Saṁyutta Nikāya:
V. Mahā-Vagga
54. ĀnāpānaSaṁyutta

Kindred Sayings About
In-Breathing and Out-Breathing

1. Ekadhamma Vaggo

Book 1: The One Condition

Sutta 1

Ekadhamma Sutta

The One Condition

 

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[311] [275]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Then the Exalted One said:

'Monks, there is one condition which,
if cultivated and made much of,
is of great fruit,
of great profit.

What is that one condition?

It is concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing.

And how cultivated, monks,
how made much of,
is concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit, of great profit?¹

'Monks, under this rule,
a monk who goes to a forest
or the foot of a tree
or a lonely place,
sits down cross-legged,
holding the body straight.
Setting mindfulness in front of him,²
he breathes in mindfully
and mindfully breathes out.

As he draws in a long breath he knows:

A long breath I draw in.

As he draws in a short breath he knows:

A short breath I draw in.

As he breathes out a short breath he knows:

I breathe out a short breath.

Thus he makes up his mind³ (repeating):

"I shall breathe in,
feeling it go through the whole body.⁴

Feeling it go through the whole body
I shall breathe out.

Calming down the bodily aggregate
I shall breathe in.

Calming down the bodily aggregate
I shall breathe out."

[276] Thus he makes up his mind (repeating):

"Feeling the thrill of zest
I shall breathe in.

Feeling the thrill of zest
I shall breathe out.

Feeling the sense of ease⁵
I shall breathe in.

Feeling the sense of ease
I shall breathe out."

He makes up his mind (repeating):

"Aware of all mental factors⁶
I shall breathe in.

Aware of all mental factors
I shall breathe out.

Calming down the mental factors
I shall breathe in.

Calming down the mental factors
I shall breathe out.

Aware of mind I shall breathe in.

Aware of mind I shall breathe out.

"He makes up his mind (repeating):

"Gladdening⁷ my mind I shall breathe in.

Gladdening my mind I shall breathe out.

Composing my mind I shall breathe in.

Composing my mind I shall breathe out.

Detaching my mind I shall breathe in.

Detaching my mind I shall breathe out.

"He makes up his mind (repeating):

"Contemplating impermanence⁸ I shall breathe in.

Contemplating impermanence I shall breathe out.

Contemplating dispassion I shall breathe in.

Contemplating dispassion I shall breathe out.

Contemplating cessation I shall breathe in.

Contemplating cessation I shall breathe out.

Contemplating renunciation I shall breathe in.

Contemplating renunciation I shall breathe out.

"Thus cultivated, monks,
thus made much of,
the concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing
is of great fruit,
of great profit.'⁹

 

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¹Comy. refers to the section on ānāpāna-sati at VM. 267 ff. Cf Yogavacara (Manual of A Mystic) i; D. ii, 291 = Dialogue. ii, 317; M. i, 56; MA. i. 247 ff.; Paṭisambh. i, 184-6.

²Between the eyebrows, where the Hindus place the brow-cakram.

³Sikkhati = ghaṭati, vāyamati. [VM. Pāliṅ vatvā.]

⁴Paṭisaṅvedi. [VM. pākaṭaṅ karonto.] He visualizes the breath as passing in and through the whole frame and out again.

⁵'Sukhaṅ is bodily and mental.' VM.

⁶'Freeing it from the hindrances by the first jhāna; from thought generated and sustained by the second jhāna; from zest by the third, from pleasure and pain by the fourth jhāna.' VM.

⁷Abhippamodayaṅ = pamodento, hāsento (by way of concentration and introspection). VM.

⁸Citta-saṅkārā = vedan¢dayo dve khandhā. VM.

⁹He does these repeatedly by calling up (their opposites) permanence, well-being, self, passionate delight, passion, arising (of things), stinginess.' VM.