SUMMARY OF THE DISCOURSE ON
MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING.
A classic discourse of the Buddha from
Middle Length Discourse (Sutta 118)
Sixteen Stages to develop Mindfulness of Breathing
Speaking in Savatthi, north India, to noble ones, senior figures in the Dharma and new practitioners, the Buddha said that “mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated is of great fruit and great benefit.”
He added that this discourse fulfils the Four Applications of Mindfulness, namely application of mindfulness to body, feelings, the mind and the Dharma.
The explorations of such mindfulness fulfils the Seven Limbs of Awakening, namely mindfulness, inquiry, energy, happiness, calmness, concentration and equanimity
Each tetrad corresponds to each of the four applications of mindfulness.
FIRST TETRAD
S/he trains:
- Breathing in long he knows ‘I am breathing in long.
Breathing in short he knows ‘I am breathing in short.
- Breathing out long he knows ‘I am breathing out long.
Breathing out short he knows ‘I am breathing in short.
- Breathing in, I experience the whole body.
Breathing out, I experience the whole body.
- Breathing in, I calm the bodily formation.’
Breathing out, I calm the bodily formation.’
SECOND TETRAD
S/he trains:
- I will breathe in experiencing happiness.
I will breathe out experiencing happiness.’
- I will breathe in experiencing joy.
I will breathe out experiencing joy.
- I will breathe in experiencing mental formation.
I will breathe out experiencing mental formation.
- I will breathe in calming the mental formation.
I will breathe out calming the mental formation.’
THIRD TETRAD
S/he trains:
- I will breathe in experiencing the mind.
I will breathe out experiencing the mind.
- I will breathe in gladdening the mind.
I will breathe out gladdening the mind.
- I will breathe in concentrating the mind.
I will breathe out concentrating the mind.
- I will breathe in freeing the mind.
I will breathe out releasing the mind.’
FOURTH TETRAD
S/he trains:
- I will breathe in seeing impermanence.’
I will breathe out observing impermanence.’
- I will breathe in seeing fading away.
I shall breathe out seeing fading away.
- I shall breathe in seeing cessation
I shall breathe out seeing cessation
- I shall breathe in seeing letting go
I shall breathe out seeing letting go.
The Buddha concluced: “This is how the Seven Limbs (Factors) of
Awakening developed and cultivated fufill true knowledge and liberation.”
The text adds that the Sangha of practitioners were satisfied and delighted in the Buddha’s words.
May all beings live mindfully
May all beings explore deeply
May all beings experience the knowledge of liberation