Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
54. Ānāpāna Saṃyutta
1. Eka-Dhamma Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
54. Kindred Sayings about
In-Breathing and Out-Breathing
1. The One Condition
Sutta 8
Dīpa Suttaṃ
The lamp
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][bodh][olds][than] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing,
if cultivated and made much of,
is of great fruit,
of great profit.
And how cultivated and made much of
is it of great fruit and great profit?
In this method, a monk
having gotten himself off to the 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,
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 breathes out a long breath he knows:
'I breathe out a long breath.'
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 mind (repeating):
'I shall breathe in,
feeling it go through the whole body.
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.'
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 ease
I shall breathe in.
Feeling the sense of ease
I shall breathe out.'
He makes up his mind (repeating):
'Aware of all mental factors
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):
'Gladdening 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 impermanence 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."
Formerly, monks, before I myself was enlightened with the perfect wisdom,
and was yet a Bodhisattva,
I used generally to spend my time in this way of living.
As I generally lived [281] in this way,
neither my body nor my eyes were fatigued,[15]
and my mind was freed from the āsavas.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'May neither my body nor my eyes be fatigued,
and by not clinging
may my mind be freed from the āsavas', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'Whatsoever memories and plans I have,
attached to the worldly life,[16]
may they be abandoned', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'May I dwell conscious of repugnance
for what is not repugnant' —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'May I dwell unconscious of repugnance for what is repugnant' —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'May I dwell conscious of repugnance
both for what is not repugnant and for what is' —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Wherefore, monks, if a monk should desire:
'Both for what is repugnant and what is not,
may I dwell unconscious of repugnance', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Rejecting alike what is non-repugnant and what is repugnant,
may I dwell indifferent,
mindful and composed', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Aloof from sensuality,
aloof from evil conditions,
having entered on the first trance,
which is accompanied by thought directed and sustained,
that is born of seclusion,
zestful and easeful,
may I abide therein' , —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'By the calming down of thought directed and sustained,
entering on that inward calm,
that onepointedness of mind
apart from thought directed and sustained,
that is born of mental balance,
zestful and easeful,
which is the second trance,
may I abide therein', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'By the fading out of zest
may I dwell [282] indifferent,
mindful and composed:
entering on the third trance,
which the Ariyans describe thus: —
"He who is indifferent and mindful dwells happily"', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'By the abandoning of ease,
by the abandoning of discomfort,
by the ending of the happiness and unhappiness
which I had before,
having entered on that state
which is neither pleasant nor painful,
that utter purity of mindfulness
reached by indifference,
the fourth trance,
may I abide therein', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Passing utterly beyond all consciousness of object,
by ending the consciousness of reaction,
by disregarding consciousness of diversity,
thinking
"infinite is space,"
may I attain and abide in
the sphere of infinite space', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Passing utterly beyond the sphere of the infinity of space,
reaching the sphere of infinite consciousness,
thinking
"infinite is consciousness,"
may I abide therein', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Passing utterly beyond the sphere of infinite consciousness,
thinking
"there is nothing at all,"
reaching the sphere of nothingness
may I abide therein', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
If he should desire:
'Passing utterly beyond the sphere of nothingness,
and reaching the sphere of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness,
let me abide therein', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Lastly, if a monk should desire:
'Passing utterly beyond the sphere of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness,
reaching the ceasing of consciousness and sensation,
let me so abide', —
he must give strict attention
to this same intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Now, monks, if intent concentration of this sort
be cultivated and made much of,
when he feels a pleasant feeling
he understands:
'That is impermanent.'
He understands:
'I do not cling to it.'
He understands:
'It has no lure for me.'[17]
[283] If he feels a painful feeling he understands:
'That is impermanent.'
He understands:
'I do not cling to it.'
He understands:
'It has no lure for me.'
So also if he feels a feeling that is neutral he understands:
'That is impermanent.'
He understands:
'I do not cling to it.'
He understands:
'It has no lure for me.'
If he feels a pleasant feeling,
he feels it as one released from bondage to it.
If he feels a painful feeling,
he feels it as one released from bondage to it.
If he feels a neutral feeling,
he it as one released from bondage to it.
If he has a feeling that his bodily endurance has reached its limit,
he is aware that he so feels.
When he has a feeling that life has reached its limit,
he is aware that he feels so.
He understands:
'When body breaks up,
after life is used up,
all my experiences in this world
will lose their lure and grow cold.[18]
Just as, monks,
because of oil and because of a wick
a lamp keeps burning;
but if oil and wick be used up
the lamp would go out,
because it is not fed, —
even so, monks,
if he has a feeling that his bodily endurance has reached its limit,
he is aware that he so feels.
When he has a feeling that life has reached its limit,
he is aware that he feels so.
He understands:
'When body breaks up,
after life is used up,
all my experiences in this world
will lose their lure and grow cold.'"
[15]Comy. 'In some other exercises (kammaṭṭhānesu) the body is tired and the eyesight afflicted.' He may here refer to the usual exercises of hatha-yoga, such as, unnatural postures, staring at a bright object or retaining the breath, etc.
[16]Geha-sita-sara-saṇkappā. With the refrain: If, etc., cf. M. No.3.
[17] Cf. K.S. iv, 143.
[18] Cf. S. ii, 83.
