2.1.2 Knowing the body through breathing - Ānāpānasati
Pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā, ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya,
They sit mastering the crossed legged posture, intending to keep their body upright,
parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā,
and they start by setting mindfulness all around the entrance of air,1
2.1.3 Instructions2
so sato va assasati, sato va passasati.
so they3 are only conscious of breathing in and of breathing out.4
Dīghaṃ vā assasanto “dīghaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
So breathing in long, clearly know “(I am taking a) long in breath,”5
dīghaṃ vā passasanto “dīghaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
breathing out long, you clearly know “(I am taking a) long out breath;”
rassaṃ vā assasanto “rassaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
breathing in short, you clearly know “(I am taking a) short in breath,”
rassaṃ vā passasanto “rassaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
breathing out short, you clearly know “(I am taking a) short out breath.”
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
You should train yourselves experiencing6 (becoming sensitive to) the whole body with the in-breath,7
sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
you should train yourselves experiencing (becoming sensitive to) the whole body with the out-breath;
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
you should train yourselves calming8 the body fabrications9 on the in breath,
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
you should train yourselves calming the body fabrications on the out breath.
2.1.4 Simile
Seyyathā pi, bhikkhave, dakkho bhamakāro vā bhamakārantevāsī vā
Mendicants, just as a skilled turner or their apprentice
dīghaṃ vā añchanto “dīghaṃ añchāmī” ti pajānāti,
when making a long turn, they clearly know “(I am making a) long turn,” or
rassaṃ vā añchanto “rassaṃ añchāmī” ti pajānāti,
when making a short turn, they clearly know “(I am making a) short turn”
2.1.5 Refrain
evam-eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dīghaṃ vā assasanto “dīghaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
Mendicants, when a meditator breaths in long, they clearly know “(I am taking a) Long in breath,”
dīghaṃ vā passasanto “dīghaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
when breathing out long, they clearly know “(I am taking a) Long out breath;”
rassaṃ vā assasanto “rassaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
when breathing in short, they clearly know “(I am taking a) short in breathing,”
rassaṃ vā passasanto “rassaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
when breathing out short, they clearly know “(I am taking a) short out breath.”
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
So they train themselves experiencing the whole body on the in breath,
sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
they train themselves experiencing the whole body on the out breath;
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
they train themselves calming the body fabrications on the in breath,
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
they train themselves calming the body fabrications on the out breath.
2.1.6 Insight Refrain10 & 11
Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
You should also abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) or12
bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding others (externally,13) or
ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) and others (externally,)14 or
samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination regarding the body, or
vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of cessation regarding the body, or
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination, and cessation regarding the body,15
“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness is that “there is a body,” is present16
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya,
for the purpose of fully developing knowledge and mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
abide not dependent on or grasping for something17 in the world (yourselves.)18
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
Mendicants, it is a meditator who abides contemplating the body as a collection of parts just so.
Pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā, ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya,
They sit mastering the crossed legged posture, intending to keep their body upright,
parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā,
and they start by setting mindfulness all around the entrance of air,1
2.1.3 Instructions2
so sato va assasati, sato va passasati.
so they3 are only conscious of breathing in and of breathing out.4
Dīghaṃ vā assasanto “dīghaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
So breathing in long, clearly know “(I am taking a) long in breath,”5
dīghaṃ vā passasanto “dīghaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
breathing out long, you clearly know “(I am taking a) long out breath;”
rassaṃ vā assasanto “rassaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
breathing in short, you clearly know “(I am taking a) short in breath,”
rassaṃ vā passasanto “rassaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
breathing out short, you clearly know “(I am taking a) short out breath.”
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
You should train yourselves experiencing6 (becoming sensitive to) the whole body with the in-breath,7
sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
you should train yourselves experiencing (becoming sensitive to) the whole body with the out-breath;
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
you should train yourselves calming8 the body fabrications9 on the in breath,
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
you should train yourselves calming the body fabrications on the out breath.
2.1.4 Simile
Seyyathā pi, bhikkhave, dakkho bhamakāro vā bhamakārantevāsī vā
Mendicants, just as a skilled turner or their apprentice
dīghaṃ vā añchanto “dīghaṃ añchāmī” ti pajānāti,
when making a long turn, they clearly know “(I am making a) long turn,” or
rassaṃ vā añchanto “rassaṃ añchāmī” ti pajānāti,
when making a short turn, they clearly know “(I am making a) short turn”
2.1.5 Refrain
evam-eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dīghaṃ vā assasanto “dīghaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
Mendicants, when a meditator breaths in long, they clearly know “(I am taking a) Long in breath,”
dīghaṃ vā passasanto “dīghaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
when breathing out long, they clearly know “(I am taking a) Long out breath;”
rassaṃ vā assasanto “rassaṃ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
when breathing in short, they clearly know “(I am taking a) short in breathing,”
rassaṃ vā passasanto “rassaṃ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
when breathing out short, they clearly know “(I am taking a) short out breath.”
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
So they train themselves experiencing the whole body on the in breath,
sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
they train themselves experiencing the whole body on the out breath;
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
they train themselves calming the body fabrications on the in breath,
passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
they train themselves calming the body fabrications on the out breath.
2.1.6 Insight Refrain10 & 11
Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
You should also abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) or12
bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding others (externally,13) or
ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) and others (externally,)14 or
samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination regarding the body, or
vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of cessation regarding the body, or
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination, and cessation regarding the body,15
“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness is that “there is a body,” is present16
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya,
for the purpose of fully developing knowledge and mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
abide not dependent on or grasping for something17 in the world (yourselves.)18
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
Mendicants, it is a meditator who abides contemplating the body as a collection of parts just so.
Ānāpānapabbaṃ Niṭṭhitaṃ
The end of the division on breathing in & out.
The end of the division on breathing in & out.
Notes
1
Parimukhaṃ although a word in its own-right, meaning ‘in front of’ or ‘to the fore,’ could potentially be a combination of ‘Pari’ + ‘mukha.’ ‘Pari’ being a prefix denoting, all round; altogether; or completely: and ‘mukha’ meaning mouth; face; entrance; or opening. The pāḷi phrase, ‘parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā,’ could therefore be translated as ‘They start by setting mindfulness all around the entrance of air,’ as found here, which maybe the nose, or mouth, or as ‘sets mindfulness to the fore/in front,’ meaning, that wherever the initial sign (nimitta) of the meditation object is, we should fix our mindfulness there. However both should be seen as accurate, with the latter being more in keeping with other forms of practice such as the recollections (anusati).
2
This is the same opening sequence to the practice as found in the ānāpānasati sutta. They can be viewed generally as 1. clearly know the object in one way; 2. clearly know the object in it’s opposite expression; 3. know the whole object in both ways; 4. develop calm towards the object.
3
The Pāḷi word ‘so,’ a masculine singular pronoun, literally translates as ‘he,’ although here translated as ‘they’ in the neuter.
4
The start and end of the breath, is the preliminary object of this practice, not a following the movement of the breath through the body at this stage. Not normally placed within the instructions, rather combined with '2.1.2 knowing the body through breathing'.
5
Some commentaries disagree as to the meaning of assasati and passasati, some explain them as being breathing-in & breathing-out and others as breathing-out & breathing-in respectively.
6
In the Madhya Āgama version translated by NJ Smith he notes in footnote nine“the text has Xue2 (Study) with Jue2 (experience) as an alternative reading” which he takes.
7
The practice in this third stage of ānāpānasati moves on from the first two stages and develops in two phases. The first stage is the breath body and the second is awareness of the whole body in a proprioceptive manner. First, expanding our awareness to the full flow of the breath and the direct movement of the body that result from breathing (breath body,) then a further expansion to the full body, including limbs, and other movements, not directly related to the breath. (Proprioception is the ability to know, or sense the position, movement and location of the body and its parts.)
8
In the Madhya Āgama version translated by NJ Smith he notes in footnote eleven that “the text has 'zhi4' stopping.”
9
See also SN54.7; 41.6; 22.79 and MN44.14.
10
Kayagatasati sutta’s insight refrain - For those who are living carefully, dedicated, and resolute in this way whatever thoughts connected with family life are abandoned, and with the abandoning of these the mind becomes tranquil, settles down, becomes one-pointed, and concentrated. Mendicants, it is a meditator who develops this mindfulness relating to the body like this.
11
The insight refrains and the twenty-one practices of this sutta can be summed up as looking at things as they really are (yathābhūtaṃ;) Stress (dukkha;) Inconsistency (anicca;) and Non-self (anattā.)
12
The first contemplations here are a seeing of things as they really are (yathābhūtaṃ;)
13
Although I have interpreted this as “others (externally)” it should be noted that externally could refer to other people, or simply other objects of a similar nature to the object being used as a meditation object, a good piece of advice in this regard is found in Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta MN61 “What is a mirror for?.”
14
The internal & external aspect of the insight refrain areas can be seen as an equalising self with others practice, first seeing how the process is for oneself, then shifting focus to how it happens for other beings, finally, reflecting how they are not different processes, just the same process happening elsewhere.
15
The origination and cessation refers to inconsistency (anicca,) described by the simple formula found throughout the canon 'Whatever is of the nature to arise, also has the nature to cease,' Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (exerpt) SN55.11. however, a more in-depth view of this process is found with the dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda,) sequence: “(past) With ignorance as a cause, mendicants, comes the arising of fabrications: (present) With fabrication as a cause, comes the arising of consciousness: With consciousness as a cause, comes the arising of name and form: With name and form as a cause, comes the arising of the six sense media: With the six sense media as a cause, comes the arising of contact: With contact as a cause, comes the arising of sensation: With sensation as a cause, comes the arising of craving: With craving as a cause, comes the arising of grasping (refuelling): With grasping (refuelling) as a cause, comes the arising of becoming: (future) With becoming as a cause, comes the arising of birth: With birth as a cause, comes the arising of ageing, and death: Due to this sorrow, lamentation, stress, melancholy, and grief come into existence.” Paṭiccasamuppāda sutta (excerpt) SN12.1. The time periods are the common understanding of them from the suttas, although the Abhidhamma shows that they can be interpreted as a momentary occurrence also.
16
This is a non-self (anattā) contemplation.
17
This non-grasping would be to views, or objects of craving; see also the second noble truth.
18
The world (loke) - themselves in parenthesis within the text - is related to the ‘All’ of the sabba sutta SN35.23, which is the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavours, body & tactile sensations, intellect & ideas. In the Lokapala Sutta AN2.9, describes the world as that which disintegrates, with conscience & concern for the results of unskilful actions as the guardians. The qualities of the world mentioned in the Loka Sutta SN3.23, are greed, aversion, and delusion, which are the attachment to the eight worldly conditions.
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