I was reading Ps for about 5 hours yesterday, it was genuinely exciting and stimulating. Who would have thought?
I started with the free PDF that B.Dhammanando linked to recently,
Mindfulness of
Breathing
(Ánápánasati)
uddhist Texts from the Páli Ca
and
tracts from the Páli Commenta
Translated from the Páli by
Bhikkhu Ñáóamoli
Part 3 of the book gives the explanation of 16 APS (anapanasati) excerpted from KN Ps.
I’ll quote a couple really interesting lines that shed light on the first 4 steps of 16 APS.
But what is unclear to me, is how it works with jhāna and 7sb (satta bojjhanga, awakening factors).
In particular, how is kāya understood in Ps explanation of 7sb? I would assume it’s the same as it is in 16 APS (which I’ll quote below).
I read through the part of the Ps book on 4sp (satipatthana), and it made a lot of sense. I’ll talk about that later, but I wanted to ask the community here if the 4 jhānas, and perhaps the 4 classic jhana similes are detailed in Ps, like it is in Vimuttimagga and Vism? And If so, can you tell me what chapter? I skimmed through the book, but did not find what I was looking for so far.
The reason I found Ps exciting was because I had presumed they would have the same position as Vism. and Abhidhamma on many of the key issues on the controversy of kāya and the nature of jhāna, but it looks like it might be a lot different then what I presumed.
I believe B. Dhammanando said KN Ps was the earliest Theravada commentary, and is attributed to Sariputta. It would be interesting to to trace how Sariputta, post parinibbana no less, managed to change his understanding of jhāna from MN 111, to KN Ps, to Abhidhamma and Vism.
(Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension)
- (§37). For one who knows one-pointedness and nondistraction of mind 170 by means of long in-breaths and out-breaths,
feelings are known as they arise, known as they appear, known as
they subside. Perceptions are known as they arise, known as they
appear, known as they subside. Applied thoughts are known as
they arise, known as they appear, known as they subside.
(whole body experienced, body is mental and physical)
- (§48). “
Experiencing the whole body,’ I shall breathe in, thus he trains himself;
experiencing the whole body,’ I
shall breathe out, thus he trains himself.”
“Body”: There are two bodies—the mentality-body and the
materiality-body.
Feeling, perception, volition, sense-impression, attention
mentality and the mentality-body—and those (things) which
are called the mental formations—this is the mentality-body. 176
The four great primaries and the materiality derived from
the four great primaries—in-breath and out-breath and the sign
for the binding (of mindfulness)—and those (things) which are
called the bodily formations—this is the materiality-body.177
43. (§49). “Experiencing”: for one who knows onepointedness and non-distraction of mind through breathing in
long, breathing out long, breathing in short, breathing out short,
mindfulness is established. By means of that mindfulness and
that knowledge those bodies are experienced.178
(kaya sankhara defined, more than just breath)
- (§51). “
Calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself;
calming the bodily formation, I
shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.”
“Bodily-formation”: long in-breaths, long out-breaths, short in
breaths, short out-breaths, breathing in experiencing the whole body,
breathing out experiencing the whole body—these things are bodily
properties; being bound up with the body they are bodily
formations.180 He trains himself by calming, causing to cease,
pacifying, those bodily formations.
Such bodily formations whereby there is bending backward,
sideways, all ways, forward, shaking, trembling, moving of the
body—“`calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus
he trains himself; ‘calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe
out,’ thus he trains himself.”
Such bodily formations whereby there is no bending
backward, sideways, all ways, forward, shaking, trembling,
moving of the body—”`Calming the quiet and subtle bodily
formation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself; ‘calming the
quiet and subtle bodily formation, I shall breathe out,’ thus he
trains himself.