Suggestions and tips regarding ānāpānasati

Q & A
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@Sunyo , @Brahmali , @sujato :

Please, if I may, could you all help me with suggestions and tips regarding ānāpānasati?

  1. Is it better with eyes closed or eyes open? How much difference does it make?

  2. Is it better to have several short sessions or one longer session? Please bear in mind that the main focus here is to truly enhance concentration.

  3. Should I focus on the air going in and out of the nostril or, on no specific point or, other specific point? If so, which one? But, my mind seems to focus better if I know a very specific point I should focus on, I’m not sure why.

During the time I was Mahayanin, I practiced a lot of zazen, but I know it’s different from ānāpānasati meditation. However, I do have experience with zazen

I’ve tagged the Bhikkhus I know are Bhikkhus here. I don’t know or haven’t spoken with everyone, but please, if you are a Bhikkhu (or not, but have experience with ānāpānasati meditation), you are welcome to help me. So, I also welcome suggestions for reliable books recommended by the Bhikkhus.

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SN 54.8 has this bit

Before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I too usually practiced this kind of meditation. And while I was usually practicing this kind of meditation neither my body nor my eyes became fatigued. And my mind was freed from defilements by not grasping.

To my knowledge, early canonical materials do not make an explicit mention of closed-eye meditation. In fact, the passage above would indicate that Bodhisatva’s eyes would have been open (otherwise, why would they be tired if they were closed?).

As you would know, Zazen is done with open eyes. Bk. Analayo doesn’t mention eyes (except for the passage I’ve quoted), both Bk. Thanissaro and Bk. Brahm promote closing eyes. So… :man_shrugging:

I can offer two books on the topic.

Bk. Analayo’s Mindfulness of Breathing is a good read as a dry, EBT-centric manual. It’s still kinda academic, slightly lengthy, but it’s a good education nonetheless.

Bk. Thanissaro’s With Each & Every Breath is a very interesting, very practice-oriented guide. Thai Forest Tradition has a way of doing things their way, and reading it, it’s very little “academic” compared to Analayo, but much more practical and engaging.

There’s the idea of focusing on paññatti / the concept of breath in Buddhist & other traditions. Locating exactly what breath is and where it’s located is a whole journey by itself.

Otherwise, Ānāpānasati suttas (SA 803 / MN 118) have very explicit guidelines on where to direct the mind.

I would’ve liked to answer more, but it could potentially get into “personal practice” warnings. So in the future, perhaps you can find skillful ways to pose these questions in an impersonal, academic format, investigating source materials. :wink:

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Hi,

Ajahn Sucitto also has a useful book and a set of talks on this practice.

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Thank you very much, mates.

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