Kāyānupassanā This section title is omitted by BJT, though it includes the others (
Contemplation of the Body
Ānāpānapabbaṁ
The Section about In-breathing and Out-breathing
Kathañ-ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati?
And how, monks, does a monk dwell contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā, rukkhamūlagato vā,
Here, monks, a monk who has gone to the wilderness, or has gone to the root of a tree,
suññāgāragato vā, nisīdati.
or has gone to an empty place, sits down.
Pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā, The absolutives here and in the next line are connected with the finite verbs
After folding his legs crosswise, setting his body straight,
parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā,
and establishing mindfulness at the front,
so sato va assasati, sato va passasati.
being very mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
Dīghaṁ vā assasanto “dīghaṁ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
While breathing in long, he knows “I am breathing in long”,
dīghaṁ vā passasanto “dīghaṁ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
or, while breathing out long, he knows “I am breathing out long”;
rassaṁ vā assasanto “rassaṁ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
or, while breathing in short, he knows “I am breathing in short”,
rassaṁ vā passasanto “rassaṁ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
or, while breathing out short, he knows “I am breathing out short”.
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī -
Experiencing the whole body I will breathe in, like this he trains,
sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
experiencing the whole body I will breathe out, like this he trains;
passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
calming the bodily process I will breathe in, like this he trains,
passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
calming the bodily process I will breathe out, like this he trains.
Seyyathā pi, bhikkhave, dakkho bhamakāro vā bhamakārantevāsī vā
Just as, monks, a clever turner or turner’s apprentice
dīghaṁ vā añchanto “dīghaṁ añchāmī” ti pajānāti,
while making a long turn knows “I am making a long turn”,
rassaṁ vā añchanto “rassaṁ añchāmī” ti pajānāti, The choice of simile here is surely significant, as the turner knows not just what is happening, but how he is making it happen, so that knowledge of the intention is also included in the practice.
or, while making a short turn knows “I am making a short turn”,
evam-eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dīghaṁ vā assasanto “dīghaṁ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
just so, monks, a monk while breathing in long, knows “I am breathing in long”,
dīghaṁ vā passasanto “dīghaṁ passasāmī” ti pajānāti;
or, while breathing out long, he knows “I am breathing out long”;
rassaṁ vā assasanto “rassaṁ assasāmī” ti pajānāti,
or, while breathing in short, he knows “I am breathing in short”,
rassaṁ vā passasanto “rassaṁ passasāmī” ti pajānāti.
or, while breathing out short, he knows “I am breathing out short”.
Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
Experiencing the whole body I will breathe in, like this he trains,
sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī ti sikkhati;
experiencing the whole body I will breathe out, like this he trains;
passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī ti sikkhati,
calming the bodily process I will breathe in, like this he trains,
passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
calming the bodily process I will breathe out, like this he trains.
* * *
Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, The context seems to indicate that contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body means contemplating the transient, ownerless nature of the body, as is signified by the references to origination and dissolution (
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself,
bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, That we are really talking about others’ bodies, and not the internal and external parts of our own body, is confirmed by the Abhidhamma Satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅga (translated elsewhere on this website), where the grammar excludes any other interpretation.
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to others,
ajjhattabahiddhā See DP,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in
regard to others,
samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body,
vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the body,
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in the body,
“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti Some texts (BJT) and translations (Way, VRI) divide these alternatives into 3 blocks (
or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is established in him
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya, The translation follows the commentary, which says:
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, Comm:
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body.
Ānāpānapabbaṁ Niṭṭhitaṁ
The Section about In-breathing and Out-breathing is Finished