Awareness by Breathing is a Unique thing!
Once in
Savatthi
the Blessed Buddha said this:
Bhikkhus, there is one unique thing, which when trained & cultivated,
is of great fruit and great advantage. What is that one unique thing?
Is
Awareness by Breathing (Ānāpānasati)! And how, Bhikkhus, is this
Awareness by Breathing trained, developed, cultivated & refined so
that it is of really great fruit and gigantic long-term advantage?
Bhikkhus, when a Bhikkhu, who have gone to the forest, or to the
root of a tree, or to an empty hut, there he sits down cross-legged,
having straightened his body and back, & set up awareness around
the nostrils, then just plain aware of that itself he breathes in, and
then just solely aware of only that breathing itself he breathes out...
1: Breathing in long, he knows, notes & understands: I inhale long!
Breathing out long, he knows, notes & understands: I exhale long!
2: Breathing in short, he knows, notes & understands: I inhale short!
Breathing out short, he knows, notes & understands: I exhale short!
3: He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe out!
4: He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe out!
5: He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe out!
6: He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe out!
7: He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe out!
8: He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe out!
9: He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe out!
10: He trains thus: Elating & satisfying the mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Elating & satisfying the mind, I will breathe out!
11: He trains thus: Concentrating & focusing mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Concentrating & focusing mind, I will breathe out!
12: He trains thus: Releasing, & liberating the mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Releasing, & liberating the mind, I will breathe out!
13: He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out!
14: He trains thus: Contemplating
disillusion, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe out!
15: He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe out!
16: He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out!
It is, Bhikkhus, when
Awareness by Breathing is trained, developed
& refined in exactly this way, that it is of great fruit & advantage!
Source
(edited extract):
The
Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta
Nikaya. [V:311]
section 54: Ānāpānasamyutta.
Thread 1: A Unique Thing!
These 16 steps should be memorized fully. Print out & bring to pillow!
On
Ānāpāna-sati Meditation technique used by all Buddhas at Awakening:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Manual/Meditation.Manual.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404502
Unique is Awareness by Breathing!
