Using the Breath to Train and Cultivate

Use the structure of mindfulness of breathing to develop this quality of knowing.

There are sixteen steps in the Ānāpānasati Sutta (M 118) on mindfulness of breathing. The first two steps are: “Breathing in long, one knows one is breathing in long; breathing out long, one knows one is breathing out long. Breathing in short, one knows one is breathing in short; breathing out short, one knows one is breathing out short.”

The verb in Pāli is pajānāti: knowing, discerning, understanding. It is the root of the word paññā: wisdom, discernment. So, there is a certain discernment and reflection happening even when breathing in long, breathing out long, breathing in short, and breathing out short. There’s a clarity, understanding, a knowing that has an element of discernment. What’s the effect? Is it useful? Is it beneficial? Sustaining that quality of knowing involves a base of coming back to and supporting the quality of knowing.

All the rest of the steps of mindfulness of breathing have the verb that means “training”: “training myself” or “I train thus.” “Experiencing the whole body, I breathe in; experiencing the whole body, I breathe out.” It’s a training and undertaking. Part of training is experimenting: “How do I make this work? How can I make this useful? How can I turn my attention in a way that helps the continuity of awareness?” The verb in the Pāli is sikkhati: training, which also has the connotation of learning, educating oneself.

We’re using the breath as a basis of studying, learning, training, and cultivating knowledge and understanding. “Experiencing or sensitive to the whole body, I breathe in; experiencing the whole body, I breathe out.” Make it useful.

Sometimes we get trapped:
“Okay, the Buddha says I’ve got to be experiencing the whole body. Okay, what’s that? I breathe in, but I’ve got all these arms and legs and fingers and other things. How do I do this?” Don’t make it complicated or get tied up. This is an encouragement to bring more attention to bear: the Buddha is broadening the scope of what you can rely on for your continuity of awareness.

You’ve got the whole body; there’s lots to work with and explore. Enjoy it. Make it useful and interesting.

This reflection by Luang Por Pasanno is from the book, Beneath the Bodhi Tree, (pdf) pp. 42-44.