Satipatthana Sutta Study

Body: Breathing

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[BREATHING]

"And how, monks,
does s/he in regard to the body abide contemplating the body?

Here, gone to the forest,
or to the root of a tree,
or to an empty hut,
s/he sits down; having folded his/her legs crosswise,
set his/her body erect,
and established mindfulness in front of him/her,
mindful s/he breathes in, mindful s/he breathes out.

"Breathing in long, s/he knows 'I breathe in long,'
breathing out long, s/he knows 'I breathe out long.'
Breathing in short, s/he knows 'I breathe in short,'
breathing out short, s/he knows 'I breathe out short.'

S/He trains thus:
'I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body,'
s/he trains thus:
'I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.'
S/He trains thus:
'I shall breathe in calming the bodily formation,'
s/he trains thus:
'I shall breathe out calming the bodily formation.'

"Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice,
when making a long turn, knows 'I make a long turn,'
or when making a short turn knows 'I make a short turn'
so too, breathing in long, s/he knows 'I breathe in long,'
breathing out long, s/he knows 'I breathe out long.'
Breathing in short, s/he knows 'I breathe in short,'
breathing out short, s/he knows 'I breathe out short.'

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Satipatthana Sutta Study - © 2005 Mary Rees
Sutta text modified from translation by Analayo. Please see his original translation and excellent commentary: Satipatthana : The Direct Path to Realization. Birmingham, UK: Windhorse Publications, 2003.