So it is. This is indeed the view of the Long Reciters and the Connected Reciters. The Middle Reciters, however, say that in the first jhāna it is coarse, and in the approach to the second jhāna it is subtle. Thus, from the lower and lower jhānas, they desire it to be more and more subtle in the approaches to the higher and higher jhānas. But according to the view of all, the bodily formation that arises when not comprehended, subsides when comprehended. The bodily formation that arises when comprehended, in the approach to the first jhāna… (and so on)… the bodily formation that arises in the approach to the fourth jhāna, subsides in the fourth jhāna. This is the method in tranquility. In insight, however, the bodily formation that arises when not comprehended is coarse; when the great elements are comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when derived matter is comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when all matter is comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when the immaterial is comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when matter and immateriality are comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when conditions are comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; when mind-and-matter with their conditions are comprehended, it is subtle. That too is coarse; in insight focused on characteristics, it is subtle. That too is coarse in weak insight; in strong insight, it is subtle. There, by the method stated before, the subsidence of each preceding one by each succeeding one should be understood. Thus, here, coarseness, subtlety, and subsidence should be understood. In the Paṭisambhidā (Paṭi. Ma. 1.171), however, its meaning is stated thus, along with questions and answers: "How does one train, 'I shall breathe in, calming the bodily formation… (and so on)… I shall breathe out, calming the bodily formation'?" "What are bodily formations?" "Long in-breaths and out-breaths are bodily; these phenomena are connected with the body, they are bodily formations." "Calming, ceasing, tranquillizing those bodily formations, one trains… (and so on)… in such a way that with whatever bodily formations there is bending, unbending, inclining, bowing, moving, trembling, shaking, quivering of the body, one trains, 'I shall breathe in, calming the bodily formation,' one trains, 'I shall breathe out, calming the bodily formation.' Whatever form..." With these bodily formations, for the body there is no bending, no swaying, no inclining, no bowing, no shaking, no throbbing, no moving, no trembling. 'I shall breathe in, tranquilizing the bodily formation, calm and subtle. I shall breathe out, tranquilizing the bodily formation, calm and subtle.' Thus he trains. "Thus, indeed, 'I shall breathe in, tranquilizing the bodily formation,' he trains. 'I shall breathe out, tranquilizing the bodily formation,' he trains." If this is so, there is no manifestation of the perception of wind. And there is no manifestation of in-breaths and out-breaths. And there is no manifestation of mindfulness of breathing. And there is no manifestation of the concentration of mindfulness of breathing. And the wise do not enter or emerge from that attainment. "Thus, indeed, 'I shall breathe in, I shall breathe out, tranquilizing the bodily formation,' he trains. If this is so, there is manifestation of the perception of wind. And there is manifestation of in-breaths and out-breaths. And there is manifestation of mindfulness of breathing. And there is manifestation of the concentration of mindfulness of breathing. And the wise enter and emerge from that attainment. How is that? "Just as when a bronze bell is struck, first coarse sounds arise.