Maybe you could post a link or upload the text itself?
It would be interesting to see if you come up with a different perspective.
with metta
Maybe you could post a link or upload the text itself?
It would be interesting to see if you come up with a different perspective.
with metta
Dear Friend and Teacher, please take no offense as someone may have already pointed this out. But the word you you need is âwhichâ. And thank you so much for this exposition on Anapanasanti.
Dear Friend, I just join your group and wish to thank you for showing us how to practice the Anapanasati. However, I am still struggling getting the steps correctly, in particular, the first step. This is the question: The first step says "Breathing in long, he knows: âI breathe in longâ; or breathing out long, he knows: âI breathe out longâ. What is the technical operation we should do when we meditate? Do we say silently say âBreathing in longâ and then do breathe in long and say at the time silently âI breathe in longâ? Or do we just do âBreathing in longâ while actually breathing in at the same time without saying silently âI breathe in longâ? Thank you. Metta
Hi @sparkles, welcome to the forum!
Venerable AnÄlayo has a book on the ÄnÄpÄnasati Sutta called âMindfulness of Breathing,â published last year. This goes into interpreting the text in deep detail.
Ajahn Brahm also has a sutta-based but more informal and very accessible book called âMindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditatorâs Handbook.â
In various traditions, various interpretations have been given to the original recommendations on ÄnÄpÄnasati. Some advocate for techniques such as counting the breaths, noting the in- and out-breaths, focusing on a body part where breathing is felt. These techniques are not directly grounded in the ÄnÄpÄnasati Sutta itself but are later additions that various teachers thought might aid establishing mindfulness.
The Pali text says
DÄ«ghaáč vÄ assasanto âdÄ«ghaáč assasÄmÄ«âti pajÄnÄti, dÄ«ghaáč vÄ passasanto âdÄ«ghaáč passasÄmÄ«âti pajÄnÄti
This may be translated as
When breathing in long, they know that they are breathing in long. When breathing out long, they know that they are breathing out long.
âPajÄnÄtiâ is the key verb here which means âto knowâ rather than âto say.â At the same time, the breath is not controlled but observed in its natural unfolding. Both Ven. AnÄlayoâs and Ajahn Brahmâs recommendation is to be silently aware.
About the technique of counting, Ven. AnÄlayo writes (in chapter 3):
An example in point is the counting technique, according to which one should count each breath, such as counting from one to ten and then starting over again from one [âŠ] Such techniques are not found as part of the instructions on the sixteen steps in the early discourses [âŠ] Excessive counting can in fact at times stimulate conceptual activity in the mind, rather than quieting it.
The drawback pointed out by the last sentence of the quote would apply to silently saying âbreathing in longâ as well.
Hi Nanavippayutta,
I am so pleased to be part of the forum. I can learn so much from you all about Buddhaâs teachings. Thank you and thank you for your kind reply. I want to make sure that I practice within what the Buddha says in the Anapanasati Sutta, without adding or subtracting ideas.
I like your explanation of the breathing step and doing it naturally without controlling the breath. Thank you!
Where can I purchase the "Mindfulness of Breathingâ book written by Venerable Analayo. Is there an electronic version of it and would you have the link to purchase it?
Thanks again.
Metta.
Ven AnÄlayo has a lot of his books in free pdf files on his website here.
If you donât find what you want, then use Amazon (paperback or Kindle) or your regular books suppler.
According to SN 54.1, it is a series of 16 practices, not the 16 steps (see pp. 225-7 in Choong Mun-keat, the Fundamental Teachings of Early Buddhism). The âpracticesâ and âstepsâ are not the same idea and understanding.
Also, it is better to consider Anapanasati in the SN/SA suttas centres mainly on practice and experience for individuals in a practical sense, rather than on idealistic and systematic theory of 16 âstepsâ.
Thank you, Gillian!
The link has a wealth of info.
Analayoâs books and articles usually eventually end up freely downloadable on that page within 2 or 3 years. The Mindfulness of Breathing book isnât there yet (itâs too newly released). You can get that at: Mindfulness of Breathing: A Practice Guide and Translations eBook - Windhorse Publications
(and on websites like Amazon no doubt also).
Thereâs an interesting series of guided meditations for the book (freely downloadable), which may be useful in their own right:
Mindfulness of Breathing Audio - Windhorse Publications
(thereâs a similar set for his satipatthana practice book).
I consider the sutta SN 54.1, presents very clear about the practice of Anapanasati. It is a series of 16 practices (not âstepsâ of idealistic and systematic theory). One does not really need any personal guides, which could be incorrect. Just follow the sutta teaching to practice the sati.
Ven. AnÄlayo, Ajahn Brahm, and Ven. áčŹhÄnissaro all call them steps. As you have an interpretation of SN 54.1 and MN 118, others do as well.
I agree with some of that. Itâs a valid counterpoint/caution. Buddhism is full of commentaries on the suttas (both old and new). What is Analayoâs book but a modern practice-oriented commentary giving his opinion on some suttas related to anapanasati? Commentaries can be helpful, but sometimes wrong (I donât even always agree with Analayoâs conclusions) and perhaps at times people might be better staying away from them.
You say they are not âstepsâ. Thatâs something that is not clear either way from the sutta. There does appear to be a fairly natural sequential progression within each tetrad at least. Whether the Buddha intended the practice to be sequential all the way through, each âpracticeâ to stand on its own, or perhaps a tetrad at a time is hard to say.
The Choong Mun-keat reference you give above doesnât actually take a stance on this. Heâs just comparing parallels on this topic. He does incidentally use the phrase âboth versions list a series of sixteen practicesâ. Thatâs all. âPracticesâ is an appropriate neutral term in this context (the term âstepsâ would be somewhat loaded, taking a particular interpretational stance). He doesnât actually mount an argument that these are individual practices rather than steps. IMO itâs unclear from the sutta whether these are steps in a sequence or not (or perhaps either approach was meant to be valid depending on circumstances or inclination).
The sutta does not present any term or meaning for step, but just practice and experience. E.g. in the practice of the observation (anupassana) of anicca, the sutta does not say this practice should be practiced as a final step within the idealistic and systematic theory of 16 steps. The teaching centres mainly on practice and experience for individuals in a practical sense.
I am unable to see why they call them âstepsâ?
On the 13th practice on anicca, there are sequences elsewhere within the suttas that trace a development leading from observing anicca on to then developing disenchantment and then onto letting go. It doesnât seem implausible that practice might sometimes progress in such a way from the 13th to 16th practices and that this is a rather natural order in which to structure these practices.
Many of the first three tetrads end with a practice with tranquilized body, feelings or mind. It doesnât seem a big leap to me that earlier practices within these tetrads might often flow onto these later practices in such a sequence.
Amongst the four satipatthanas themselves, there does seem to be a loose order, from grosser/coarser to more refined/subtle. Iâd think contemplation of vedanas would generally be easier if the body was tranquil. Similarly, contemplation of the mind should be easier if the feelings and body were tranquil. And contemplation of dhammas should tend be easier if body, feelings and mind are tranquil or stilled. Itâs probably too narrow an interpretation to impose a strict sequence, but such a progression might perhaps sometimes be useful.
I suppose when looks at various lists within the suttas, a natural question is whether the order is meaningful. Sometimes it apparently isnât, e.g. the stock order in which the four elements or the six sense bases are normally listed. Sometimes it is explicitly stated that order is meaningful, e.g. the seven enlightenment factors and their sequential development. Sometimes it is a bit unclear, e.g. the five aggregates seem to be generally ordered from from gross/physical to more subtle or the five faculties seem to be ordered somewhat sequentially (though that is never stated IIRC). But IMO just because it is nowhere explicitly stated that a list is sequential doesnât mean it isnât (of course, the opposite may hold also ).
Attention normally keeps switching between body, feelings and mind and one will be emphasized dependent on temperament. The four steps are exercises which develop one or other of those areas so focus can be more effective in overall mindfulness. According to the temperament of the individual practitioner, astrology will reveal whether they are naturally receptive to body (earth), feelings (water), or mind (air and fire).
The only reason they are called âstepsâ is because of the increasing degree of difficulty in focusing on body, feelings, mind respectively. Body (internal or external materiality) is the easiest that is why the Buddha puts the emphasis there (MN 119).
Leading Theravada teachers focus on either body or feelings:
SatipaáčáčhÄna meditation objects
MahÄsi SayÄdaw postures
Pa Auk SayÄdaw 4 elements
S.N. Goenka feeling
Thanissaro feeling (piti)
There are two stages mentioned in the suttas, 1) the establishing of mindfulness and 2) the development of it. In the first the foundations are treated like individual exercises; in the second they are integrated into a process of insight. Whatever occurs in the first three foundations will be subjected to the mental frame (fire) of the fourth. The instructions for the establishing of mindfulness are in MN 118 itself, and no instructions for the development are found there despite the introductory sentences which mention âdevelopment.â On the other hand, MN 10 consistently refers to the four foundations as âestablishings.â The instructions for development are found in SN 47.40.
From 13th to 16th practices are one section, and are a final section indicated in the text. These are clearly natural progress in the practices. But this is not what I refer to.
The issue is this final section (anicca âŠ) does not have to be systematic and idealistic steps as a result of previous sections of practices, which are being called as steps.
The 16 practices move from the practice of mindfully knowing the bodily breathing in seated meditation, through calming of bodily and mental activities, to observing anicca and so on. Naturally they are bodily and mentally interconnected on practice and experience in a practice sense.
Thanks for your explanation indeed.
But I have to say the instructions are entirely a Theravada teaching, and not really useful and practical as indicated in the SN suttas, such as SN 54.1 for Anapanasati, and SN 47.2 for Satipatthana.
Regarding the steps in the Anapanasati (MN 118) and Satipatthana (MN 10) suttas, this extract from an interview shows how feeling (second step) is an intermediary between body and mind (mind=third and fourth steps), and how it is easier to access the body and feelings than the mind, and this is the reason teachers focus on those two areas as indicated in my previous post, and of course the reason the body is the first step in the suttas.
Q. Lay teachers often emphasize the importance of knowing the direct or âfeltâ sense of an experience rather than having a concept of it. Thus, we say, âthe body feels like this,â âknee pain feels like this,â âa mind thatâs restless feels like this.â Would you say that the body is the easiest place to first experience the felt sense?
Bh. Analayo: Yes, and I would clarify this felt sense as vedana. I think what youâre saying is very important. It is precisely why we donât just have body contemplation being followed by contemplation of mind states, but in between these two we have the second Satipatthana, vedana. So working with the felt sense is precisely what to my mind is the rationale underlying the progression from body to feeling. Then, as feeling is not confined to the body aspect but also takes in the mental aspect, it becomes natural to move on to the mind. That is a beautiful progression.
It should also be remembered that the other groups of four in the teaching, such as the 4 noble truths are capable of forming an overall unity while at the same time being initally learned as steps. This two part process is just a normal procedure, such as how one might learn to play a musical instrument. So seeing the steps in the Anapanasati sutta as individual exercises is an elementary view which precedes their integration as a matter of experience in practice.
It seems the âstepsâ theory is needed for the expanded versions of sati (MN118, MN 10), if one follows the Anapanasati MN 118 and Satipatthana MN 10 suttas.
But if one follows closely SN 54.1 Anapanasati and SN 47.2 Satipatthana suttas, it seems the âstepsâ theory is not really useful and practical. In the SN suttas, body and mind are naturally interconnected in a practical sense. One simply cannot manage and know well about mental activities without physical awareness, including keeping silence. In Anapanasati (SN 54.1), it moves from the practice of mindfully knowing the bodily breathing in seated meditation, through calming of bodily and mental activities, to observing anicca and so on. In Satipatthana (SN 47.2), awareness/manfulness is applied in all bodily and mental activities (body, feeling, mind, phenomena) at the present moment.