[GSgCGxsF]

introduction: the simplicity of the Buddha-Dhamma

Monks, this Teaching so well proclaimed by me, is plain, open, explicit, free of patchwork.

Alagaddupama Sutta I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things back.

Maha-parinibbana Sutta

[Dwerfsd]

having clarified the Pali word 'sankhara' in the previous two threads, the word 'sankhara' used in the Anapanasati means 'conditioner' or 'fabricator' (rather than 'condition', 'formation' or 'fabrication'), as follows:

But what is the bodily fabricator (kaya sankhara)? What is the verbal fabricator (vaci sankhara)? What is mental fabricator (citta sankhara)?"

In-&-out breaths are the bodily fabricator. Directed thought & evaluation are the verbal fabricator. Perceptions & feelings are the mental (mind) fabricator.

Having first directed one's thoughts and made an evaluation, one then breaks out into speech. That's why directed thought & evaluation are verbal fabricators.

MN 44

[SkeniaInhilla]

it follows, the first four stages of Anapanasati read as follows:

[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.'

[2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.'

[3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in experiencing all bodies.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out experiencing all bodies.'

[4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming the body fabricator.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the body fabricator.'

[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in experiencing rapture.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out experiencing rapture.'

[6] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in experiencing pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out experiencing pleasure.'

[7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in experiencing the mind fabricator.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out experiencing the mind fabricator.'

[8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming the mind fabricator.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the mind fabricator.'

Anapanasati Sutta

[DoctorQuquriramba]

it is essential to understand the meaning of 'experiencing all bodies' (sabba kaya)

this simply means experiencing both the breath & the (internal) physical body together

it is to experience a cause & effect relationship between the breath & the physical body

the sutta states:

I tell you, monks, that this — the in-&-out breath — is classed as a body among bodies

[mymnarorump]

'experiencing all bodies' is exactly the same as, to paraphrase, 'experiencing the body fabricator'

'experiencing the body fabricator' is to experience that the state of the breath fabricates the state of the physical body

it is to experience a cause & effect relationship between the breath & the physical body

for example, when the breathing is long, refined, smooth & calm, the physical body will feel relaxed, comfortable & at ease

when the breathing is short, coarse, rough & agitated, the physical body will feel stressed, uncomfortable and agitated

experiencing what is described above is 'experiencing all bodies'

[Anypeny]

it follows the first two tetrads of Anapanasati follow exactly the same structure

the first tetrad is:

1. experiencing long breathing
2. experiencing short breathing
3. experiencing the breathing is the body conditioner (kaya sankhara)
4. calming the body conditioner

the second tetrad is:

5. experiencing rapture
6. experiencing happiness
7. experiencing rapture & happiness are the mind conditioner (citta sankhara)
8. calming the mind conditioner


I have also taught the step-by-step stilling of fabrications & fabricators (sankhara).

When one has attained the first jhāna, speech has been stilled.

When one has attained the second jhāna, directed thought & evaluation (vaci sankhara) have been stilled.

When one has attained the third jhāna, rapture (citta sankhara) has been stilled.

When one has attained the fourth jhāna, in-and-out breathing (kaya sankhara) has been stilled.

When one has attained the dimension of the infinitude of space, the perception of forms has been stilled.

When one has attained the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space has been stilled.

When one has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness has been stilled.

When one has attained the dimension of neither-perception nor non-perception, the perception of the dimension of nothingness has been stilled.

When one has attained the cessation of perception & feeling, perception & feeling (citta sankhara) have been stilled.

When a monk's effluents have ended, passion has been stilled, aversion has been stilled, delusion has been stilled.

Rahogata Sutta: Alone

[CedssypeEdids]

Thanks Element,

Very useful to have this approach to the fundamental instruments of meditation:

[golozhopik]

I just made the suggestion that we could start a separate discussion titled "Not simplifying Buddhism" (given that there's a long series of discussions offering the opposite)...

...and I pointed to the example of "dependent origination" not at all meaning what is commonly supposed.

http://a-bas-le-ciel.blogspot.ca/201...anonicity.html

You can simplify Buddhism; however, if you offer a simplification of an already-bad translation, the result is an even worse misrepresentation (of the original text). I realize that the people contributing to this website do all of this with the best of intentions.

I notice that the thread on "breathing meditation" (which, again, declares itself as offering a simplification) is now closed to new replies.

Why is this, I wonder?

Perhaps someone would draw attention to the fact that the translations concerned are really misrepresenting the texts? Perhaps some people have wondered why the translations do not use simple words like "inhale" and "exhale", but instead use outward phrases about "out-breaths" and "winds", etc.?

It is always assumed that prāṇa and apāna were the first of the group of breath-words to appear, and that, consequently, whenever they are used together, they mean in-breathing and out-breathing. This is a mere assumption which has no evidence to support it. On the contrary, the evidence is against it.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newman...ng-meditation/

Gentle reader: the original text does not say exhale, and does not provide instructions on "breathing meditation", either.

I can only say again: if you offer a simplification of an already-bad translation (perhaps an already-biased translation, perhaps an already-evasive translation), the result is an even worse misrepresentation (of the original text).

All of this may be shocking for some to read, however: the Buddha's religion didn't worship ignorance (and it didn't worship statues, either). Each of us has to decide if we're willing to hear what the ancient texts have to say or... if we're not.

[Maypeevophy]

Without any external links and long-winded posts, can you explain how you interpret the DO please? I see that your blog post is really lengthy. Some of us do not have the luxury to spend so much time reading. Any chance you can shorten it and list out the essential points you like to get across?

[ChuttyAmult]

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newman...ng-meditation/

Gentle reader: the original text does not say exhale, and does not provide instructions on "breathing meditation", either.

This article has shown up before, but is rather soundly refuted in the comments which follow. I fail to see your point, and I'm with Deshy in wanting to see some useful content, rather than this reactionary stuff. I read the blog you've linked elsewhere, and found it somewhat rambling; have you got some conclusions, or are you still forming your thoughts on these matters?