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 9
Vesālī or Asubha Suttaṃ
Vesālī
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:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Vesālī,
in Great Wood,
at the House with the peaked gable.
Now on that occasion
the Exalted One was talking to the monks in divers ways
on the subject of the unlovely,[19]
was speaking in praise of the unlovely,
was speaking in praise of meditation on the unlovely.
After that the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks, I wish to dwell in solitude for the half-month.[20]
I am not to be visited by anyone
save by the single one who brings my food."
"So be it, lord," replied the monks to the Exalted One.
[284] Thus no one visited the Exalted One
save only the single one who brought his food.
So those monks, saying,
'The Exalted One has in divers ways
spoken on the subject of the unlovely,
he has spoken in praise of the unlovely,
he has spoken in praise of meditation on the unlovely,'
spent their time given to meditation on the unlovely
in all its varied applications.[21]
As to this body,
they worried about it,
felt shame and loathing for it,
and sought for a weapon to slay themselves.
Nay, as many as ten monks
did so in a single day;
even twenty,
thirty of them slew themselves
in a single day.[22]
Now at the end of that half-month
the Exalted One,
on returning from his solitary life,
said to the venerable Ānanda:
"How is it, Ānanda?
The order of monks seems diminished."
"As to that, lord,
the Exaited One spoke to the monks
in divers ways on the subject of the unlovely,
spoke in praise of the unlovely,
spoke in praise of meditation on the unlovely.
Then the monks, saying,
'The Exalted One has in divers ways
spoken on the subject of the unlovely,
he has spoken in praise of the unlovely,
he has spoken in praise of meditation on the unlovely,'
spent their time given to meditation on the unlovely
in all its varied applications.
As to this body,
they worried about it,
felt shame and loathing for it,
and sought for a weapon to slay themselves.
Nay, as many as ten monks
did so in a single day;
even twenty,
thirty of them
slew themselves in a single day.
It were a good thing, lord,
if the Exalted One would teach
some other method,
so that the order of monks
might be established in gnosis."[23]
"Very well then, Ānanda.
Summon the monks
who dwell in the neighbourhood of Vesālī
to the service-hall."
"Very good, lord,"
replied the venerable Ānanda
to the Exalted One,
and, after summoning all the monks
who dwelt in the neighbourhood of Vesālī
to the service-hall,
he came to the Exalted One and said:
"Lord, the order of monks is assembled.
Now let the Exalted One do as he deems fit."
[285] Then the Exalted One went to the service-hall,
and on arriving there
sat down on a seat made ready.
As he thus sat
the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks, this intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing,
if cultivated and made much of,[24]
is something peaceful and choice,
something perfect in itself,[25]
and a pleasant way of living too.
Moreover it allays evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen[26]
and makes them vanish in a moment.[27]
Just as,monks,
in the last month of the hot season
the dust and dirt fly up,[28]
and then out of due season
a great rain-cloud lays them
and makes them vanish in a moment, —
even so intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing,
if cultivated and made much of,
is something peaceful and choice,
something perfect in itself,
and a pleasant way of living too.
Moreover it allays evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen,
and makes them vanish in a moment.
And how cultivated, monks,
how made much of,
is intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
if cultivated and made much of,
something peaceful and choice,
something perfect in itself,
and a pleasant way of living.
How does it allay evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
and make them vanish in a moment?
In this method a monk who
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,
is intent concentration
on in-breathing and out-breathing
if cultivated and made much of,
something peaceful and choice,
something perfect in itself,
and a pleasant way of living.
Thus does it allay evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
and make them vanish in a moment".
[19] As at Vin. (Pārājika iii); cf. VinA. iii, 393, Asubhi-kathā. Comy. refers to VM. i, 241 ff. ('in this fathom-long body,' etc.).
[20] Cf. supra, text, 12.
[21] Anekākāra-vokāraṇ.
[22] Cf. the case of Vakkali at K.S. iii, 105.
[23] Aññāya saṇṭhaheyya. Comy.= arahatte patiṭṭhaheyya
[24] Comy. bhāvito = uppādito, vaḍḍhito; bahulīkato = punappunaṇ kato.
[25] Asecanako. Comy. nāssa secanan ti (adulteration, mixing),' and defines it as anāsittako (unsprinkled), abbokiṇṇo (uninterrupted), pāṭiyekko (single), āveṇiko (unique); and gives another interpretation, viz.: āsittako, ojavanto, sabhāven'eva madhuro ti ('the elixir that no infusion needs,' K.S. i, 274). This passage is quoted and explained at VM. i, 291; SnA. ii, 7. Cf. Thig. 55; Mil. Pañh., 405.
[26] Text uppann'uppanno, but Sinh. MSS. ,v.l. uppanne (as at Expos. i,90).
[27] Thānaso, causally, on the spot, at the moment. Comy. khaṇen'eva.
[28] Cf. supra, text, 50, where reading is uggataṇ.
