Saṁyutta Nikāya:
V. Mahā-Vagga
54. Ānāpāna Saṁyutta
Kindred Sayings About
In-Breathing and Out-Breathing
1. Ekadhammavaggo
Book 1: The One Condition
Sutta 9
Vesālī Sutta
Vesālī
Thus have I heard: On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Vesālī, in Great Wood, at the House with the peaked gable.
Now on that occasion the Exalted One was talking to the monks in divers ways on the subject of the unlovely,19 was speaking in praise of the unlovely, was speaking in praise of meditation on the unlovely.
After that the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks, I wish to dwell in solitude for the half-month.20 I am not to be visited by anyone save by the single one who brings my food.'
'So be it, lord,' replied the monks to the Exalted One.
Thus no one visited the Exalted One save only the single one who brought his food.'
So those monks, saying, 'The Exalted One has in divers ways spoken on the subject of the unlovely, he has spoken in praise of the unlovely, he has spoken in praise of meditation on the unlovely,' spent their time given to meditation on the unlovely in all its varied applications.21 As to this body, they worried about it, felt shame and loathing for it, and sought for a weapon to slay themselves. Nay, as many as ten monks did so in a single day; even twenty, thirty of them slew themselves in a single day.22
Now at the end of that half-month the Exalted One, on returning from his solitary life, said to the venerable Ānanda:
'How is it, Ānanda? The order of monks seems diminished.'
'As to that, lord, the Exalted One spoke to the monks in diverse ways on the subject of the unlovely, spoke in praise of the unlovely, spoke in praise of meditation on the unlovely. Then the monks, saying, "The Exalted One has (thus spoken) ..." spent their time given to meditation on the unlovely in all its varied applications. As to this body, they worried about it, felt shame and loathing for it, and sought for a weapon to slay themselves. Nay, as many as ten monks did so in a single day; even twenty, thirty of them slew themselves in a single day. It were a good thing, lord, if the Exalted One would teach some other method, so that the order of monks might be established in gnosis.'23
'Very well then, Ānanda. Summon the monks who dwell in the neighbourhood of Vesālī to the service-hall.'
Very good, lord,' replied the venerable Ānanda to the Exalted One, and, after summoning all the monks who dwelt in the neighbourhood of Vesālī to the service-hall, he came to the Exalted One and said:
'Lord, the order of monks is assembled. Now let the Exalted One do as he deems fit.'
Then the Exalted One went to the service-hall, and on arriving there sat down on a seat made ready. As he thus sat the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks, this intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing, if cultivated and made much of,24 is something peaceful and choice, something perfect in itself,25 and a pleasant way of living too. Moreover it allays evil, unprofitable states that have arisen26 and makes them vanish in a moment.27
"Just as,monks, in the last month of the hot season the dust and dirt fly up,28 and then out of due season a great rain-cloud lays them and makes them vanish in a moment, — even so intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing, if cultivated and made much of, is something peaceful and choice, something perfect in itself, and a pleasant way of living too. Moreover it allays evil, unprofitable states that have arisen, and makes them vanish in a moment.
And how cultivated, monks, how made much of, does intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing (have this effect)?
In this method a monk who has gone to the forest or the root of a tree or a lonely place, sits down cross-legged ... (as in § 1) ... (repeating): "Contemplating renunciation I shall breathe out."
Thus cultivated, monks, thus made much of, intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing ... allays evil, unprofitable states that have arisen, and makes them vanish in a moment.'
19 As at Vin. (Pārājika iii); cf. VinA. iii, 393, Asubhi-kathā. Comy. refers to VM. i, 241 ff. ('in this fathom-long body,' etc.).
20 Cf. supra, text, 12.
21 Anek¢kāra-vokāraṅ.
22 Cf. the case of Vakkali at K.S. iii, 105.
23 Aññāya saṅṭhaheyya. Comy.= arahatte patiṭṭhaheyya
24 Comy. bhāvito = uppādito, vaḍḍhito; bahulīkato = punappunaṅ kato.
25 Asecanako. Comy. nāssa secanan ti (adulteration, mixing),' and defines it as anāsittako (unsprinkled), abbokiṇṇo (uninterrupted), pāṭiyekko (single), āveṇiko (unique); and gives another interpretation, viz.: āsittako, ojavanto, sabhāven'eva madhuro ti ('the elixir that no infusion needs,' K.S. i, 274). This passage is quoted and explained at VM. i, 291; SnA. ii, 7. Cf. Thig. 55; Mil. Pañh., 405.
26 Text uppann'uppanno, but Sinh. MSS. ,v.l. uppanne (as at Expos. i,90).
27 Thānaso, causally, on the spot, at the moment. Comy.khaṇen'eva.
28 Cf. supra, text, 50, where reading is vggataṅ.