Great Good of Mindfulness Directed to the Body

Monks, even as one who encompasses with his mind the great ocean includes thereby all the streams that run into the ocean, just so, whoever develops and cultivates mindfulness directed to the body includes all wholesome qualities that pertain to true wisdom.

Monks, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to a strong sense of motivation ... leads to great good... leads to great security from bondage (Enlightenment) … leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension ... leads to the attainment of wisdom and vision ... leads to a peaceful dwelling in this very life ... leads to realization of the fruit of wisdom and liberation.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to a strong sense of motivation ... leads to great good... leads to great security from bondage (Enlightenment) … leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension ... leads to the attainment of wisdom and vision ... leads to a peaceful dwelling in this very life ... leads to realization of the fruit of wisdom and liberation.

Monks, when one thing is developed and cultivated, the body becomes tranquil, the mind becomes tranquil, thinking and pondering subside, and all wholesome qualities that pertain to true wisdom reach fulfillment by development.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

When this one thing is developed and cultivated, the body becomes tranquil, the mind becomes tranquil, thinking and pondering subside, and all wholesome qualities that pertain to true wisdom reach fulfillment by development.

Monks, when one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise, and arisen unwholesome qualities are abandoned.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

When this one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise, and arisen unwholesome qualities are abandoned.

Monks, when one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen wholesome qualities arise, and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

When this one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen wholesome qualities arise, and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand.

Monks, when one thing is developed and cultivated, ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is abandoned... true wisdom arises... the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned ... the underlying tendencies are uprooted... the fetters are abandoned.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

When this one thing is developed and cultivated, ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is abandoned … true wisdom arises ... the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned ... the underlying tendencies are uprooted ... the fetters are abandoned.

Monks, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to discernment (wise decisions making) by wisdom ... leads to Nibbāna (Enlightenment) through non-clinging.

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to discernment (wise decisions making) by wisdom ... leads to Nibbāna (Enlightenment) through non-clinging.

Monks, when one thing is developed and cultivated, penetration of numerous topics occurs … penetration of the diversity of topics occurs … analytical knowledge of numerous topics occurs.

What is that one thing?

It is mindfulness directed to the body.

When this one thing is developed and cultivated, penetration of numerous topics occurs … penetration of the diversity of topics occurs … analytical knowledge of numerous topics occurs.

Monks, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to realization of the fruit of Stream-Enterer … to realization of the fruit of Once-Returner... to realization of the fruit of Non-Returner ... to realization of the fruit of Arahantship.

What is that one thing?

It is mindfulness directed to the body.

This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to realization of the fruit of Stream-Enterer … to realization of the fruit of Once-Returner... to realization of the fruit of Non-Returner ... to realization of the fruit of Arahantship.

Monks, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to the obtaining of wisdom ... to the growth of wisdom ... to the expansion of wisdom ... to greatness of wisdom ... to diversity of wisdom... to vastness of wisdom ... to depth of wisdom ... to a state of unsurpassed wisdom ... to breadth of wisdom ... to abundance of wisdom … to rapidity of wisdom ... to buoyancy of wisdom ... to joyousness of wisdom... to swiftness of wisdom ... to attentiveness of wisdom ... to penetrativeness of wisdom ...

What is that one thing?

Mindfulness directed to the body.

This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to penetrativeness of wisdom.

Monks, those who do not take part in mindfulness directed to the body do not take part in the deathless (Enlightenment).

Those who take part in mindfulness directed to the body take part in the deathless (Enlightenment).

Monks, those who have not taken part in mindfulness directed to the body will not take part in the deathless.

Those who have taken part in mindfulness directed to the body will take part in the deathless.

Monks, those who have fallen away from mindfulness directed to the body they have fallen away from the deathless.

Those who have not fallen away from mindfulness directed to the body they have not fallen away from the deathless.

Monks, those who have neglected mindfulness directed to the body they have neglected the deathless.

Those who have undertaken mindfulness directed to the body they have undertaken the deathless.

Monks, those who are heedless about mindfulness directed to the body they are heedless about the deathless.

Those who are not heedless about mindfulness directed to the body they are not heedless about the deathless.

Monks, those who have forgotten mindfulness directed to the body they have forgotten the deathless.

Those who have not forgotten mindfulness directed to the body they have not forgotten the deathless.

Monks, those who have not pursued mindfulness directed to the body they have not pursued the deathless.

Those who have pursued mindfulness directed to the body they have pursued the deathless.

Monks, those who have not developed mindfulness directed to the body they have not developed the deathless.

Those who have developed mindfulness directed to the body they have developed the deathless.

Monks, those who have not cultivated mindfulness directed to the body they have not cultivated the deathless.

Those who have cultivated mindfulness directed to the body they have cultivated the deathless.

Monks, those who have not directly known mindfulness directed to the body they have not directly known the deathless.

Those who have directly known mindfulness directed to the body they have directly known the deathless.

Monks, those who have not fully understood mindfulness directed to the body they have not fully understood the deathless.

Those who have fully understood mindfulness directed to the body they have fully understood the deathless.

Monks, those who have not realized mindfulness directed to the body they have not realized the deathless (Enlightenment).

Those who have realized mindfulness directed to the body they have realized the deathless (Enlightenment).

(Reference: AN 575-616)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares all the various benefits attained through the practice of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation.

The Buddha emphasizes the importance of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation.

While he describes Breathing Mindfulness Meditation as “that one thing” that “when developed and cultivated leads” to certain benefits, there is much more than Breathing Mindfulness Meditation that one would need to develop the mind towards the attainment of Enlightenment.

While one would not be able to attain Enlightenment without Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, one would not be able to attain Enlightenment with only Breathing Mindfulness Meditation. This is why The Buddha taught an entire path to Enlightenment described as The Eight Fold Path - the way to liberation of the mind and elimination of discontent feelings.

Meditation is one step on The Eight Fold Path but there are multiple steps. An Enlightened being will be practicing The Ten Fold Path and understands that meditation is just one aspect of training the mind. Meditation is an important aspect of training the mind, but there is much more than only meditation that one would need to focus on to develop their life practice to experience the peacefulness of the Enlightened mind.