Concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing Leads to the Full Understanding of The Path

Monks, concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to the full understanding of the path.

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

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 full understanding of the path.

(Reference: SN 54.19)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how Breathing Mindfulness Meditation leads to “full understanding of the path”.

Practicing Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner can deeply understand the entire path to Enlightenment.

During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, one is fully and completely practicing The Eight Fold Path.

The Eight Fold Path is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness and all unwholesome Kamma. When one is fully and completely practicing The Eight Fold Path, they are no longer producing any unwholesome Kamma. All unwholesome decisions have ceased and one is cultivating all eight (8) steps on The Eight Fold Path, therefore, all unwholesome results are eliminated. There are no unwholesome results from making the wholesome decision to meditate.

During the individual moments of a mediation session, one is practicing The Eight Fold Path to perfection. This is why meditation is so beneficial and one experiences significant results based on their meditation practice when a Practitioner fully understands The Eight Fold Path and how they are practicing to eliminate all unwholesome Kamma production.

In addition to everything else that has been taught in other parts of this book series related to The Eight Fold Path, the following will explain the full connection between The Eight Fold Path and meditation. The following content will explain why, in summarized fashion, a Practitioner is practicing the entire Eight Fold Path during meditation.

Right View involves accepting responsibly for one’s own feelings and all that occurs in one’s life, among other things. Right View is to acknowledge that the problems you have faced this entire life are all being caused by you and the untrained mind. Through accepting responsibly that it is the untrained mind that is causing all the challenges in your life, this then empowers you to be able to resolve those challenges. But, if everyone else is the source of the problems you face, then that means you are perfect and need to train 7.5 billion people in the world to do things your way. That is quite an undertaking and will result in nothing be frustration and madness for the unEnlightened mind.

Through practicing Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, you are recognizing that you are the source of all the challenges you face and that you need to train just one (1) mind - the mind that is currently reading this book. That will be a big enough challenge. You are now free and liberated from needing to train 7.5 billion people in the world and can instead focus on just one (1), your mind.

While meditating, that is exactly what you are doing. You are applying effort and energy to train the mind. At the moment you decide to meditate and you are meditating, you are practicing Right View recognizing that your own mind is the problem and now you are going to apply effort and energy to fix it through training it.

Right Intention involves training the mind to “let go” while practicing non-ill-will and harmlessness. At the time of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, you are training the mind to “let go”, you are practicing non-ill-will (i.e. loving-kindness), and you are not interested in harming anyone at all.

Right Speech involves training the mind to produce only wholesome speech through The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech and all the other Teachings related to Right Speech. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is not speaking at all, therefore, there is no harm being produced by one’s speech. All unwholesome speech has ceased for those moments, thus, no unwholesome Kamma is being produced.

Right Action involves training the mind to produce only wholesome bodily actions through not causing harm with one’s bodily actions. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is not causing harm to anyone with the bodily actions. All unwholesome bodily actions have ceased for those moments of meditation, thus, no unwholesome Kamma is being produced.

Right Livelihood involves training the mind to sustain its life through only a wholesome career, profession, or lifestyle. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is not causing harm to anyone with their livelihood if they are not practicing any of the five (5) wrong livelihoods. All unwholesome activity related to a livelihood has ceased for those moments, thus, no unwholesome Kamma is being produced.

Right Effort involves training the mind to practice four (4) aspects of striving towards the prevention and elimination of unwholesome mental qualities along with the cultivation and enhancement of wholesome mental qualities. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is practicing Right Effort to prevent and eliminate unwholesome mental qualities along with actively cultivating and enhancing wholesome mental qualities. The Practitioner is applying Right Effort working to eliminate all unwholesome mental qualities and cultivating wholesome mental qualities during meditation.

Right Mindfulness involves training the mind to practice The Four Foundations of Mindfulness becoming aware of bodily sensations, feelings, condition of the mind, and mental objects. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is cultivating the ability to enhance their awareness of mind developing Right Mindfulness.

Right Concentration involves training the mind to practice meditation and singleness of mind. During Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is practicing meditation and singleness of mind through focusing solely on the breath actively training the mind to develop concentration.

Through training in Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, a Practitioner is training in the entire Eight Fold Path for the time of the meditation session. The wholesome Kamma produced during Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is of the highest quality available because there is absolutely no harm being produced during the time of one’s meditation session. This is why meditation is so highly beneficial. Not only is a Practitioner cultivating mental qualities that will help you in daily life, but during the moments of one’s meditation sessions, they are not producing any unwholesome Kamma as only wholesome Kamma is being produced.

Through practicing the entire Eight Fold Path to perfection, the mind can develop deep inner peace. Then, the Practitioner will need to learn how to practice The Eight Fold Path in daily life so that these benefits can be extended beyond meditation. It is not possible to meditate 24 hours per day, therefore, one will need to learn how to implement all steps of The Eight Fold Path in daily life so that you can practice Right View through Right Concentration in all aspects of your life.

As a Practitioner is able to practice The Eight Fold Path over a consistent ongoing basis for an extended period of time, thus only producing wholesome Kamma through wise decision making, then the condition of the mind and one’s life will gradually improve experiencing complete peace and tranquility permanently.

Because a Practitioner is making only wholesome decisions through The Eight Fold Path, there are no unwholesome results experienced. A Practitioners mind and life will be peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently.

Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path is available in this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).