[itaspCatCriny]

There are four foundations of mindfulness, why limit the mind to a very small part of our experience?

hi G

the Anapanasati Sutta appears to explain each stage is done with awareness of breathing. thus there appears to be a depth to Anapanasati that is far deeper. Buddha instructed perfecting Anapanasati perfects the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. therefore, it appears quite obvious Anapanasati is not different from Satipatthana and Satipatthana is not different from Anapanasati

True, and the answer is not in the breath it’s in the awareness.

the breath is held to be the 'preliminary sign' of an awareness free from craving, which is abiding in the 4NTs. therefore, it appears quite obvious, practising the 4NTs is not different to practising Anapanasati and practising Anapanasati is not different to practising the 4NTs. it appears practising Anapanasati is practising the 4NTs. Buddha-Dhamma explains:

The point of awareness though, as I understand it, is that it is non-discrimantory it is aware of whatever is appropriate to be aware of at the time, it’s not focussed on one object at the exclusion of others.

the Anapanasati Sutta appears to explain each stage is done with awareness of breathing. there appears to be a depth to Anapanasati that is beyond, i.e., far deeper, than what many believe. Buddha instructed perfecting Anapanasati perfects the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. it appears obvious Anapanasati is not different from Satipatthana and Satipatthana is not different from Anapanasati

when aware of rapture (which must manifest due to awareness of breathing), the mind is also aware of breathing. when aware of the quality of mind, the mind is also aware of breathing. when aware of impermanence, the mind is also aware of breathing. when aware of sankhara (conditioning; cause & effect relationships), the mind is also aware of breathing. this is Anapanasati, as described in the sutta. it appears obvious Anapanasati is not focussing on one object at the exclusion of others

in short, it appears superficial view of Anapanasati will limit the scope of practise that is possible. for example, the 9th stage of Anapanasati is not ultimately related to thoughts. ultimely, the 9th stage of Anapanasati is practised with complete samadhi were the object of awareness is underlying ('energy' of) defilement itself (rather than thought/mental words)

One doesn’t progress on the path by developing breathing, one progresses by developing awareness among other things..

i very thoroughly enjoy reading your posts on this forum. but i must disagree thoroughly with this view here. the path of samatha-vipassana can fully progress by developing Anapanasati, as buddha taught. as i suggested, we can limit ourselves here by overlooking a road not travelled

I really don’t see the difference between “converging on” and "placing ones awareness on”, perhaps the former is effortless whereas the latter is with effort, is this what you mean?

at SN 48.9 & 10, buddha taught the practitioner develops jhana by making letting go (relinquishment; abandonment; vossaga) the sole object. when jhana occurs, feelings of rapture & bliss manifest, which, on that level of samadhi, form the basis of the 2nd Satipatthana

so what is the difference? for me, using effort is not letting go. by using effort, the mind can suppress. by suppressing, there can be limited spaciousness for the mental formations stored within the physical body to rise up, dissolve & purify

an analogy can be used of a bird in a cage. the stress formations stored within the physical body are like the bird in the cage. crushing the bird will not remove the bird from the cage. but opening the door of the cage will allow the bird to fly out of the cage

buddha taught in places that the practitioner develops samadhi, a factor of the path, by making letting go the sole object

as for the hatha yoga methods common in Theravada, these were explained by Achariya Buddhaghosa rather than Buddha.

Why get wound up about the breathing at all? if one technique is not really working for you then use a different technique.

because Buddha explained Anapanasati also as the 8FP. but, yes, if it is not really working for you then use a different technique

However if one does choose the breath as the primary object then for most people there will be a period where you have to deliberately keep placing awareness on the breath before this becomes easy and natural..

sure. but once the mind is under control, when it can maintain concentration, it can abandon this "placing"

Looking at the title of this thread I’m a bit confused how it came to be about one specific meditation technique.

how? Deshy and Element went on a ranting rampage because Anapanasati seemed to not be viewed in its fullness

with metta