Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118) describes three stages leading to attaining Arahanthood: (i) Attain Sotapanna stage by seeing the dangers of remaining on the rebirth process, i.e., via seeing the dangers of “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya,” (ii) Cultivation of Satipaṭṭhāna (by comprehending the two stages of “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya“) to attain higher stages of magga phala, and (iii) fulfilling Satta Bojjhaṅga to attain higher magga phala ending in Arahanthood.
July 12, 2025; revised September 8, 2025
Introduction
1. Ānāpānasati — as described in the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” — summarizes the sequential steps for a puthujjana to reach the Arahant stage of Nibbāna. We can simplify those steps as follows.
- One is bound to the rebirth process due to the inborn tendency (via “distorted or viparita” saññā) to attach to sensory pleasures. However, it is impossible to remove the built-in “distorted saññā” until one attains the Sotapanna stage.
- To reach the Sotapanna stage, one must “see with wisdom” the dangers of attachment to sensory pleasures. Our attachment to sensory pleasures can be understood by seeing how the “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya” initiates and grows upon receiving a (pleasing or displeasing) sensory input.
- By ‘kāya,’ most suttās refer to the “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya.” See “Kāya Can be Pañcupādānakkhandha or Physical Body.”
- It is only after “seeing with wisdom” the dangers of letting the “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya” grow (at the Sotapanna stage) that one can start cultivating Satipaṭṭhāna to remove kāma rāga and paṭigha saṁyojana that arise due to “distorted saññā” and attain the Sakadāgāmi/Anāgāmi stages.
- In this introductory post, I will systematically analyze the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” to highlight only the above key ideas. Even though the sutta clearly states those steps, they have not been correctly identified up to now. The English translation in the link is a good example; it starts by completely distorting the title as “Mindfulness of Breathing.”
- In the following, I will not try to translate or interpret the Pāli verses. I will only point out the three steps mentioned in the abstract at the beginning of this post in the sutta (in Pāli). We will discuss those Pāli verses in upcoming posts. The English translation in the link may be used with caution to get the basic idea.
2. I will skip the introductory material in the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” and start the discussion where the above steps are stated @marker 15.1.
- There, it states: “Ānāpānassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā.Ānāpānassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti.Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvitā bahulīkatā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti. Satta bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā bahulīkatā vijjāvimuttiṁ paripūrenti”
- Translation (emphasizing the four stages mentioned in the summary above): @15.1: “Bhikkhus, when Ānāpānassati is developed and cultivated, it brings the great benefits (mahānisaṁsā) of magga phala (mahapphalā). @15.2: When Ānāpānassati is developed and cultivated further, it cultivates cattāro satipaṭṭhāna, whereby one can enter the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi at will. @15.3: By engaging in Vipassana while in the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi one can fulfill Satta Bojjhaṅga (the seven awakening factors) to attain higher magga phala. @15.4: And the seven awakening factors, when developed and cultivated, fulfill knowledge and freedom, i.e., Arahanthood is realized.
- The four stages can be re-stated as follows: (i) In the FIRST stage, a puthujjana contemplates the drawbacks of “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya” as a whole and attains the Sotapanna stage; it is the basic version of Ānāpāna Sati. (ii) In the SECOND stage, a Sotapanna examines the ajjhatta kaya and bahiddha kaya in the initial stage of “pañcupādānakkhandha kāya” (detailed in Satipaṭṭhāna) to understand how kāma rāga and paṭigha arise due to “distorted saññā” and enter the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi (same as the cultivation of Sati Saṁbojjhaṅga). (iii) Cultivation of Satta Bojjhaṅga (and the removal of the remaining saṁyojana) and reaching higher magga phala in the THIRD stage, (iv) Leading to Arahanthood in the FOURTH stage.
First Stage of Ānāpānasati
3. The FIRST stage is described in the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” from marker @16.1 through 22.1. The Pāli text is as follows:
- Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati kathaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā? (How do you caultivate Ānāpānassati to attain the Sotapanna stage?)
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā. So satova assasati satova passasati.
Dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; rassaṁ vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, rassaṁ vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. (This is the basic version of Kāyānupassanā)
‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. (This is the basic version of Vedanānupassanā)
‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘samādahaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘samādahaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. (This is the BASIC version of Cittānupassanā)
‘Aniccānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘aniccānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘virāgānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘virāgānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘nirodhānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘nirodhānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. (This is the basic version of Dhammānupassanā)
- Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati evaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā. (That is how to caultivate ānāpānassati to attain the Sotapanna stage)
Second Stage of Ānāpānasati
4. The SECOND stage is described in the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” from marker @23.1 through 28.1. The Pāli text is as follows:
- Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati kathaṁ bahulīkatā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti? (How do you cultivate Ānāpānassati to fulfil Satipaṭṭhāna to remove kāma rāga and paṭigha and reach the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi at will?)
- As we know, the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi is free of “distorted or viparita” saññā where one can engage in Vipassanā. See “Overcoming Kāma Saññā – Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi or Jhāna .”
Yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; rassaṁ vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, rassaṁ vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; kāye kāyānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Kāyesu kāyaññatarāhaṁ, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadāmi yadidaṁ—assāsapassāsā. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, kāye kāyānupassī tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. (This is the ADVANCED version of Kāyānupassanā; note that the bold text indicates the addition to the basic version in #3 above).
Yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘pītipaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sukhapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; vedanāsu vedanānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Vedanāsu vedanāññatarāhaṁ, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadāmi yadidaṁ—assāsapassāsānaṁ sādhukaṁ manasikāraṁ. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, vedanāsu vedanānupassī tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. (This is the ADVANCED version of Vedanānupassanā; note that the bold text indicates the addition to the basic version in #3 above).
Yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘cittapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘samādahaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘samādahaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; citte cittānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, muṭṭhassatissa asampajānassa ānāpānassatiṁ vadāmi. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, citte cittānupassī tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. (This is the ADVANCED version of Cittānupassanā; note that the bold text indicates the addition to the basic version in #3 above).
Yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘aniccānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘aniccānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘virāgānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘virāgānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘nirodhānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘nirodhānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; dhammesu dhammānupassī, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. So yaṁ taṁ abhijjhādomanassānaṁ pahānaṁ taṁ paññāya disvā sādhukaṁ ajjhupekkhitā hoti. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, dhammesu dhammānupassī tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. (This is the ADVANCED version of Dhammānupassanā; note that the bold text indicates the addition to the basic version in #3 above )
- Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassati evaṁ bahulīkatā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti. (That is how to cultivate Ānāpānassati to fulfil Satipaṭṭhāna and reach the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi).
- In the first verse on Kāyānupassanā, ‘kāye kāyānupassī’ refers to another ‘kāya’ within the ‘pañcupādānakkhandha kāya’ (‘kāye kāya’). This refers to the two-stage (‘purāna kamma‘ and ‘nava kamma‘) development of ‘pañcupādānakkhandha kāya’ (as indicated by the two “cones” in #6 of “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.”) Thus, ‘kāye kāya’ refers to the ‘purāna kamma‘ stage.
- In the same way, vedanāsu vedanānupassī, citte cittānupassī, and dhammesu dhammānupassī refer to the corresponding vedanā, cittā, and dhammā arising in the ‘purāna kamma‘ stage. This is where defilements (rāga, dosa, moha, or ‘san‘) arise automatically due to unbroken saṁyojana. See “Sandiṭṭhiko – What Does It Mean?“
Third and Fourth Stages of Ānāpānasati and Summary
5. Once in the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi, the mind is free of the “distorted or viparita” saññā (and thus, of the five hindrances or pañca nīvaraṇa). This enables the mind to grasp the deeper teachings of the Buddha and attain higher magga phala by cultivating the Satta Bojjhaṅga.
- The fourth stage is an extension of the third to reach Arahanthood.
6. It is critically important to understand the basic layout of the “Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)” to understand the following points.
- One must be a Sotapanna to practice/cultivate Satipaṭṭhāna to attain higher stages of magga phala. That is because one must be able to get to the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi (alternatively called sappabhāsa citta, Tadaṅga Nibbuta, or Paccupaṭṭhita Sati) to cultivate Satipaṭṭhāna. I have discussed this in previous posts. See, for example, “Kāma Saññā – How to Bypass to Cultivate Satipaṭṭhāna” and #6 there.
- A puthujjana‘s mind gets to the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi for the first time at the moment of attaining the Sotapanna stage. Even though the mind retreats from it quickly, it is possible to return to it with an effort; once that capability is developed, one can do that at will. Since that Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi is free of “distorted saññā,” it provides a platform to contemplate Dhamma concepts without the five hindrances (pañca nīvaraṇa) arising in the mind. It is impossible to overcome kāma rāga without getting to the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi. If one is in an anariya jhāna, one can enter the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi from there; see #8 of “Four Noble Truths: Connection to Anusotagāmi/Paṭisotagāmi” and #6 of “Sammā Samādhi – How to Define It? “
- I know that many people reading the website may not have attained the Sotapanna stage. However, even for them, it is beneficial to understand the concept of “distorted saññā” because it clarifies how our minds are “designed to” automatically attach to sensory inputs. See “Sandiṭṭhiko – What Does It Mean?“
