Concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing Leads to the Destruction of the Taints

Monks, concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints (fetters).

And how, Monks, is concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) developed and cultivated so that it leads to the destruction of the taints?

Here, Monks, a Monk, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body, and set up mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

Breathing in long, he knows: I breathe in long; or breathing out long, he knows: I breathe out long. Breathing in short, he knows: I breathe in short; or breathing out short, he knows: I breathe out short. ...

He trains thus: Experiencing the whole body…. (Repeat as at Chapter 1)

He trains thus: Reflecting on letting go, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Reflecting on letting go, I will breathe out.

It is in this way, Monks, that concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) is developed and cultivated so that it leads to the destruction of the taints.

(Reference: SN 54.20)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how Breathing Mindfulness Meditation leads to the elimination of The Ten Fetters (i.e. “leads to the destruction of the taints (fetters)”). Taint is another word for “fetter” or “pollution of the mind”.

It is The Ten Fetters that pollute the mind keeping it in the unEnlightened state not being able to experience Enlightenment. As part of The Path to Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to eliminate The Ten Fetters eliminating the pollution that hinders the mind from experiencing its true nature - the Enlightened mind.

There are detailed Teachings that one needs to be able to understand The Ten Fetters and to eliminate each one of them. In doing so, the mind will be able to experience Enlightenment.

Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is a primary technique employed to train the mind to “let go”, preparing it to be able to “let go” of The Ten Fetters. Without the training of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation as a foundation to soften the mind preparing it to “let go” of The Ten Fetters and all that plagues the unEnlightened mind, a Practitioner would not be able to employ the other Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment to eliminate The Ten Fetters.

Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is a foundation to prepare the mind to have the discipline it needs to move it to experience Enlightenment.

There are many Teachings one needs to learn, reflect on, and practice along with Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, but in this Teaching, The Buddha is emphasizing just how important Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is to one’s life practice.

Detailed explanation of The Ten Fetters is available in this same book series found in Chapter 3 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).