[Tobias G]

See post Ānāpānasati – Overview

#5 says:
That section in the Ānapāna Vagga has several suttas starting with the “Aṭṭhikamahapphala Sutta (SN 46.57)” and ending with the “Ānāpāna Sutta (SN 46.66).”
You can read the English translations in the above links and see that the word “breath” is NOT there!

But SN 46.66 contains “breathing”… Should be corrected to SN 46.57 til 46.65.

[Lal]

The CRITICAL point that I have been trying to convey is that translating “Ānāpānassati” as “mindfulness of breathing” is INCORRECT!

I have revised #5 of that post as follows.

5. There is a small collection of suttas in the Ānapāna Vagga of Saṁyutta Nikāya BEFORE the section on Ānāpānasati. That is to give an idea of what is involved in Ānapāna, which comes from “Āna” + “āpāna,” where two words mean “taking in (kusala)” and “discarding (akusala or defilements).”

– That section in the Ānapāna Vagga has several suttas starting with the “Aṭṭhikamahapphala Sutta (SN 46.57)” and ending with the “Ānāpāna Sutta (SN 46.66).”
– You can read the English translations in the above links and see that the word “breath” is NOT there! Of course, the INCORRECT English translation of “Ānāpānassati” as “mindfulness of breathing” in SN 46.66 does not mean the word “breathing” is mentioned in that sutta! That INCORRECT translation is in the Sutta Central translation in the above link.  (Note:  I usually provide the “side by side” Pāli and English translations from Sutta Central. That does NOT mean I agree with their translation. One should always be cautious about the INCORRECT translation of many words in Sutta Central translations).

[Tobias G]

Link to the text: Ānāpānasati – Overview

Under #10, MN 118 is discussed.

“Ānāpānassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti.”

• Translation: “Ānāpānasati (Bhāvanā), when developed and cultivated, fulfills the four sections of the satipaṭṭhāna (Bhāvanā.)

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, muṭṭhassatissa asampajānassa ānāpānassatiṁ vadāmi.”

• Translation: “I do not teach this Ānāpānasati (Bhāvanā) to those who do not have (sammā) sati.”

………

The above means that only a Sotapanna or higher can start the correct Ānāpānasati, because he/she has samma ditthi (and samma sati). Does this apply also to satipattāna as anāpānasati fulfills satipattāna?

 

[Lal]

Yes. That is correct.

• Of course, even puthujjanas (ordinary people) can do the mundane version: Being mindful, staying out of immoral deeds/thoughts, and engaging in moral deeds/thoughts.
• The only difference is that a Sotapanna understands the anicca, dukkha, and anatta nature to some extent. As you stated, having lokuttara Samma Sati.

[Tobias G]

Understood, but then it makes not much sense to engage in mundane satipattāna or anāpānasati when a person is still a puthujjano with wrong worldviews. Nowadays, however, most seekers do this, they engage in walking and breathing meditation and think that this will lead to something enlightenment-related. They simply lack the complete worldview and dangers of samsara. They lack dukkha sacca and understanding of Nibbana.

The best way is to learn Buddha Dhamma and remove micca ditthi, get a basic understanding of tilakkhana/PS/cattari ariya sacca, become a Sotapanna (Anugami). After that one can start satipattāna and anāpānasati. Is this view too extreme?

[Lal]

No. It is not extreme. That is the only way.

[Author]

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