The Buddha's Instructions on Breath Meditation

Commentary on the Anapanasati sutta. Here we glimpse the true potential of this practice that can lead all the way to Spiritual Enlightenment.

Transcript

Hello,

This is Ajahn Achalo.

Listening back to this talk that I gave to a group of long-term students on retreat,

In deciding to share the talk with a wider group of people,

I realized that the talk could benefit from something of an introduction.

Different talks are given with different intentions.

In teaching a one-off talk,

I would usually try to cover a few broad points and at the same time try to lift people's faith,

Confidence and inspiration.

There would often be some personal anecdotes in such talks.

Talks given on longer intensive retreats,

However,

Are an opportunity to cover subjects in much more specific detail with deeply committed people who are paying closer attention.

This talk is a reading of,

And my commentary too,

The Buddha's instructions regarding breath meditation,

The Anapanasati Sutta.

It actually took me 20 years as a monk before I had the courage to offer my thoughts on this Sutta,

As it is considered such a central and important one.

Ideally,

This talk would be most suitable for people who have been practicing breath meditation for some time and who have some familiarity with the terminology of Theravada Buddhism.

Having said this,

However,

I am also confident that a sincere beginner could gain some benefit from listening,

Especially if one is willing to be patient and simply take what is useful for now.

Listening back repeatedly,

Layers of deeper and clearer meaning may also become apparent.

It is important to understand that every single word in such a text has very specific nuanced meaning,

So it is important to take time and to be careful in reading and commenting.

This can seem a little boring and tedious at times,

But by listening with patience some new and important information might be heard and understood on a deeper level,

And one's practice might benefit greatly.

Because the phrasing of such text can sound a little archaic and tediously repetitive at times,

Listeners will need to be patient,

Sincere and determined.

Acknowledging that the Lord Buddha himself says within this very text that this practice of breath meditation,

When cultivated sincerely and consistently,

Essentially leads to the enlightened state,

Should be a good way to stimulate some genuine interest.

Please be patient with the introduction,

Which is mostly setting the scene and context.

The actual instructions begin a few minutes into the talk.

Because Lord Buddha is addressing a group of male celibate monks exclusively in this teaching,

The language is gender specific.

Modern people can find this offensive.

Please try to listen to the information that the Buddha was sharing with the monks,

Recognizing that the information has nothing to do with gender.

When the Buddha addressed nuns only on other occasions,

His language would have been gender specific to them as well.

It is in fact quite amazing that we can hear teachings that were given to monks more than 2500 years ago,

And many of the great practitioners listening to the original teaching would have actually become enlightened while listening.

So let us approach this teaching with gratitude,

Awe and respect.

I sincerely hope that something in this talk is useful to you wherever you are now.

The Anapanasati Sutta,

Mindfulness of breathing.

As I was saying,

Reading the suttas can be challenging because the profundity and the density of the meaning.

Every single word in some of these suttas has very specific meaning.

So I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability,

Understanding that all of these things are subject to interpretation.

And I'll do my best.

At the very least,

We'll see that this is a very profound practice,

And that leads onwards.

That's what I heard.

On one occasion,

The Blessed One was living at Savatthi in the Eastern Park,

In the palace of Migra's mother,

Together with many very well-known elder disciples,

The venerable Sariputta,

The venerable Mahamoghalana,

The venerable Mahakasapa,

The venerable Mahakachana,

The venerable Mahakathita,

The venerable Mahakapina,

The venerable Mahachunda,

The venerable Anuruddha,

The venerable Revata,

The venerable Ananda,

And other very well-known elder disciples.

Now on that occasion,

Elder bhikkhus had been teaching and instructing new bhikkhus.

Some elder bhikkhus had been teaching and instructing ten,

Some elder bhikkhus had been teaching and instructing twenty,

Thirty,

Forty bhikkhus.

And the new bhikkhus taught and instructed by the elder bhikkhus had achieved successive stages of high distinction.

On that occasion,

The opposite day of the 15th,

On the full moon night of the Poharana ceremony,

The Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Sangha of Bhikkhus.

Then surveying the silent Sangha of Bhikkhus,

He addressed them thus,

Bhikkhus,

I am content with this progress.

My mind is content with this progress.

So arouse still more energy to attain the unattained,

To achieve the unachieved,

To realize the unrealized.

I shall wait here at Savati for the full moon of the fourth month.

The bhikkhus of the countryside heard.

The Blessed One will wait there at Savati for the Kamudi full moon of the fourth month.

And the bhikkhus of the countryside left in due course for Savati to see the Blessed One.

The full moon night of the Kamudi full moon of the fourth month.

The Blessed One was seated in the open surrounded by the Sangha of Bhikkhus.

Then surveying the silent Sangha of Bhikkhus,

He addressed them thus,

Bhikkhus,

This assembly is free from prattle.

This assembly is free from chatter.

It consists purely of heartwood.

Such is the Sangha of Bhikkhus.

Such is this assembly.

Such an assembly as is worthy of gifts,

Worthy of hospitality,

Worthy of offerings,

Worthy of reverential salutation,

An incomparable field of merit for the world,

Such is this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

Such an assembly that a small gift given to it becomes great and a great gift greater.

Such an assembly as is rare for the world to see.

Such an assembly as would be worth journeying many leagues with a travel bag to see.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who are arahants,

With taints destroyed,

Who have lived the holy life,

Done what had to be done,

Laid down the burden,

Reached their own goal,

Destroyed the fetters of being and are completely liberated through final knowledge.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who,

With the destruction of the five lower fetters,

Are due to reappear spontaneously in the pure abodes and there attain final nibbana without ever returning from that world.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who,

With the destruction of the three fetters and with the attenuation of lust and hate and delusion are once returners,

Returning once to this world to make an end of suffering.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who,

With the destruction of the three fetters are stream-enterers,

No longer subject to perdition,

Hell realms,

Etc.

,

Bound for deliverance,

Head for enlightenment.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who abide devoted to the development of the four Foundations of Mindfulness.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of Bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of Bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who abide devoted to the development of the four right kinds of striving.

The four great efforts,

The four bases for spiritual power,

The five faculties,

The five powers of the seven enlightenment factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who abide devoted to the development of loving kindness,

Of compassion,

Of altruistic joy,

Of equanimity,

The meditation on foulness,

Of the perception of impermanence.

Such bhikkhus are there in this Sangha of bhikkhus.

In this Sangha of bhikkhus there are bhikkhus who abide devoted to the development of mindfulness of breathing.

This is a section on mindfulness of breathing.

And this is this very profound paragraph I mentioned earlier.

Bhikkhus,

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

It is of great fruit and great benefit.

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

It fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness.

When the four foundations of mindfulness are developed and cultivated,

They fulfill the seven enlightenment factors.

When the seven enlightenment factors are developed and cultivated,

They fulfill true knowledge and deliverance.

One paragraph.

By practicing mindfulness of breathing,

One becomes aware of the body as a body,

Feelings as feelings,

Mind objects as mind objects,

And dharmas as dharmas.

And in that process,

Cultivate seven factors of enlightenment and cultivating those,

The mind is delivered to nirvana.

So Lord Buddha is obviously addressing a gathering of people whose spiritual qualities and merit are extraordinary.

Obviously having cultivated a lot of virtue in previous lives,

To have the merit and the spiritual faculties to have Lord Buddha praising them for their composure and for the development of their practice.

Can you imagine receiving instructions from Sariputta and Mahamoghalana and attaining successive stages of high distinction?

It is of course where this kind of practice goes that I'm going to stop and make a few comments throughout the sutta about because sometimes we read these things and we can actually feel a little disheartened because other people seem to attain successive stages of high distinction quickly and for us it can be a bit of a struggle.

The point is it's precisely through having struggled that how not so strong powers become powerful.

It's like exercising muscles.

So we understand that all of these people have practiced breath meditation,

Have been cultivating the five spiritual powers,

Etc.

For a good number of lives and now from all the merit of that and their karmic connection to the practices they find themselves in this situation,

Perfect situation for finishing off the practice,

Continuing with the sutta.

And how?

Because its mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and great benefit.

Here a bhikkhu gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut sits down,

Having folded his legs crosswise,

Set his body erect and established mindfulness in front of him.

Ever mindful he breathes in,

Mindful he breathes out.

So establishing mindfulness in front of him,

I think this just means making it four in the mind.

That's your purpose,

Establishing mindfulness in front of you.

The way I would interpret it is one establishes the intention to be mindful of the breathing.

That's what's foremost or prominent as one's task.

Ever mindful he breathes in,

Mindful he breathes out.

Breathing in long he understands,

I breathe in long.

Or breathing out long he understands,

I breathe out long.

Breathing in short he understands,

I breathe in short.

Breathing out short he understands,

I breathe out short.

So understand I would interpret as meaning mindfully aware,

Knowing the quality of the breath.

So it's just an example.

It's not a concept,

It's not a theory.

Breathing in long one knows,

One is breathing in long.

So that just means you are aware of the quality of the breath as you are breathing it.

If it's long you know it as it's long.

If it's short you know it as it's short.

As present moment mindful awareness,

Aware of the quality of the breath.

He continues,

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body of breath.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body of breath.

Knowing the entire breath,

Beginning,

Middle,

End.

Knowing the entire out breath,

Beginning,

Middle,

End,

Etc.

I shall breathe in tranquilizing the bodily formation.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out tranquilizing the body formation.

So calming the body and mind by using the breath.

So for the last six or seven days,

Practicing six or seven sessions of breath meditation,

You all have the experience of when you are able to be mindful of the breath and the mind calms and the body,

When the mind is calm the body also becomes more relaxed.

That's how I understand this,

Using the breath meditation to incline the mind to peacefulness and the body to well-being.

Continuing,

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing rapture.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing rapture.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure.

So these are these jhana factors when you are consistently with the breath,

With good mindfulness,

Rapture can arise in the mind.

So feelings of tingling sensations,

Feelings of coolness,

Some people have hair stand on their end,

Other people have tears roll down their faces,

This is quality of spiritual rapture and then the tranquility is,

He's translating sukkha,

Pity and sukkha,

That's sometimes translated as tranquility,

So it's a deeper,

Cooler type of spiritual pleasure.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure or tranquility,

I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure or tranquility.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation.

So knowing thought processes,

Knowing them as they arise,

Knowing the quality of them.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in tranquilizing the mental formation.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out tranquilizing the mental formation.

So all of this work that we try to do,

Seeing a thought as a thought,

Not identifying with it,

Not following on with it,

Putting it down when we can put it down,

That's how I understand it all.

So he qualified this practice,

Breathing in tranquilizing the mental formation,

Breathing out tranqui immediately formation,

Making the breath the object.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing the mind.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing the mind.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in gladdening the mind,

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out,

Gladdening the mind.

So you notice when thought quieten down and periods where there are no thoughts,

The quality of clear presence of awareness.

That's mind.

He trains us,

I shall breathe in gladdening the mind.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out gladdening the mind.

And you also notice that when there aren't many thoughts and there is a strong quality of mindfulness and presence of mind,

It's very pleasant,

Very peaceful,

Gladdening the mind.

The mind becomes full of this spiritual rapture and tranquility.

He continues.

He trains us,

I shall breathe in concentrating the mind.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out concentrating the mind.

So here I think Lord Buddha is probably talking about entering into the absorptions,

Apana samadhi in Pali or Jhana samadhi.

He trains us,

I shall breathe in liberating the mind.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out liberating the mind.

Again a very quick jump from going from rapture and tranquility to concentrating the mind to the mind being liberated.

It's wonderful to just hear this and reflect on this.

Wow!

When one is adept at this practice,

That's what happens.

Once you know how to concentrate the mind using the breath and how to reflect appropriately,

The mind will be liberated through doing this practice.

He trains us,

I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence.

He trains us,

I shall breathing contemplating fading away.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out contemplating fading away.

He trains us,

I shall breathing contemplating cessation.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out contemplating cessation.

He trains us,

I shall breathing contemplating relinquishment.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.

So these are the suttas that we've been reading pointing to this process.

We have the Anathalakana Sutta where the five bhikkhus contemplating that the khandhas are not a self,

They can't find a self there.

Lord Buddha instructs them to not see it as a self,

To actually see it as this is not I,

Not mine.

In doing that with their right spiritual faculties they had the experience of nibbidā,

Weariness and dispassion.

Then the mind was liberated through clinging no more.

So it's a very similar thing.

It's been seeing the characteristics fading away.

So what is it that's fading away?

It's the craving and the clinging based on seeing that they are dukkha in the fire sermon.

The Buddha is asking those fire-worshipping ascetics to look at the sense bases and see the way that they're on fire with greed,

Hatred and delusion.

Similarly when those thousand matted hair fire ascetics,

Previous matted hair fire ascetics,

By then they'd gone forth as bhikkhus,

When they saw that the five sense bases were on fire with greed,

Hatred and delusion.

Weariness arose,

Seeing it clearly.

Dispassion arose and their minds were liberated through not clinging.

So in this paragraph I shall breathe in contemplating fading away.

I should breathe out contemplating fading away.

So my interpretation is that the process that's occurring on is seeing the fading away of craving fueled by delusion,

Inspired by weariness and dispassion.

So with the weariness and the dispassion and very very very clear mindfulness and samadhi not feeding the delusion,

The delusion fades away.

He trains us continuing breathing in contemplating cessation,

Breathing out contemplating cessation.

So the cessation of craving,

The cause of suffering in the Second Noble Truth that we also studied,

Three types of craving.

The truth of deliberation from suffering,

Abandoning the causes of suffering,

Relinquishing,

Giving up the craving.

In doing that you're going to see the cessation,

Cessation that the influence of craving has on your mind.

A clear and composed mind seeing the downside of grasping and clinging,

Seeing it clearly,

Seeing through the delusion,

Seeing the truth.

You will see,

The meditator will see the cessation of the causes of suffering.

They will see cessation of the craving occur in their mind.

Relinquishing it.

He trains us,

I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment.

He trains us,

I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.

Because that is how mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and great benefit.

Relinquishing greed,

Hatred and delusion,

The mind is liberated through not clinging.

This is the section on the fulfillment of the four foundations of mindfulness and how because does mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated fulfill the four foundations of mindfulness.

Because on whatever occasion a bhikkhu breathing long understands I breathe in long,

All breathing out long understands I breathe out long.

Breathing in short understands I breathe in short,

Or breathing out short understands I breathe out short.

Kö是'I magician understand,

** train us,

I show breathing experiencing the whole body of breath.

Whoo hoohoo whoasure be that is very evil but he appears.

I should be that experiencing the whole body of bread.

**I shall greet him tranquil as been the body formation things thus I should read now tranquilizing the body formation on that occasion and and abides contemplating the body as a body,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

So Lord Buddha is saying this practice that we've been doing,

Being aware of each breath and climbing the mind to peacefulness and just holding the awareness in the body aware of that breath,

This is fulfilling mindfulness of the body,

Putting away covetousness and grief.

So that means not picking up liking and disliking,

Basically is how I would see that phrase.

So keeping the mind in the middle,

As Lompotra says,

Keeping the mind even,

Not craving for or not for.

Continuing,

I say this is a certain body among the bodies,

Namely in-breathing and out-breathing.

That is why on that occasion,

A bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

Bhikkhus,

On whatever occasion a bhikkhu trains us,

I shall breathe in experiencing Rapture.

Trains us,

I shall breathe out,

Experiencing Rapture.

Trains us,

I shall breathe in,

Experiencing pleasure.

Trains us,

I shall breathe out,

Experiencing pleasure.

Trains us,

I shall breathe in,

Experiencing the mental formation.

Thanks us,

I shall breathe out,

Experiencing the mental formation.

Trains I shall breathe in tranquilizing the mental formation.

Trains us,

I shall breathe out tranquilizing the mental formation.

On that occasion,

Abhiku abides contemplating feelings as feelings,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

I say that this is a certain feeling among the feelings,

Namely giving close attention to in-breathing and out-breathing.

So that is why on that occasion,

Abhiku abides contemplating feelings as feelings,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

So you are engaged in the process,

Placing your awareness on the breathing.

It's the coarse feelings of the physical body breathing at first.

But as the mind becomes peaceful,

The feeling that you become mindful of,

It's the feeling of rapture,

Mental feelings,

More subtle mental feelings,

And then of the deeper,

Passati,

Tranquility,

And becoming mindful of mental formations and then pacifying them,

Tranquilizing them,

And that's a feeling,

A tranquil feeling,

A serene feeling,

Very,

Very palpable.

That feeling arises because of a good,

Clear quality of mindfulness,

And then one is mindful of that feeling,

Holding it in a very clear,

Full,

Mindful awareness.

Lord Buddha is saying this is cultivating,

Fulfilling,

Mindfulness of feelings.

Abhikus,

On whatever occasion Abhiku trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe in gladdening the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe out gladdening the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe in concentrating the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe out concentrating the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe in liberating the mind,

Trains thus,

I shall breathe out liberating the mind.

On that occasion,

Abhiku abides contemplating mind as mind,

Ardent,

Fully aware,

And mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

I do not say that there is the development of mindfulness of breathing for one who is forgetful,

Who is not fully aware.

That is why on that occasion Abhiku abides contemplating mind as mind.

So Lord Buddha is making the point here that to fulfill the foundation of seeing mind object as mind object,

One is very,

Very aware.

That's a very,

Very clear presence of mind,

One pointedness of mind.

So this is once someone has some real samadhi,

I would assume.

That is why on that occasion Abhiku abides contemplating the mind as mind,

Ardent,

Fully aware,

And mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

But for those of us in the process,

It just means knowing when these thought formations are pacified and tranquilized to a significant degree and where there is some peacefulness there,

Clarity of mind,

As far as I understand this,

It just means staying with that,

Being with the clear,

Cool,

Mindful awareness that knows the peaceful mind.

Because on whatever occasion Abhiku trains thus,

I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence.

Trains that I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence.

Trains thus,

I shall breathing contemplating fading away.

Trains that I shall breathe out contemplating fading away.

Trains thus,

I shall breathing contemplating cessation.

Trains thus,

I shall breathe out contemplating cessation.

Trains thus,

I shall breathing contemplating relinquishment.

Trains thus,

I shall breathing out contemplating relinquishment.

On that occasion,

Abhiku abides contemplating mind objects as mind objects,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

Having seen with wisdom the abandoning of covetousness and grief,

Or liking and disliking,

He closely looks on with equanimity.

That is why on that occasion Abhiku abides contemplating mind objects as mind objects,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world.

So again,

It's a condensed synopsis of the process.

Breathing in contemplating impermanence,

Breathing out contemplating impermanence.

The next one,

Breathing in contemplating fading away,

Breathing out contemplating fading away.

So it's this tendency that we have to grasp the things as being permanent and pleasant.

When we see that they are impermanent,

Just as all of the people in the suttas we've been studying have,

When we see that these things aren't permanent,

They are impermanent,

Then there is fading away,

Fading away of the craving and the delusion,

And then there is the cessation.

So that's the process.

And when one fully experiences that process,

Brings that process to fruition,

Then the mindfulness of dumb as as dumb as mind objects as mind objects is accomplished.

Because this is how mindfulness of breathing,

Developed and cultivated,

Fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness.

Fulfillment of the seven enlightenment factors.

And how because to the four foundations of mindfulness,

Developed and cultivated,

Fulfill the seven enlightenment factors.

So seven enlightenment factors,

Mindfulness,

Investigation into dhamma,

Energy,

Rapture,

Tranquility,

Concentration and equanimity.

Because on what occasion Abhikku abides contemplating the body as a body,

Ardent,

Fully aware and mindful,

Having put away covetousness and grief for the world,

On that occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in him.

On whatever occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in Abhikku,

On that occasion the mindfulness enlightenment factor is aroused in him,

And he develops it,

And by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

Abiding thus mindful,

He investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it.

On whatever occasion abiding thus mindful,

Abhikku investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it,

On that occasion the investigation of state's enlightenment factor is aroused in him,

Dhamma,

Vichaya.

So you have experience now of when the mind is peaceful and clear.

There is sometimes,

Some people translate mindfulness as truth discerning awareness.

So when mindfulness is clear,

Not absorbing into a tranquil one-pointed state,

But when there's just that quality of being very very aware,

Noticing the characteristics of things.

So you just notice the breath arises,

There's many different feelings in it,

It ceases,

There's a space,

There's another breath,

Feelings in the body arising,

Changing,

Clear mindfulness seizes.

So seeing this clearly and paying attention to the characteristics,

This is an investigation into dhamma.

That's how I interpret it anyway.

And by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

In one who investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it,

Tireless energy is aroused.

On whatever occasion tireless energy is aroused,

In Abhikku who investigates and examines that state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it,

On that occasion the energy enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

So I'm sure you all have experience of that,

When the mindfulness is really good and the clarity is really good and you're seeing things according to their true nature,

The mind is very very awake and there's a lot of energy because the hindrances fall away,

The hindrances of sloth,

The hindrances of restlessness and what is left is that very very awake,

Very very bright,

Very very clear mind,

A lot of energy,

Factor of enlightenment.

In one who has aroused energy,

Unworldly rapture arises,

Spiritual rapture.

On whatever occasion unworldly rapture arises in Abhikku who has aroused energy,

On that occasion the rapture enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

So some people experience rapture as tingling sensations all throughout the body and mind,

Other people might experience it like deep cool well of water,

Other people experience rapture like a vast sense of space,

Others experience rapture as being a heavy and dense but very peaceful feeling,

Various types of rapture that come from a mind collecting.

In one who is rapturous the body and the mind become tranquil,

On whatever occasion the body and the mind become tranquil in Abhikku who is rapturous,

On that occasion the tranquility enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

So some of my teachers have explained rapture as being like waves on an ocean and the tranquility is when one dives deeper into a vast still coolness.

So when one experiences rapture in meditation my teachers have encouraged me to not grasp,

Not cling,

Keep the mind on the meditation object and basically go deeper.

There is that in us that wants to delight in it,

It's very pleasant but the wise teachers are saying just stay with the object,

Stay with the object,

Keep refining the mindfulness and what happens is the mind moves through the rapture which compared to tranquility when you first start to experience it it's so wonderful and exciting and very blissful but compared to tranquility it's actually quite coarse.

So when people become accustomed to a very very deep cool peaceful vast peaceful feeling that's what occurs when one cultivates concentration past rapture into tranquility.

So in one who's rapturous the body and the mind become tranquil on whatever occasion the body and the mind become tranquil in a bhikkhu who is a rapturous on that occasion the tranquility enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

In one whose body is tranquil and who feels pleasure the mind becomes concentrated on whatever occasion the mind becomes concentrated in a bhikkhu whose body is tranquil and who feels pleasure on that occasion the concentration enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him.

So in training in concentration one places the mindfulness on an object stays with that object consistently mindful of it rapture arises maintaining the mindfulness tranquility deepens allowing the mind to be with the tranquility and still with the meditation object the mind absorbs into one-pointedness concentration enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it by the development it comes to fulfillment in him he closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated on whatever occasion a bhikkhu closely looks on with equanimity at the mind that's concentrated on that occasion the equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him because on whatever occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating feelings as feelings ardent fully aware and mindful having put away covetousness and grief for the world the equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him so we're engaged in this process and you can see where it goes and just trying not to grasp at feelings trying not to like them Lord Buddha says having put away covetousness and grief so we're engaged in that struggle we're trying to put away our covetousness and grief sometimes exceeding when there isn't any strong liking or disliking but you can see as it deepens Lord Buddha explains equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it by development it comes to fulfillment in him because in whatever occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind as mind ardent fully aware and mindful having put away covetousness and grief for the world the equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him so practicing these four foundations of mindfulness seeing things clearly as they are without grasping for or grasping not for in each of those foundations of mindfulness equanimity as a result because on whatever occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind objects as mind objects ardent fully aware and mindful having put away covetousness and grief for the world the equanimity enlightenment factor is aroused in him and he develops it and by development it comes to fulfillment in him because that is how the four foundations of mindfulness developed and cultivated fulfill the seven enlightenment factors and how because to the seven enlightenment factors developed and cultivated to fulfill true knowledge and deliverance here because a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor which is supported by seclusion dispassion and cessation and ribans in relinquishment he develops the investigation of states enlightenment factor the energy enlightenment factor the rapture enlightenment factor the tranquility enlightenment factor the concentration enlightenment factor the equanimity enlightenment factor which is supported by seclusion dispassion and cessation and ribans in relinquishment because that is how the seven enlightenment factors developed and cultivated fulfill true knowledge and deliverance that is what the Blessed One said the bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words so just a few pages of the most profound instructions really about how to train in breath meditation to the point where your mind will be liberated in terms of knowing feelings as feelings and dhammas as dhammas so Lord Buddha is explaining about knowing feelings of the breath and then knowing pleasant and unpleasant feelings with equanimity supported by Jnana Samadhi and then he's talking about knowing mind states as mind states and he's talking about knowing the tranquility knowing the rapture knowing the absorption knowing that which knows these things and purifying the equanimity that comes from having that kind of steadiness but the process one doesn't start there one starts with knowing a pleasant feeling knowing an unpleasant feeling and not being a quantum s Lord Buddha says having put away covetousness and grief for the world that's not the starting point that towards the end we're keeping in mind that Lord Buddha is instructing people who are many of them already stream-enters such the companies are negamies so he's training people who have established a large amount of equanimity he's training them in purifying their equanimity the process of establishing equanimity is a different story and that's what many of us are working with but it is helpful to have a roadmap and to see where this goes all of our efforts to be more equanimous all of our efforts to put down craving for pleasant feelings aversion to unpleasant feelings all of our efforts to be mindful of thoughts and then try to let them go all of that that we do try to keep the mind in the middle the quality of the Dharma talk that I just tomato gave that I was reading yesterday he was saying even knowing misery and knowing despair he wasn't instructing people to be perfectly equanimous he was instructing people to know these mind states and see them as inevitable and natural and not something to make a problem out of so this is part of the process of training in mindfulness often we have to be mindful of a mind that isn't yet peaceful a mind that isn't yet rapturous we have to be mindful of a mind that hasn't given up covetousness and grief for the world but in the process we have periods of more tranquility we have periods of rapture we have periods of concentration we have occasions where we are able to put down painful thoughts and painful mind states this is the process which will get us to this point where those instructions we're actually doing the same practice but the way Lord Buddha describes it is once we've cultivated these practices to the point where our spiritual powers are truly powerful then the mind states that we're contemplating is rapture tranquility one pointedness seeing the impermanence the end result is even with these blissful mind states but because here a training in putting aside liking and disliking craving for craving not for they're purifying their equanimity in purifying the equanimity the clinging the attachment and the delusion falls away that's the exact same process that we've been looking at in all of those suitors and your condonia had the insight of Lord Buddha explained the full noble truth all that is of the nature to arise is of the nature to cease in seeing that his mind was liberated through clinging no more the five because such are not self so that there is no self in the eyes the ears the nose the tongue the body in forms etc and in seeing that Lord Buddha asked them is it painful to identify it as a self is it permanent no it's impermanent Lord isn't pleasant for is it painful painful in seeing that it wasn't permanent and seeing that it was painful they were then able to observe as Lord Buddha says relinquishment and cessation the minds were liberated through clinging no more but they didn't have that insight to the very end you know that's an interesting thing to consider same with the fire worshiping aesthetics practicing a lot of patient endurance with painful feelings a lot of austerity and Lord Buddha himself as he was practicing in the cave patiently enduring pain probably with quite a bit of equanimity but not yet with the internal investigation of the not self aspect and the an itch I aspect so when all the path factors are functioning when mindfulness is being applied in the four foundations of mindfulness these things gain a momentum but I do believe in a past week or so everybody has glimpsed what it's like to have some rapture in the mind what it's like to have some tranquility in the mind everybody has been able to see thoughts arise and cease with less grasping everybody's probably experienced some periods of significant concentration it might not have been Jhana but at least that sense of stillness clarity and so Lord Buddha just explains that we continue training our breath meditation this is what ripens the spiritual powers when the spiritual powers are ripe mindfulness being one of the spiritual powers it's strong enough clear enough consistent enough to really see the characteristics truth discerning awareness applied to the four foundations of mindfulness this relinquishment and cessation occurs the second noble truth is the cause of suffering the third noble truth is abandoning it fourth noble truth is the path of what we're doing cultivating our aspects of right view wisdom helps us to put away covetousness and grief for the world when we understand the eight worthy dumbest praise and blame all of these things we understand them as being equal if you have pleasure you have pain if you have happiness you have sadness you have success you have failure etc gain and loss so this wisdom component and mindfulness ripening the equanimity and this equanimity is one of these factors of enlightenment so we're all engaged in this very same process you're making very auspicious connections with this practice that will liberate you if you keep going what occurs I believe is when we give ourselves wholeheartedly to these practice situations and really try to practice these practices to the best of our ability we're sowing the karmic causes to have more and more opportunities to practice these methods and to get more and more instructions about them the eventual outcome will be that you might find yourself in a situation just like that and attain successive stages of high distinction so keep going

Reviews

Incredible explanation. Thank you so much Ajahn! You are a truly great teacher and articulator. Infinite Stars! 🌟

Profound and illuminating. So many levels to understand with words that on the surface appear so simple. I’m deeply moved. Returning again and again over long period as my practice develops. Deep and humble gratitude to you, Teacher. 🙏🏽💕

Thank you Ajahn Achalo for explaining this sutta. I have heard parts of it before but now it all sense. 🙏

Buddhism in a nutshell.... Sadu, sadu , sadu

Thank you so much

a rich and profound commentary on the crown jewel of practice. i will keep coming back.

An excellent talk, although there's still more to be explored here and so many questions in my mind. Thank you so much for sharing this ❤️🙏

Profound and helpful to make an aspiration to where your practice can eventually go.

Dense and fascinating.

Very insightful. Loved it

A superb and generous interpretation of such an ancient text which has meant so much to so many for such a long time. Thanks be to you all.

Thank you very good talk

Have been studying this sutta independently. It was good to hear different perspective on what the Buddha has taught and take those perspectives into account. Enriching the understanding. Thank you

Very interesting talk. Always something to gain from it. And come back too for further insights. 🙏🏻🌺

There were So many people, so long ago, dedicated to high principles of human contact. I can only hope there are a good many like minded people today.

Interesting talk, worth listening to but the audio is quite poor. I listened to the first part from the speaker on my mobile device and then tried headphones, neither worked well enough to listen without straining to hear.