Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
54. Ānāpāna Saɱyutta
1. Eka-Dhamma Vagga
Connected Discourses on Breathing
Book 1: One Thing
Sutta 7
Kappina Suttaɱ
Mahākappina
Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi
[1][pts][olds] At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion the Venerable Mahākappina was sitting not far from the Blessed One, with his legs folded crosswise, holding his body straight, having set up mindfulness in front of him. The Blessed One saw him sitting nearby, with his legs folded crosswise, his body straight, having set up mindfulness in front of him. Having seen him, he addressed the bhikkhus thus:
"Bhikkhus, do you see any shaking or trembling in this bhikkhu's body?"
"Venerable sir, whenever we see that venerable one, whether he is sitting in the midst of the Saṅgha or sitting alone in private, [316] we never see any shaking or trembling in that venerable one's body."
"Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, that concentration through the development and cultivation of which no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind. And what concentration is it through the development and cultivation of which no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind?
"It is, bhikkhus, when concentration by mindfulness of breathing[295] has been developed and cultivated that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind. And how, bhikkhus, is concentration by mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind?
"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body, and set up mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.. .. He trains thus: 'Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.'
"It is, bhikkhus, when concentration by mindfulness of breathing has been developed and cultivated in this way that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind."
[295] At this point a shift is introduced in the text from simple ānāpānasati to ānāpānasati-samādhi. This change continues through the following suttas.
