Cultivating Breathing Mindfulness Meditation a Monk Flattens Evil Unwholesome States (The Four Foundations of Mindfulness)

And how, Ānanda, is concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and benefit?

Here, Ānanda, 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, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Experiencing joy, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Experiencing joy, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe out.

He trains thus: Liberating the mind, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Liberating the mind, I will breathe out.

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

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

He trains thus: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe in;

he trains thus: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe out.

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

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

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

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

(Contemplation of the Body)

Whenever, Ānanda, a Monk, when breathing in long, he knows: I breathe in long;

or, when breathing out long, he knows: I breathe out long;

when breathing in short, he knows: I breathe in short;

or, when breathing out short, he knows: I breathe out short;

when he trains thus: Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe out…

…on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on the body as body, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

For what reason?

I call this a certain kind of body, Ānanda, that is, breathing in and breathing out.

Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on the body as body, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

(Contemplation of Feelings)

Whenever, Ānanda, a Monk trains thus: Experiencing joy, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Experiencing joy, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe out…

…on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on feelings as feelings, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

For what reason?

I call this a certain kind of feeling, Ānanda, that is, close attention to breathing in and breathing out.

Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on feelings as feelings, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

(Contemplation of Mind)

Whenever, Ānanda, a Monk trains thus: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Liberating the mind, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Liberating the mind, I will breathe out…

…on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on mind as mind, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

For what reason?

I say, Ānanda, that there is no development of concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) for one who is muddled and who lacks clear comprehension.

Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on mind as mind, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

(Contemplation of Mental Objects)

Whenever, Ānanda, a Monk trains thus: Reflecting on impermanence, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Reflecting on impermanence, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe out;

when he trains thus: Reflecting on elimination, I will breathe in;

when he trains thus: Reflecting on elimination, I will breathe out;

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

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

…on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on mental objects as mental objects, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

Having seen with wisdom the abandoning of craving and displeasure, he is one who looks on closely with equanimity.

Therefore, Ānanda, on that occasion the Monk resides reflecting on mental objects as mental objects, dedicated, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world.

Suppose, Ānanda, at a crossroads there is a great mound of soil. If a cart or chariot comes from the east, west, north, or south, it would flatten that mound of soil.

So too, Ānanda, when a Monk resides reflecting on the body as body, feelings as feelings, mind as mind, mental objects as mental objects, he flattens evil unwholesome states.

(Reference: SN 54.9)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner develops The Four Foundations of Mindfulness by practicing Breathing Mindfulness Meditation.

A Practitioner would be unable to attain Enlightenment without developing The Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is how a Practitioner would start to develop The Four Foundations of Mindfulness but would then need to also apply The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in daily life to bring them to full develop and realize the results of having done so.

Having removed craving and displeasure in regard to the world: To practice this Teaching a Practitioner will need to eliminate craving/desire/attachment to expecting the world to be a certain way wanting it to be that way. Rather, a Practitioner will need to train the mind to understand The Natural Laws of Existence of how the world functions eliminating the misperception that you need to change the world or can accomplish that goal. Instead, one needs to recognize that the world functions as it does through The Natural Laws of Existence and that through understanding these natural laws, you will no longer have the delusion that the world is broken or needs to be fixed. But instead, if individuals learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings gaining the wisdom of how to train their own mind, then, all human beings in the world would function peacefully living in harmony.

The Path to Enlightenment is about focusing on the training of your own mind to understand and make wise decisions based on The Natural Laws of Existence rather than, attempting to change other people in the world or change the world itself. The world functions as it does based on The Natural Laws of Existence and because the unEnlightened mind does not understand these natural laws, it is confused, living in delusion, with the false perception that the world needs to be changed or even can be changed.

All that can occur is that human beings decide to learn, reflect, and practice these Natural Laws of Existence so that they can deeply train the mind learning how to live in harmony and deciding to do so for the remaining time of humanity.

Having seen with wisdom the abandoning of craving and displeasure, he is one who looks on closely with equanimity: A Practitioner who has acquired the wisdom of how to eliminate craving and displeasure for the world can “look on closely with equanimity”. In other words, the mind will not be worried about the world but will instead, have concern.

A worried mind sees all the problems in the world and is discontent.

A concerned mind sees all the problems in the world but also knows the solutions to those problems and can be content.

Learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings is the solution to all that plagues the human realm and the constant discontentedness (i.e. suffering) that the unEnlightened mind experiences. A Practitioner who deeply understands and practices these Teachings, having significantly diminished or eliminated their own discontentedness, will have the wisdom and training to reside with equanimity. A Practitioner will be aware of all that plagues the world, but despite that, understands what plagues the world is only solvable by each individual human being choosing to improve their life practice through these Teachings.

Their mind can be at peace with no craving/desiring/wanting/expecting for others to change but instead, focus on their own improvements so that despite all that plagues the world, you can experience peacefulness and equanimity.

Equanimity (Pāli: upekkhā) is mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation; treating everyone impartially.

Suppose, Ānanda, at a crossroads there is a great mound of soil. If a cart or chariot comes from the east, west, north, or south, it would flatten that mound of soil. So too, Ānanda, when a Monk resides reflecting on the body as body, feelings as feelings, mind as mind, mental objects as mental objects, he flattens evil unwholesome states: The Buddha is explaining that when one practices The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which are developed and cultivated as part of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and during daily life, a Practitioner will be able to eliminate all “evil unwholesome” mental states.

The mind can be trained to reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. But, without The Four Foundations of Mindfulness and other important Teachings, one would be unable to accomplish that goal.

It is important to seek the guidance of a Teacher to help you understand and practice The Four Foundations of Mindfulness bringing them to full development in your life practice.

You are welcome to seek guidance with the author of this book series using this link to find contact information for you to establish contact.

https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/

What Are The Four Foundations of Mindfulness?

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are four aspects of awareness the mind needs to develop to have “awareness of mind”, then, actively and skillfully work with arising unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings to eliminate them from ever arising again.

It is through developing awareness of bodily sensations, feelings, conditions of the mind, and mental objects that the mind can then eliminate unwholesome qualities and cultivate wholesome qualities.

Through developing The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a Practitioner can then more readily and actively "cut off the thoughts" and "let them go" training the mind to eliminate discontentedness.

Rather than allowing the mind to become polluted with unwholesome feelings, conditions of the mind, or mental objects, a Practitioner can instead cut off and let go of any arising thoughts, ideas, and feelings when they are only bodily sensations.

This allows the mind to not experience the pollution of arising unwholesomeness and trains the mind so that unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings no longer arise at all.

Without The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a Practitioner would not be aware of the bodily sensations, or the resulting feelings, conditions of the mind, and mental objects to then be able to cut off and let go of the unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings prior to polluting the mind so that eventually, they will never arise.

Through developing The Four Foundations of Mindfulness a Practitioner will be able to get to the point in their training that through the constant cutting off of unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings that the mind can reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy because unwholesomeness will never arise.

It is the constant cutting off sooner and sooner that the mind can experience liberation through the non-arising unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The mind will eventually get tired and will submit to never arise unwholesome thoughts, ideas, or feelings.

The non-arising of unwholesome thoughts, ideas, and feelings is experienced through a well liberated mind - an Enlightened mind.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

To develop awareness of mind, you should not allow the mind to be lost in daydreams, anticipation, indulgences, worry, or dwell in other discontent feelings. With awareness of the mind that the mind is not in the present moment during daily life, cut off those thoughts and bring the mind to the present moment.

Cultivating mindfulness or awareness of mind is accomplished through meditation practices and carried into everyday life through implementing awareness of the mind in each moment of your normal activities.

To cultivate mindfulness, you will need to learn Breathing Mindfulness Meditation in the positions of seated, lying, standing, or walking. Breathing Mindfulness Mediation and the four (4) body positions for meditation are described in the Chapter titled “Meditation: Developing Your Practice” (Chapter 11). Using Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, you can establish mindfulness or awareness of bodily sensations, feelings, condition of the mind, and mental objects while learning to “let them go” to eliminate discontentedness.

If you continue to have reoccurring thoughts during the day or during your meditation sessions, a Practitioner could find the “cravings/desires/attachments” of why this discontentedness exists and learn how to eliminate them from the mind with the guidance of a Teacher.

Eliminating cravings/desires/attachments will clear the mind and uncover your ability to “concentrate”, in the present moment. Right Concentration is the last and final step of practicing the entire Eight Fold Path.

The word “mindfulness” or “mindful” has become a popular word as part of common language. The use of the word “mindfulness” or “mindful” is most often being used in replace of “careful”.

While the vast majority of the world is using these words in a different way than that of The Buddha, it is important that you understand and use the word “mindfulness” and “mindful” in the same way as Gotama Buddha. This will bring the mind to a better understanding of The Path to Enlightenment and allow you to cultivate the mind to attain Enlightenment. Even though others may choose to misunderstand this word and use it in replace of “careful”, now that you understand the definition of this word more deeply, you can use it as described as part of The Eight Fold Path so that you can train the mind based on these Teachings.

Mindfulness is “awareness of mind”.

Be sure to continually practice “Right Mindfulness” through The Four Foundations of Mindfulness during all waking moments. Implement mindfulness into your daily life in all that you do. This will assist you to be aware of the mind, clear the mind of cravings/desires/attachments to the past or future, and to eliminate aversion, thus allowing the mind to reside in the present moment being “satisfied with what is” with a more peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy.