Breathing Mindfulness Meditation The Tathāgata’s Dwelling

Monks, if wanderers of other communities ask you: In what dwelling, friends, did The Perfectly Enlightened One generally dwell during the rains retreat? - being asked thus, you should answer those wanderers thus: During the rains residence, friends, The Perfectly Enlightened One generally resided in the concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation).

Here, Monks, mindful I breathe in, mindful I breathe out.

When breathing in long I know: I breathe in long;

when breathing out long I know: I breathe out long.

When breathing in short I know: I breathe in short;

when breathing out short I know: I breathe out short.

I know: Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in;

I know: Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out.

I know: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe in;

I know: Calming the bodily sensations, I will breathe out.

I know: Experiencing joy, I will breathe in;

I know: Experiencing joy, I will breathe out.

I know: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe in;

I know: Experiencing peacefulness, I will breathe out.

I know: Experiencing the mental activity. I will breathe in;

I know: Experiencing the mental activity I will breathe out.

I know: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe in;

I know: Calming the mental activity, I will breathe out.

I know: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in;

I know: Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.

I know: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in;

I know: Gladdening the mind, I will breathe out.

I know: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe in;

I know: Concentrating the mind, I will breathe out.

I know: Liberating the mind, I will breathe in;

I know: Liberating the mind, I will breathe out.

I know: Reflecting on impermanence, I will breathe in;

I know: Reflecting on impermanence, I will breathe out.

I know: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe in;

I know: Reflecting on fading away, I will breathe out.

I know: Reflecting on elimination, I will breathe in;

I know: Reflecting on elimination, I will breathe out.

I know: Reflecting on letting go, I will breathe in;

I know: Reflecting on letting go, I will breathe out.

If anyone, Monks, speaking rightly could say of anything: It is a noble dwelling, an excellent dwelling, The Tathāgata's dwelling, it is of concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) that one could rightly say this.

Monks, those Monks who are trainees, who have not attained their mind’s ideal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage (Enlightenment): for them concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints. Those Monks who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, completely destroyed the fetters of existence, those completely liberated through final knowledge (wisdom): for them concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to a peaceful dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.

If anyone, Monks, speaking rightly could say of anything: It is a noble dwelling, an excellent dwelling, The Tathāgata’s dwelling, is of concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) that one could rightly say this.

(Reference: SN 54.11)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how important Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is to training the mind to attain Enlightenment.

Here, he discusses that during the “rains retreat” he will be residing in Breathing Mindfulness Meditation. Each year during the three (3) month rainy season (July to October), Ordained Practitioners were taught to reside at their primary Temple. This was taught as a way to ensure that the roaming and wandering Ordained Practitioners did not do harm to the farmers’ fields. With significant rain fall, roaming and wandering Ordained Practitioners would be stepping on the softened earth potentially harming the land of the farmers. The Path to Enlightenment is focused on not causing harm to others as if you cause harm to others, harm will be returned to you.

So, The Buddha advised the Ordained Practitioners to reside at the Temple and do not venture off other than in short distances to collect food each day. This would ensure the Ordained Practitioners were not causing harm to the farmers’ land and their ability to cultivate crops. If the Ordained Practitioners harmed the land, and thus the crops, this harm could result in the farmers being angered and/or a shortage of food for their family and surrounding villagers.

The practice of residing at one’s primary Temple during the rains retreat is still in place today. Ordained Practitioners will reside in their Temple for deep learning, reflection, and practice to develop their understanding of The Path to Enlightenment through The Buddha’s Teachings. While Ordained Practitioners will often travel throughout the other times of year to interact with other Ordained Practitioners and seek guidance in The Teachings, during this three (3) month period each year (July to October), Ordained Practitioners will typically study closely with the Master Teacher at their primary Temple.

The Buddha then goes into explaining instructions and guidance for Breathing Mindfulness Meditation which is explained in detail in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and in the book “Breathing Mindfulness Meditation” (Volume 7) in this same book series.

Gotama Buddha then goes on praising Breathing Mindfulness Meditation in the following: “If anyone, Monks, speaking rightly could say of anything: It is a noble dwelling, an excellent dwelling, The Tathāgata's dwelling, it is of concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) that one could rightly say this”.

The Buddha encourages anyone new to the path, “trainees”, who have not attained Enlightenment to train in Breathing Mindfulness Meditation as this will lead to Enlightenment in the following: “those Monks who are trainees, who have not attained their mind's ideal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage (Enlightenment): for them concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints”.

He also explains that all those who are Enlightened practice Breathing Mindfulness Meditation in the following: “Those Monks who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, completely destroyed the fetters of existence, those completely liberated through final knowledge (wisdom): for them concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation), when developed and cultivated, leads to a peaceful dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension”.

Then lastly, once again praising Breathing Mindfulness Meditation similarly as the prior paragraph: “If anyone, Monks, speaking rightly could say of anything: It is a noble dwelling, an excellent dwelling, The Tathāgata's dwelling, is of concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) that one could rightly say this.”