Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
54. Ānāpāna Saṃyutta
1. Eka-Dhamma Vagga
The Aspiration Collection
Book 1: One Thing
Sutta 7
Kappina Suttaṃ
Kappina
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time Bhagava,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jeta-forest park.
Now at that time the Agéd One Mahā Kappina,
was seated not far from Bhagava,
body upright,
legs bent-across-lapwise,
mind attending to the mouth.
Then Bhagava, having seen the Agéd One Mahā Kappina seated nearby,
body upright,
legs bent-across-lapwise,
mind attending to the mouth,
said this to the beggars there:
"Do you see, beggars,
any squirming around
or trembling[1]
in the body of that beggar there?"
"Whenever we see this Agéd One, Bhante,
whether seated in a group
or seated alone by himself,
we do not see any squirming around
or trembling
in the body of that Agéd One."
"It is, beggars, because of the development
and making much of high-getting
that there is neither squirming around
or trembling in body,
nor squirming around
or trembling in mind.
Beggars, this beggar gains serenity
at pleasure,
without distress,
without difficulty.
And which serenity is it, beggars,
that developed and made much of
has neither squirming around
or trembling in body,
nor squirming around
or trembling in mind?
Recollecting aspiration-serenity, beggars,
developed and made much of
has neither squirming around
or trembling in body,
nor squirming around
or trembling in mind.
And how developed, beggars,
how made much of
does that respiration-remembering-serenity
have neither squirming around
or trembling in body,
nor squirming around
or trembling in mind?
Here beggars, a beggar
having gotten himself off to the forest
or to the root of some tree,
or to some empty hut,
and having taken up his seat there
sitting down,
setting the body upright,
legs bent-across-lapwise,
recollecting he attends to the mouth,
just so he recollects inspiration,
just so he recollects expiration.
If he inspires deeply, he knows:
'I am inspiring deeply.'
If he breaths out deeply, he knows:
'I am expiring deeply.'
If he inspires shallowly, he knows:
'I am inspiring shallowly.'
If he expires shallowly, he knows:
'I am expiring shallowly.'
'Reflecting on the totality of bodily experience,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on the totality of bodily experience,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying own-body-making,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying own-body-making,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on enthusiasm,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on enthusiasm,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Observing pleasure,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Observing pleasure,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on the own-making of the heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on the own-making of the heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying the own-making of the heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying the own-making of the heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on the heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Reflecting on the heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Abundantly content in heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Abundantly content in heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Composing the heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Composing the heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Liberating the heart,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'Liberating the heart,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for inconsistency,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for inconsistency,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for the end of lust,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for the end of lust,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for ending,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for ending,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for opportunities to let go,
I will inspire,'
this is the way he trains.
'On the look-out for opportunities to let go,
I will expire,'
this is the way he trains.
Suchwise 'developed', beggars,
suchwise 'made much of'
recollecting aspiration serenity
has neither squirming around
or trembling in body,
nor squirming around
or trembling in mind."
[1] Iñjitattaṃ and phanditattaṃ. The two main divisions here are intentional movements (including such things as having got caught up in a train of thought and reacting to imaginary situations with bodily gestures) and control of 'spontaneous' movements caused by the release of tension. Although here it is the absence of any movement that is being discussed and that in the context of what is to be understood is an advanced meditator, and really describes a state that is a result of a deep bodily tranquillity, to make this an instruction applicable across the spectrum from beginner to advanced, there must be some allowance for the beginner's deliberate adjustment of the posture and for the more advanced, change of posture consequent upon release of tensions. Properly managed, the former should be in the form of a deliberate, controlled re-adjustment to the upright posture when the posture has become distorted and interferes with concentration and also does not seem to yield to correction by way of release of tensions; the latter should be released under control and not produce any 'jerking' or 'twitching.'
So 'movement' would be too inclusive; Woodward's 'wavering or shaking" and Bhk. Bodhi's 'shaking or trembling' are to be seen among the various kinds of movements involved; Flickering is used by some seers to describe the condition; jerking, flapping, intentional movement, adjusting, twisting, twitching, etc.
