English
Because the sign of the coarse sounds has been well-grasped, well-attended to, well-held in mind, even when the coarse sounds have ceased, then afterwards subtle sounds arise. Because the sign of the subtle sounds has been well-grasped, well-attended to, well-held in mind, even when the subtle sounds have ceased, then afterwards the mind continues with the subtle sound as its sign and object. Even so, first coarse in-breaths and out-breaths arise. Because the sign of the coarse in-breaths and out-breaths has been well-grasped, well-attended to, well-held in mind, even when the coarse in-breaths and out-breaths have ceased, then afterwards subtle in-breaths and out-breaths arise. Because the sign of the subtle in-breaths and out-breaths has been well-grasped, well-attended to, well-held in mind, even when the subtle in-breaths and out-breaths have ceased, then afterwards the mind continues with the subtle in-breaths and out-breaths as its sign and object... Thus it is not scattered. "This being so, there is the manifestation of the perception of wind, and there is the manifestation of in-breaths and out-breaths, and there is the manifestation of mindfulness of breathing, and there is the manifestation of concentration on mindfulness of breathing, and that attainment, the wise enter and emerge from. Calming the bodily formation, 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, one contemplates that body. Therefore, it is called the development of the foundation of mindfulness, contemplation of the body in the body." This, then, is the step-by-step explanation of the terms of the first tetrad, spoken of in terms of contemplation of the body. 222. Since here, this very tetrad is spoken of as the meditation subject for the beginner. But the other three tetrads are spoken of here in terms of contemplation of feelings, mind, and phenomena, for one who has attained jhana. Therefore, the beginner, the noble son, who desires to attain arahantship together with the analytical knowledges, having developed this meditation subject, with insight based on the fourth jhana of mindfulness of breathing, having performed all duties such as the purification of virtue in the manner previously stated, should learn the five-fold meditation subject from a teacher of the described kind. Therein are these five junctures: learning, questioning, establishment, application, and characteristic. Therein, learning means the grasping of the meditation subject. Questioning means the questioning about the meditation subject. Establishment means the establishment of the meditation subject. Application means the application of the meditation subject. Characteristic means the characteristic of the meditation subject. "This meditation subject has such a characteristic" means the ascertainment of the nature of the meditation subject. Thus, one who learns the five-fold meditation subject does not tire oneself, nor does one trouble the teacher. Therefore, having had a little pointed out, having recited for a long time, having thus learned the five-fold meditation subject, from the teacher or elsewhere... Or, dwelling in a dwelling place of the kind mentioned before, having cut off minor impediments, having done the meal duties, having dispelled the drowsiness from the meal, having sat down comfortably, having gladdened the mind by recollecting the qualities of the Triple Gem, not forgetting even a single word from the teacher's instruction, this meditation subject of mindfulness of breathing should be attended to. And this is the method of attention: 223. Counting, following, touching, fixing, observing; Turning away, purification, and reviewing them. Here, counting means counting itself. Following means carrying along. Touching means the place of contact. Fixing means absorption. Observing means insight. Turning away means the path. Purification means the fruit. And reviewing them means retrospection. Here, by this beginner, this noble son, this meditation subject should first be attended to by counting. And while counting, it should not be kept below five. It should not be taken above ten. No break should 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. And 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, thinking, "Has my meditation subject reached its peak, or not?" Therefore, avoiding these faults, one should count. And while counting, one should first count with a slow counting, like the counting of a grain measurer. For a grain measurer, having filled the measure, says "one" and pours it out. Again, filling it, seeing some rubbish, discarding it, he says "one, one." This is the method for "two, two," and so on. Just so, by this one, taking what appears among the in-breaths and out-breaths, starting with "one, one," and so on, up to "ten, ten," one should count by observing it as it occurs, as it occurs. For one counting thus, the outgoing and incoming in-breaths and out-breaths become clear. Then by him, that slow counting, that grain-measurer's counting... having abandoned counting by quick counting, it should be counted by the counting of a cowherd. For a skillful cowherd, taking pebbles and the like in his lap, holding a rope-staff, goes to the cow pen early in the morning, strikes the cows on their backs, and sitting on the top of a gatepost, counts each cow as it reaches the gate, one, two, by throwing a pebble. The herd of cows, having suffered in a crowded place for three watches of the night, as they come out, as they come out, rubbing against each other, come out quickly, quickly, in a mass, in a mass. He counts quickly, quickly, "three, four, five, ten." Similarly, for one counting in this former way, the in-breaths and out-breaths become manifest and move quickly, quickly, again and again. Therefore, knowing that "they move again and again," without grasping inside or outside, taking each one as it reaches the gate, it should be counted quickly, quickly, "one, two, three, four, five, six. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven... ...eight, nine, ten." For in a meditation subject connected with counting, the mind becomes one-pointed by the power of counting, like holding a boat in a strong current by means of a supporting oar. For one counting quickly, quickly in this way, the meditation subject appears as if it is continuous and becomes present. Then, knowing that it is continuous, without grasping the breath inside or outside, it should be counted quickly, quickly, in the former way. For when one brings the mind in with the incoming breath, the inside becomes like a place filled with fat, struck by the wind. When one takes the mind out with the outgoing breath, the mind becomes scattered on various external objects. But only for one who develops by placing mindfulness on the place of contact, does the development succeed. Therefore it is said: "without grasping the breath inside or outside, it should be counted quickly, quickly, in the former way." For how long should this be counted? Until mindfulness is established on the object of in-breaths and out-breaths without counting, having cut off the thoughts and reflections that have spread outside. Counting, indeed, is only for establishing mindfulness on the in-breaths and out-breaths. 224. 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 following by way of beginning, middle, and end. For the outgoing breath, the navel is the beginning, the heart the middle, the tip of the nose the end. For the incoming breath, the tip of the nose is the beginning, the heart the middle, the navel the end. For one who follows it thus, the mind becomes agitated and disturbed. As it is said: “When following with mindfulness the beginning, middle, and end of the in-breath, with the mind agitated internally, both the body and the mind become agitated, disturbed, and trembling. When following with mindfulness the beginning, middle, and end of the out-breath, with the mind agitated externally, both the body and the mind become agitated, disturbed, and trembling.” Therefore, when attending to following, one should not attend by way of beginning, middle, and end. But rather, one should attend by way of touching and by way of placing. For there is no separate attention by way of touching and placing, as there is by way of counting and following. But one who counts at the very places touched, attends to both counting and touching. One who withdraws counting there and follows them with mindfulness, and places the mind by way of absorption, is said to attend to following, touching, and placing. This meaning is to be understood by the simile of the lame doorkeeper mentioned in the commentaries, and by the simile of the saw mentioned in the Paṭisambhidā. 225. Here is the simile of the lame man: Just as a lame man, having pushed the swing of a mother and child playing on it, sits at the base of that swing post and gradually sees both ends and the middle of the swing board as it comes and goes, but does not exert himself to see the two ends and the middle— just so this bhikkhu, by means of mindfulness, standing at the base of the binding post, having set the in-breaths and out-breaths as his swing, sitting there on the sign with mindfulness, following with mindfulness the beginning, middle, and end of the in-breaths and out-breaths of those gradually coming and going at the place of contact, and placing his mind there, he sees;