Pa Auk Sayadaw: Mindfulness of Breathing

The goal of a Buddhist is to attain Nibbāna. Nibbāna is the complete cessation of sufferings. Our life is suffering, birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, being united with the unpleasant is suffering, being disassociated from the pleasant is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering, in brief, 5 aggregates of clinging are suffering. 

Our life is full of suffering. To escape from this suffering, we must try to practise to attain Nibbāna. If you want to attain Nibbāna, then first you should try to understand the Four Noble Truths. If you want to attain Nibbāna, the destruction of the taints is neccesary, including any attachment to the new existence. If there is still attachment to the new existence, you can not escape from the round of rebirth. If you want to escape from the round of rebirth, first you should try to destroy the defilements including attachment to the new existence.

How you should try to destroy the defilements? There is one sutta called Āsavakkhaya Sutta.

 

“Jānatohaṁ, bhikkhave, passato āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi, no ajānato apassato. Kiñca, bhikkhave, jānato, passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti? ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, jānato passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti jānato passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti jānato passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti. ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti jānato passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, jānato evaṁ passato āsavanaṁ khayo hoti

 

“Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo ...pe... ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo.”

This is Āsavakkhaya Sutta in Samyutta NiKāya. What is the meaning?

“Bhikkhu, I say that the destruction of the taints is for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know and does not see.

For one who knows what and for one who sees what. That’s the destruction of the taints comes about. The destruction of the taints comes about for one who knows and sees this is the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca), for one who knows and sees this is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca), for one who knows and sees this is the Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha Sacca), for one who knows and sees this is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga Sacca). It is for one who knows that, it is for one who sees that. That’s the destruction of the taints comes about.

Therefore an exertion should be made to understand this is the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca). An exertion should be made to understand this is the Noble Truth of the origin of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca). An exertion should be made to understand this is the Noble Truth of The Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha Sacca). An exertion should be made to understand this is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga Sacca”).

This is Āsavakkhaya Sutta in Samyutta Nikāya. According to the Sutta, if you want to destroy the taints, including the attachment to any new existences, then you should try to understand the Four Noble Truths. If you want to understand the Four Noble Truth, how you should try?     

There is another Sutta called Samàdhi Sutta or Sacca Samyutta.

“Samādhiṁ Bhikkhave bhāvetha. Samāhito bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Kiñca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti? ‘idaṁ dukkhanti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dhukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dhukkhanirodhagāminì paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Samādhiṁ bhikkhave, bhāvetha. Samāhiti bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti”.            

What is the meaning?

“Bhikkhu, develop concentration! A Bhikkhu who is concentrated understands the Dhammas as they really are. What does he understand as it really is? He understands as it really is this is the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca). He understands as it really is this is the Noble Truth of the origin of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca). He understands as it really is this is the Noble Truth of the cessation of Suffering (Nirodha Sacca). He understands as it really is this is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of Suffering.

Therefore, Bhikkhu, develop concentration. A Bhikkhu who is concentrated understands the Dhammas as they really are”.

 So because of this reason, if you want to understand the Four Noble Truths, then you should try to practise, try to develop concentration. This is Samatha meditation path. While you’re practising Samatha meditation, purification of the virtue is necessary. Based on the purification of the virtue, you must practise Samatha meditation. To develop con centration there are 40 Samatha meditation subjects. Among 40 Samatha meditation subject you can choose any one. Usually we teach Ānāpānasati, Mindfulness of Breathing, or Four Elements meditation, you should choose according to your desire. If you are successful with Ānāpānasati, Mindfulness of Breathing, then if you want to practise other Samatha meditations, such as ten Kasiṇa, Earth Element, etc. you can do, very easy. So first you should try to develop concentration by way of Ānāpānasati, Mindfulness of Breathing.

If you want to practise Ānāpāna, you should focus on your breath object which is touching around your nostril or upper lip. On this point you should wait and see only just your breath. If you can concentrate on breath object, it is easy, it is not necessary to try counting the breath. But if you can not concentrate well on the breath object, Commentaries suggest you to try counting the breath. So please try to focus on your breath object. While you are focusing on your breath object, if you may not concentrate well, according to the suggestion of the Commentaries, then you should try counting breath:

when breathing in, you should note “breathing in”, when breathing out, you should try to note “breathing out”, then please count 1: “breathing in” – “breathing out” – 1, “breathing in” – “breathing out” – 2, “breathing in” – “breathing out” – 3, …, up to 8, again repeat 1 to 8, again repeat 1 to 8… Between 5 and 10, you can stop any number, but you should have fixed number, it’s better. Between 1 to 8, you should try to decide: “My mind will not wander away”, you should try to focus on your breath object only. Then slowly, concentration will begin for few seconds or few minutes. Again and again you must try. When counting the breath, you should emphasize on the breath, not on the number, please try to concentrate on the breath object which is touching on your nostril or on your upper lip, except this point you should not follow inside the nose or outside the upper lip. You should focus only on your breath object which is touching on your touching point, that touching point is the nostril or upper lip. If the breath is only clear on one nostril side, one side only, then you should focus on that side, but it may be changing in every sitting. But if both sides are clear, the you should focus at the middle of upper lip, it’s better. If you can concentrate on the Breath object for a few seconds or few minutes, then you should try to concentrate on breath the same way. If you can concentrate for nearly one hour or two hours, at that time you can stop the counting breath. But while you are trying to count breath, you should try to understand your breath, when it is long, you should try to understand it is long. If it is short, you should try to understand it is short. But intentionally, you should not try to make long or short, it is also not necessary to note “this is long”, “this is short”. You should be just aware of the breath whether it is long or short, and then please count on that breath object only. So breathing in, breathing out 1, etc.. In this way if you try, slowly you will able to maintain your concentration on your breath object for about a few minutes or half an hour, etc.. At that time, if you can concentrate more than half an hour or about an hour every sitting, such as within 2 or 3 days, at that time you can stop counting. While walking also, please concentrate on your breath object in the same way, you should not concentrate on your foot steps, etc.. When walking, when standing, when sitting, when lying down, in every bodily postures, you must concentrate on your breath object.

So today I would like to introduce just that only. If you want to practise Four Elements meditation, tomorrow interview time then please discuss with me.

Maybe if you want to ask question, any question, you can try.

Male voice:       If you have question, this is a good opportunity for you to ask.

Male voice:      If after sitting for a period of time, and we feel painful, is it fine to shift position to focus the mind on the object so that we don’t fight too much from the pain?

Sayadaw:          Yes, if it is disturbing to your concentration then you can change your bodily posture. If it does not disturb your concentration, please continue to focus on the breath, don’t care about this pain. Sometimes, it is not easy, it may disturb to your concentration, at that time, you may change your bodily posture.

Female voice:  Hello everyone. If I am distracted from in and out breath, what do I do? Breath in, breath out and then a thought crosses my mind?

Sayadaw:          Maybe to stop wandering mind, Commentaries suggest to try counting breath only. You should note with count, when breathing in, you should note breathing in, when breathing out, you should note breathing out, complete count 1: breathing in – breathing out : 1, breathing in – breathing out : 2, etc.. up to 8. In this way if you count then slowly wandering mind will become less.  

Male Voice:      Sayadaw, I know that sitting meditation is very importatnt, but our daily practices is as important., so could you explain when we do walking, when we are eating, how can mind be focused?

Sayadaw’s:       Maybe there are four kinds of Sampajanna, they translate “clear comprehension” or “contemplating”.

1)      Clear comprehension of benefit

2)      Clear comprehension of suitability (these are outside meditation). Another two are:

3)      Clear comprehension of resort

4)      Clear comprehension of Ultimate Materiality and Ultimate Mentality

So there are four types of clear comprehensions. Now you’re practising only clear comprehension of resort, it is called “Gocāra sampajañña”. Especially this is emphasized in Samatha meditation. When you’re practising samatha, you should emphasize on your Samatha meditation object only in every bodily posture. Now you’re practising Ānāpāna, Mindfulness of Breathing, in every bodily posture, you must focus on your breath object only. When you’re eating, also you should focus on your breath object as much as possible. But it’s not easy to concentrate on your breath object when you are eating, but as much as you can, you should focus on your breath object. But if you’re practising Vipassanā, at that time while sitting also, you can contemplate Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality and their causes as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. While walking, while standing, while lying down, in every bodily posture, you must also contemplate Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. In the same way, when you are eating, you must also contemplate Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. Now you’re practising Ānāpāna, Mindfulness of Breathing. So in every bodily posture, you should focus on your breath object. When you’re eating also, as much as you can you should focus on your breath object.

Female Voice:  So Sayadaw if I hear what you’ve just said, you mean that because we’re practising Ānāpāna, so even we are eating, we should take our breath as object, instead of eating as our object, and concentrate on the breath?

Sayadaw’s:       Yes. Not easy, but try to focus as much as you can, you should try!

Male voice:      I have a question. I don’t know if I misunderstood the answer, right? To remove. So you said when we are practising breathing in and out, even during the time of eating, you asked us to practise breathing in and breathing out. So I have a question. I have a question: In Meghiya Sutt, as well as Venerable Rahula while going to give to his Son seven topics, as well as to Venerable Meghiya, he gave five topics in Meghiya Sutta. As well as Venerable Rahula, even though Venerable Sariputta asked him to do breathing in and out, then Venerable Rahula met Venerable Sariputta, he gave him seven topics. So how can we recognize for ourselve our weaknesses like at that time.

Sayadaw’s:       Maybe they are experts. At that time, Venerable Rahula can discern Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality and their causes as Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta, he already understood. So although he already understood, but this is another way, because he can practise Samatha and Vipassanā both. But in Maharahulovada Sutta, Venerable Sariputta suggested to the Venerable Rahula to practise Ānāpāna because his bodily posture at that time is very good. That such type of bodily posture is suitable for Ānāpāna meditation. But if you practise Ānāpāna Meditation, there are four catudhā, 4 x 4, number one is Samatha, number two, number three and number four, they are Vipassanā. So there are sixteen ways when you are practising Ānāpāna. At that time Venerable Rahula can practise both Samatha as well as Vipassanā.

Male voice:      At the same time?

Sayadaw’s:       No, within one sitting. Within one sitting he can try, but at the same time, it’s not easy. At the same time, it’s maybe. One mind moment can not understand all formations at the same time, seperately they must do. Within one sitting, they can practise, for example, before they can practise Vipassanā, as soon as they sit, they can practise Ānāpāna up to Forth Jhāna. This is one time. Emerging from fourth Jhāna, they can discern Ultimate Mentality and Ultimate Materiality and their causes as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. This is another. So within one section, they can seperately do both Samatha and Vipassanā. But Venerable Rahula at that time 18 years-old, when the Buddha was expounding Maharahulovada Sutta (kiểm tra tên Bài kinh). He was ordained as a novice when he was 7 years-old. From 7 years up to 18 years, 11 years he has already practised.

Male voice:      Sayadaw, I heard someone say that walking meditation is as important as sitting meditation, but many yogis they only do sitting without walking meditation. Is there any proportion for given point if we sit for 20 minutes, should we walk for 10 minutes or we should walk for 20 minutes? Is there any proportion between sitting meditation and walking meditation?              

Sayadaw’s:       Both are important but sitting is more important. Sitting is more important for beginners, when sitting, concentration becomes deeper and deeper. When walking, concentration can not keep so much. But for expert, no problem, any bodily posture is possible, because they are expert. So when you’re practising Samatha, if you can concentrate on your Samatha meditation object for more than 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours in every sitting, it is better. If you can maintain your concentration more than 3 hours every sitting, such type of concentration is very deep and profound. Such type of concentration is a suppotrting cause for higher wisdom faculty. If you reach concentration and when you practise Vipassanā, you can easily understand Ultimate Materiality and Ultimate Mentality and their causes as anicca, dukkha, anatta, because very deep and profound concentration can produce a strong and powerful light. When the light is very strong and bright then you can see everything, but if the light is fade, you can not see clearly. In the same way, deep and profound concentration can produce such a strong and powerful light. The light is called the Light of Wisdom. When there is the existence of the Light of Wisdom, if you practise Vipassanā, your Vipassanā insight will be sharper and sharper and deeper and deeper. That deep Vipassanā insight can be supporting cause for higher Path and Fruition Knowledges, quickly realizing Nibbāna.

Male voice:      Therefore, it’s not necessary saying we sit for one hour, we must walk 30 minutes?    

Sayadaw’s:       Not fixed, according to his own situation, his own desire he can do. But for beginners, when sitting, concentration will become deeper and deeper, when walking, concentration is not yet so deep.

Male voice:      Bhante, sometimes in doing Ānāpāna meditation, the object of the point of touch seems to be very far away, distant. And sometimes it seems to be clearer and very close. Is it a sign that when it is closer, you have a clearer comprehension, when it is far away, you’re lacking clear comprehension?

Sayadaw’s:       Maybe at that time, you should not investigate too much. If you investigate too much then your concentration will become less. Why? When Enlightenment Factor of Investigation becomes excess, then Samadhi group, concentration group will become decreased. This is the natural. So after sitting, you should focus on your breath object only. You should fix one point, upper lip or around the nostril. After fixing, you should emphasize your breath object. When you can focus on your breath object, you should not investigate whether this breath is on the touching point or is far away. Because for some beginners, when their concentration becomes deeper and deeper, they don’t feel any touching point, any touching sensation, especially they do not see nostril, they do not see face, they do not see their head, they do not see their body, only just breath and mind. At that time you should not investigate too much whether this breath is to the touching point or not. If you investigate your concentration will be decrease, then you will see your nose, your face, etc..Because of that reason, for some meditators when concentration becomes deeper and deeper, the breath and the mind always stay together, there will be no touching point. At that time, you should not search for touching point, just focus on the breath object.

Male voice:      Is that what you mean by the breath object becomes a concept?

Sayadaw’s:       Yes.

Female voice:  Venerable Sir, sometimes, we can, without the Nimitta, straight away, we can see the light, we go on, just not worry about anything else?

Sayadaw’s:       Yes, yes. Light of Wisdom and light of Nimitta are different. But they are same source. Same source means concentrated mind arising depending on your heart-base. Any consciousness arises depending on your heart-base produce mind-produced Kalāpas, small particles. These Kalāpas spread throughout the body. One mind moment can produce uncountable mind-produced Kalāpas, numerous Kalāpas. In each Kalāpa, there is colour. If you analyze these Kalāpas, there are 8 types of materiality such as earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, colour, ordour, flavor, nutritive essence. Among these eight, there’s color. This colour is bright depending on your ability of concentration and wisdom faculty. That concentrated mind is always associated with wisdom faculty. When wisdom faculty becomes powerful then light becomes powerful, light becomes stronger and stronger. So in each mind-produced Kalāpa, there’s also fire element, this fire element is called “utu”- temparature. That temperature can produce new generation of new Kalāpa. When concentration becomes deeper, very powerful mind, superior consciousness. That superior consciousness can produce superior mind-produced Kalāpa. Among those Kalāpas, fire element also becomes superior. That superior fire element, temparature, can also produce new Kalāpas, these Kalāpa also becomes superior. If you analyze these temparature-produced Kalāpas, in each Kalāpa, there’re 8 types. Among 8 types of Ultimate Materiality, there’s colour. That colour also bright. So the combination of 2 types of color, mind-produced Kalāpa’s color and temparature-produced Kalāpa’s color, these 2 types of color become bright. The light of wisdom is spreading throughout the body, surrounding your body.

   But Nimitta, that Nimitta is also mind-produced one. Your mind can produce breath. If you can discern four elements systematically in your breath object, then breath is nothing but a group of small particles, or Kalāpas. These Kalāpas, if you analyze there are 8 types, 9 types such as, earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, colour, odour, flavour, nutritive essence and breathing sound, altogether 9 types. Among 9 types, there’s also colour, that colour also becomes bright when concentration becomes deeper and deeper. So on your breath if you can discern Four Elements meditation systematically, you can see numerous Kalāpas. The combination of one Kalāpa’s colour and another Kalāpa’s color become solid, so that becomes Nimitta only. But Nimitta for some meditators also appear outside the nostril. Outside the nostril, Nimitta is usually temparature-produced Kalāpas’ color. That temperature is only the mind-produced Kalāpas. There’s temperature. That temperature produces new Kalāpas. That Kalāpa’s color becomes Nimitta. So their sources are the same but the light of wisdom and Nimitta completely are different. When breath becomes Nimitta, it’s we call Nimitta only.

   The light of wisdom is surrounding your body and in every direction.  So they are different. For some meditators, when they are practising Ānāpāna, they can perceive the light of wisdom. Some meditators, they can see the Nimitta first, so they are two different meditators. But light, what is the difference? When breath becomes Nimitta, the light of wisdom is here, here, here, etc.. But the light of wisdom is not your meditation object. Nimitta is your meditation object. So to make sure the Nimitta and the Light of Wisdom, to differentiate, you should focus on the breath object, when breath becomes white and bright, the it is called Nimitta.

Female voice:  So Bhante, the Nimitta later becomes Light of Wisdom? Can one meditator have at the beginning the Nimitta and later on it becomes the Light?

Sayadaw’s:       No, no. For beginners, maybe for some meditators, the breath becomes white color, white color and breath unify together. The breath is white color, white color is the breath, they are same. This is called Nimitta. At that time also, the light of wisdom surrounding the body may arise. For some meditator, the light of wisdom may be here, here, here, etc.., they maybe arise different direction for beginners. But when the concentration becomes deeper and deeper, then the light of wisdom is in every direction. But they are completely different at that time, for example, this is nimitta (Ngài chỉ vào 1 chổ bên ngòai), for example, the light of wisdom here, they are completely differrent. But my meaning is Nimitta can not produce this light. This light is produced by concentrated wisdom faculty. That wisdom faculty can produce this light.

Male voice:      Is that possible if the Nimitta will combine with the light of wisdom and become one or they never be used same?

Sayadaw’s:       Usually not same. This also, … in other words this Nimitta also produced by mind, mind-produced Nimitta. Nimitta is also produced by concentrated mind, light of wisdom is also produced by concentrated mind: sources are same. But what is different? The light of wisdom is in every direction, maybe for some meditators, very far, can spread up to many miles, up to the whole world, or up to many different universes… For example, Venerable Anuruddha whenin psychic power, concentration can produce light up to one thousand world cycles. This is light of wisdom only, spreading throughout, surrounding the body. But the nimitta is here only. Ānāpāna nimitta is only mixed together with your natural breath.

Female voice:  Sayadaw, then does it mean that that kind of small particles of the breath body, Nimitta as like color of small particles of the breath body?

Sayadaw’s:       Yes, before you’re seeing the Ultimate Materiality on your breath object at that time, as a solid, as a compactness you see as Nimitta only. But if you can discern Four Elements meditation systematically on your Nimitta then you can not see the compactness. You can break down their compactness, you can see a group of small particles, Kalāpas. At that time, if you discern these Kalāpas, you can see Ultimate Materiality only.

Female voice:  So as you said that Nimitta is a bright thing, so it’s not the object of Vipassanā we’re doing as impermanence, …

Sayadaw’s:       Nimitta is the object of Samatha concentration only, not the object of Vipassanā. If you want to practise Vipassanā type, again you must discern four elements: earth, water, fire, wind, etc… in breath. At that time, you can see breath is nothing but a group of small particles, small Kalāpas. Again if you analyze small Kalāpas, at that time you will understand Ultimate Materiality. At that time, no Nimitta, your breath can not become Nimitta.

Female voice:  So such brightness you described surrounding your head, though just produced during the Samatha stage, not produced in Vipassanā stage?

Sayadaw’s:       Yes, Vipassanā concentration also can produce this light. Samatha concentration can also produce this light. Both can produce.

Female voice:  I have another question. If during the meditation how do we fight against falling asleep, we may get sleepy and how do we do?

Sayadaw’s:       You should try this, maybe if you rub your ears, your head, the sleepiness may disappear. If it’s not OK, you should open to see the light, maybe sunlight, etc… If you see the light slowly sleepiness may disappear. If it does not disappear maybe you should temporarily open your eyes for a few minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc., then sleepiness may disappear. Sometimes you may memorize some suttas such as Dhammacakkapavattana sutta or Anatta Lakkhaṇa sutta, etc., if you thoroughly practised or already practised. But if thre’s no sutta, then you can get up and if walking is not OK, you can wash your face, etc.

Female voice:  So Sayadaw, did you mean that if you really resist this mood, you memorize some suttas, etc.?

Sayadaw’s:       Sutta, if you have already practised, such as Anatta Lakkhaṇa Sutta, Dhammacakkapavattāna sutta, ... many suttas, but you should mentally memorize.

Male voice:      Bhante, you said that when we practise Ānāpāna, do not think of contact, but sometimes maybe I’m still new, privately I feel that I need to have my mind or my consciousness touching the point of the object to make me feel that I’m now focusing on the object. Is that wrong practise?                       

Sayadaw’s:       OK, no problem.

Male voice:      No problem? So overtimes, gradually the contact will disappear?

Sayadaw’s:       Slowly when your concentration becomes deeper and deeper, you may forget touching point, you may have no touching sensation. Only you may just breath. At that time, OK, no problem. But why we do fix at touching point, not to follow inside and outside.

Male voice:      Because sometimes when I feel that I’m losing the object, I remind myself that I’m practising to have my mind in touch with the object. So that’s OK?

Sayadaw’s:       OK

Male voice:      Sayadaw, sometimes if we saw the touching point or the touching sensation, our mind can easily drift away. So how can we know a hundred times that our mind actually focus or we are actually… our mind already drifts away?

Sayadaw’s:       If you do not understand the breath clearly as well as if you can not focus on the breath object, then you can easily understand you mind is wandering. If mind is wandering, at that time so please go back to initial touching place, it is better.

Male voice:      Is it possible to practise the White Kasiṇa without reference to the bone? Because it’s in the past parami, White Kasiṇa becomes easy, I don’t need to focus on the bone in order to bring up the White Kasiṇa. Is it possible?

Sayadaw’s:       Possible if it’s in your pāramī.