Mindfulness of Breathing

This meditation practice, in one form or another, is very widespread in the Buddhist world. The particular form taught here — in four stages — is found in the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purity) of the great Theravadin scholar, Buddhaghosa.

This particular version of the Mindfulness of Breathing is mainly aimed to calm and focus the mind, and is therefore what is known as a samatha (Sanskrit, shamatha), or calming practice rather than a vipassana, or insight, one. The Sanskrit equivalent to the word vipassana is vipashyana and both words mean insight, or truly seeing the nature of reality.

Although the meditation practice as taught here takes a samatha approach it is easy to bring elements of insight into a samatha practice. Also, some degree of samatha practice is virtually indispensible as a basis for vipassana, or insight, meditation.

There are other traditional forms that are widely practiced, especially in the insight meditation traditions, but I’ve found this one to be particularly suitable for complete beginners. The first two stages especially, which involve counting, are very helpful in stabilizing the mind.

More experienced practitioners can feel free to adapt the practice to their own needs, shortening or even dropping some stages, and extending others.

Anapanasati simply means mindfulness (sati) of breathing (pana) in and out. This is a meditation practice where we use the breath as the object of attention to which we return every time we notice that the mind has wandered.

Comments

Comment from Philip Hess
Time: July 24, 2007, 9:22 am

Hello, and thank you for answering my question. Is it a good idea to practice just stage 1 for a few days or weeks, and then add stage two for a time, and continue to add stages gradually, or is it better to start with all four stages in a single sitting immediately?

Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: July 24, 2007, 10:48 am

Hi Philip,

There’s a lot of merit in the idea of practicing just the first stage for at least a few days before adding the second.

I think it would be counterproductive to plunge in to doing all four stages, and I wouldn’t advise that.

All the best,
Bodhipaksa