Breathing Meditation Practise

Pa Auk Sayadawgyi’s Dhamma Talk

at Angthong Pa Auk Meditation Center Thailand, May 25^th 2018

A gift for those who wish to attain Nibbāna

Breathing Meditation Practise

by the Most Venerable Acinna Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw

If you want to realize, to attain Nibbāna, or to realize Nibbāna, then you must practice the Noble Eightfold Path. Among the Noble Eightfold Path, number one is Sammā-diååhi (Right View). What is Sammā-diååhi (Right View)?

[Paøì] “Yaç kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ñāäaç,

Dukkhasamudaye ñāäaç, dukkhanirodhe ñāäaç,

Dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paåipadāya ñāäaç.

Ayaç vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiååhi.”

In this way, Buddha explains in Mahāsatipaååhanāsutta for realization of Four Noble Truths, they said you must abide by these to fulfill Sammā-diååhi. For realization of Four Noble Truths, you should have enough Concentration. The Concentration must be finely based on the purification of Virtue. Number two is Sammā-vācā, Right Speech; Sammā-kammanta, Right Action; Sammā-ājìva, Right Livelihood; This is the training of morality, Sìla-sikkhā. Based on purification of Sìla, you must practice Sammā-vāyāma, Right Effort; Sammā-sati, Right Mindfulness; Sammā-samādhi, Right Concentration; these, they are training of Concentration, Samādhi-sikkhā.

Based on purification of Virtue, you must practice the training of Samādhi, especially is for purification of Citta, Citta-visuddhi. You must practice one of Samatha meditation objects. If you can try many Samatha meditation objects, it is better.

Now teacher also may teach you Ānāpāna meditation, only based on the Ānāpāna meditation. If you want to practice other Samatha meditations, it is also possible. If you want to practice Ānāpāna meditation, on this point, nostril, you can pay attention to only just in-breath and out-breath, only on the touching point.

Don’t pay attention to any other object. just only breath object. If you can concentrate for about 10 minutes, this is a very good opportunity. Then based on that concentration, again you should increase to understand long breath and short breath.

Long breath means if you breathe slowly. It is called long breath. If you breathe quickly, it is called short breath. It is naturally, you should not try to make long or make short. When it is long, you should try to understand the whole breath, from the beginning to the end. Waiting on the same point only, only on the same point. You should not pay attention to any other objects.

Don’t follow inside the nostril, only on the touching point. You should wait and see only just breath. Long breath and short breath and the whole breath of long breath, the whole breath body of short breath. Except breath, don’t pay attention to any other object. Don’t follow inside the nostril or outside the nostril, on the touching point of the nostril only, you should pay attention (to) just breath.

If you can concentrate well, then naturally because of the concentration, the breath will become subtle. If it is not subtle, then you should decide my breath must become subtle. At the time, on subtle breath, again you should try to analyze long subtle breath, short subtle breath. If you can concentrate well on long subtle breath, short subtle breath.

Then again you should try to understand the whole breath body of a long subtle breath, the whole breath body of a short subtle breath. Whether it is in-breath or out-breath, both, you must try to understand the whole breath. If you can concentrate on the whole breath, the whole subtle breath, long breath and short breath, for more than 1 hour, etc.

At that time usually Nimitta will come. But the problem is for many meditators who had practiced before Ānāpāna then based on these, the Light of Wisdom around this area will appear. Don’t pay attention to the Light of Wisdom very quickly. If you focus on the Light of Wisdom outside the nostril, very soon the Light of Wisdom will disappear. You cannot attain jhāna quickly.

Don’t pay attention to the Light of Wisdom outside the nostril or the upper lips, etc. Please continue to focus only just long subtle breath and short subtle breath, and the whole breath body of long and short subtle breath.

If you can concentrate well, when concentration improves about 1 hour 2 hours etc. at a time and then naturally the breath will become Nimitta. Nimitta is for beginners: grey smoky color nimitta. That grey smoky color nimitta is called Parikamma Nimitta.

What is this Nimitta? Nimitta is the cause of Concentration, (concentration) Jhāna Concentration, for attainment of a jhāna. The grey smoky color Nimitta is called Parikamma Nimitta, Preliminary sign.

But don’t pay attention to this Nimitta very quickly. If you focus on the Nimitta, very soon this Nimitta will disappear. Because of this reason, just stay with breath, subtle breath, the whole long subtle breath, the whole short subtle breath body. Don’t focus to the Nimitta very quickly. One concentrates there on the subtle breath object, slowly when Concentration improves, the Nimitta and subtle breath will become together. Unification of the breath and Nimitta will appear.

At the time, also don’t pay attention to the Nimitta. Just stay with the breath. Once focusing on the breath object, surely when Concentration’s improved, the breath and Nimitta become one.

Because of this reason, when focusing on the breath object, automatically mind will stick to the Nimitta. At that time only, you can focus on the grey smoky color Nimitta. By focusing on the grey smoky color Nimitta, then if you can concentrate for 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. because of Concentration, the grey smoky color Nimitta will change into white cotton wool color Nimitta.

White cotton wool color Nimitta is called Uggaha Nimitta, Learning sign. At the time, mind automatically will escape to the Nimitta. At that time, you can concentrate on the white cotton wool Nimitta.

If you can concentrate for more than 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. on that Nimitta, then the white cotton wool color Nimitta will change into the translucent and bright color Nimitta like the morning star. Translucent and bright Nimitta like a morning star is called Paåibhāga Nimitta. Then Paåibhāga Nimitta must unify with breath. This breath Nimitta is called Paåibhāga Nimitta, Counterpart Sign. That Paåibhāga Nimitta is the object of jhāna Concentration.

The breath and Nimitta unified together. At that time when focusing on the breath object, mind automatically will escape to the translucent and bright color Nimitta, Paåibhāga Nimitta.

If you can concentrate on the Paåibhāga Nimitta (for) more than 1 or 2 hours, etc. At the time when Concentration’s improved,

mind automatically will absorb inside the translucent and bright Paåibhāga Nimitta. That full absorption is called Jhāna Concentration.

Whether this is in Jhāna Concentration or not, if you want to know, please pay attention inside your heart. At the time, inside your heart, there is a translucent and bright color bhavaæga-mind door. Inside the bhavaæga-mind door is light brighter. In that bhavaæga-mind door, translucent and bright color Paåibhāga Nimitta also will appear.

At that time, you can discern 5 jhāna factors which arise depending on heart base. Vitakka, Vicāra, Pìti, Sukha, Ekaggatā. Vitakka is application of the mind toward the translucent and bright Nimitta. Vicāra is sustaining to the translucent and bright color Nimitta. Pìti is joy. Sukha is happiness. Ekaggatā is one-pointedness.

These jhāna factors you must discern one by one. But for beginners, Visuddhimagga suggests not to discern jhāna factors frequently. If you discern frequently, jhāna factors will become coarse.

Because the jhāna factors become coarse, your jhāna will fall down very quickly. So for beginners, you must try to do full absorption for a long time. Don’t discern jhāna factors frequently.

Full absorption also, you must try again and again. While concentrating, full absorption concentration, then slowly mind will become used to seeing Nimitta and to stay inside Nimitta. At full absorption you should try to maintain more than 2 hours, 3 hours, etc. When practicing full absorption, each more than 2 or 3 hours, etc., At that time, 5 jhāna factors also will become clear.

And at that time, you should try 5 masteries again. Whenever you want to enter into jhāna, you must try to enter into jhāna. Whenever you want to emerge from jhāna, then you can try to emerge from jhāna. If you want to do Adhiååhāna one hour, on full absorption, one hour must be.

You must pay attention to the Paåibhāga Nimitta. You must try to enter into jhāna for one hour. If you want to enter into jhāna for about 2 hours, you should try 2 hours, 3 hours, etc. Then, whenever you want to emerge from jhāna, you should try to emerge from jhāna.

What is the reason? The reason is when you are practicing Vipassanā, you must enter into jhāna. Emerging from jhāna, you must contemplate this Jhāna Dhamma as Anicca, Dukkha, and Anattā. But if you can stay inside, into jhāna for a long time, but cannot emerge from jhāna quickly, you cannot contemplate Vipassanā; Jhāna Dhamma as Anicca, Dukkha, or Anattā.

Because of this reason, you must try these 5 masteries. If 5 masteries are OK, then again you can go into Second jhāna. In Second jhāna, also you must tr to practice these 5 masteries, then you can go on up to Third jhāna. Third jhāna also you must try to practice 5 masteries, after that you can go up to Fourth jhāna.

If you can practice 5 masteries in Fourth jhāna, at that time, if you want to change to other Samatha meditation subject, it is very easy. If you want to go to Vipassanā, also you must practice -element meditation systematically. At that time, also it will be very easy.

Because of the supporting cause of Fourth jhāna Concentration. Concentrated mind can understand Four Noble Truths very clearly. At that time, you can practice Vipassanā systematically. If you want to practice for more and more, then please try to go to Maymyo in Myanmar.