Anapanasati manual

[dreaming90]

Apparently there is an endless ocean of excellent meditation literature available via the internet. Here's a 500+ page manual on mindfulness of breath, written by a revered Thai meditator and author, Buddhadasa Bikkhu. More accessible than the Vishudhimagga for sure.

www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf

Anyone who is stuck wondering what kind of meditation to do, or what kind of concentration object to use, should note that mindfulness of breathing was recommended by the Buddha himself. The manual goes into detail as to why mindfulness of breathing is superior to the other 40 objects that are traditionally part of Theravada Buddhism.

[CFTraveler]

Saved! On my list.

[Korpo]

I own "Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners", and the cover says it's by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. While it was one possible interpretation of the Anapanasati Sutta, I somehow wasn't convinced by it when reading it back then. The Sutta itself is rather succinct, and I've seen a variety of interpretations of what the individual steps mean and how they can be trained.

[dreaming90]

I own "Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners", and the cover says it's by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. While it was one possible interpretation of the Anapanasati Sutta, I somehow wasn't convinced by it when reading it back then. The Sutta itself is rather succinct, and I've seen a variety of interpretations of what the individual steps mean and how they can be trained.
Do you know if an english translation of the Anapanasati Sutta is available online? I've been looking on sacred-texts.com but can't seem to find it.

[Korpo]

Usually "Access to Insight" is a good resource for Theravada texts. Look here:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

[Korpo]

PS - I have another translation of it in my edition of "The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha" by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (It has a different choice of English terms for sure.) What is interesting is how succinct the Sutta is. It is actually fairly short and contains - I'd say typical of the presentation style of the Buddha - a fair amount of repetition (which was probably very helpful in a culture that transmitted these suttas verbally at first).

You may have noticed from your PDF edition that quotes of single lines are followed by whole chapters of explanation. My guess would be that the content of the chapters themselves are rooted in the commentaries and practice instructions of a specific monastic tradition and anything Bhikkhu Buddhadasa had to add.

[Korpo]

I find this part interesting:


"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'[4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'(from:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html)

Makes me wonder if it could be read as:

"He trains himself 'I will breathe in sensitive to the etheric elemental.' [...] 'the astral elemental' [...] 'the mental elemental'. The descriptions could fit. Calming the three elementals is essential to steadying the mind, which is referred to later on.

[SoulSail]

Dear dreaming90....

I can't possibly keep up. I read Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha and now must go back and reread because there are just so many great exercises and points made there that I need to incorporate into my practice. Daniel Ingram loaded that one with practical and challenging stuff. Besides, who can resist a meditation book with serious warnings and that is subtitled : "An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book."


Soul