Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
54. Ānāpāna Saɱyutta
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 10
Kimbila Suttaɱ
Kimbilā[29]
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] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying at Kimbilā,
in Bamboo Grove.
Now on that occasion
the Exalted One addressed the venerable Kimbilā,
saying:
"Tell me, Kimbilā,
how cultivated,
how made much of,
is the practice of intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit,
of great profit?"
At these words the venerable Kimbilā was silent.
Then a second time
the Exalted One addressed the venerable Kimbilā,
saying:
"Tell me, Kimbilā,
how cultivated,
how made much of,
is the practice of intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit,
of great profit?"
And a second time at these words the venerable Kimbilā was silent.
Then a third time
the Exalted One addressed the venerable Kimbilā,
saying:
"Tell me, Kimbilā,
how cultivated,
how made much of,
is the practice of intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit,
of great profit?"
And a third time at these words the venerable Kimbilā was silent.
Thereupon the venerable Ānanda said this to the Exalted One:
"Now is the time for this, Exalted One!
Now is the time, O Happy One,
for the Exalted One to develop
the concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing.
Hearing the Exalted One's words
the monks will bear them in mind."
"Very well then, Ānanda.
Do you listen.
Apply your mind
and I will speak."
"Yes, lord," replied the venerable Ānanda
to the Exalted One, who said:
"How cultivated, Ānanda,
how made much of
is the intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit,
of glreat profit?
In this method, Ānanda, a monk
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,
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, Ānanda,
thus made much of
is the intent concentration on in-breathing and out-breathing
of great fruit,
of glreat profit.
Now, Ānanda, at such time as a monk,
while drawing in a long breath,
knows:
'A long breath I draw in';
or, breathing out a long breath,
knows:
'A long breath I breathe out';
or, when drawing in a short breath,
knows:
'A short breath I draw in';
or, when breathing out a short breath,
knows:
'A short breath I breathe out';
or, when he makes up his mind
(repeating):
'Feeling it go through the whole body
I shall [287] breathe in;
feeling it go through the whole body
I shall breathe out;
calming down[30] the bodily aggregate
I shall breathe in;
calming down the bodily aggregate
I shall breathe out,' —
at such time, Ānanda,
in body contemplating body
(as transient)
a monk dwells ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
Now, Ānanda, I declare
that this in-breathing and out-breathing
is a certain body.[31]
Wherefore, Ānanda,
a monk in body contemplating body
(as transient)
dwells ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
■
Again, Ānanda,
at such time as a monk 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.
Aware of the mental factors
I shall breathe in:
aware of the mental factors
I shall breathe out.
Calming down the mental factors
I shall breathe in:
calming down the mental factors
I shall breathe out," —
at such time,
in feelings contemplating feelings,
he dwells ardent,
self-possessed;
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.'
Now, Ānanda,
I declare that this in-breathing and out-breathing,
this close attention to it,
is a certain feeling.[32]
Wherefore, Ānanda, a monk,
in feelings contemplating feelings,
at such time dwells ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
■
Again, Ānanda,
at such time as a monk makes up his mind
(repeating):
'Aware of mind
I shall breathe in:
aware of mind
I shall breathe out.
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,' —
at such time,
in mind [288] contemplating mind
(as transient),
a monk dwells ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
What is the cause of that?
I declare, Ānanda,
that the practice of intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
is not a mindfulness that is relaxed
or not composed.
Wherefore, Ānanda, I say
a monk dwells in mind contemplating mind,
ardent,
selfpossessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
■
Again, Ānanda,
at such time as a monk 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,' —
at such time,
in mind-states contemplating mind-states,
a 'monk dwells ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
Abandoning whatever dejection arises from coveting,
seeing it[33] with the eye of insight,
he is completely disinterested.
Wherefore I say, Ānanda,
at such a time
that monk dwells in mind-states contemplating mind-states,
ardent,
self-possessed,
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
Suppose, Ānanda, a heap of dust
at the place where four high-roads meet,
and from the eastern quarter
comes a cart or chariot,
and that heap of dust
is made less.
Then from the western quarter
comes a cart or chariot,
and that heap of dust
is made less.
Then from the northern quarter
comes a cart or chariot,
and that heap of dust
is made less.
Then from the southern quarter
comes a cart or chariot,
and that heap of dust
is made still less, —
just so, Ānanda,
by dwelling in body contemplating body,
evil, unprofitable conditions are made less
by dwelling in feelings contemplating feelings,
evil, unprofitable conditions are made less
by dwelling in mind contemplating mind,
evil, unprofitable conditions are made less
by dwelling in mind-states contemplating mind-states,
evil, unprofitable conditions are made less."[34]'
[29] For the village, see S. iv, 181; for the monk, Brethren, 105, 125.
[30] Text misprints passambhanyaṅ as passam bhayaṅ here and through. out.
[31] Kāy'aññataraṅ. Comy. 'one of the earth- (extension) element ... air- (mobile)element bodies ... fed on food,' etc. As he contemplates breathing in its bodily process, the exercise is equivalent to a contemplation of body as an aggregate, impermanent, etc.
[32] Comy. 'it is sukha-vedana.'
[33] Text misprints divā for disvā (aādhukaṅ ajjhupekkhitā).
[34] Comy. 'like the high-road are the sense-spheres. The dust-heap is the impurities therein. The four objects of meditation used in the four stations of mindfulness are like the four carts coming from the four quarters.'
