Dwelling in Breathing Mindfulness Meditation

Monks, that Monk gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, that concentration through the development and cultivation of which no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind. And what concentration is it through the development and cultivation of which no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind?

It is, Monks, when concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) has been developed and cultivated that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind. And how, Monks, is concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) developed and cultivated so that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind?

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, 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.

It is, Monks, when concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) has been developed and cultivated in this way that no shaking or trembling occurs in the body, and no shaking or trembling occurs in the mind.

I too, Monks, before my Enlightenment, while I was still unawakened but intent on awakening, not yet fully Enlightened, generally dwelt in this dwelling. While I generally dwelt in this dwelling, neither my body nor my eyes became fatigued and my mind, by not clinging, was liberated from the taints.

Therefore, Monks, if a Monk aspires: May neither my body nor my eyes become fatigued and may my mind, by not clinging, be liberated from the taints, this same concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) should be closely attended to.

(Reference: SN 54.8)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how important Breathing Mindfulness Meditation was to his own journey to the Enlightened mind and encourages his Students to use this meditation to train the mind to experience liberation.

Through development of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and other training, the mind is liberated to Enlightenment. An Enlightened mind will experience deep “concentration” and will not experience any “shaking or trembling”. But, as long as the mind is unEnlightened it will experience discontent feelings which is the “shaking and trembling” of the mind. This is described in The Ten Fetters as “restlessness”. A Practitioner will need to eliminate the fetter of “restlessness” to attain Enlightenment.

Restlessness (Confused, distracted, worried, anxious, restless state of mind the opposite of “singleness of mind”.)

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.

The Buddha describes Breathing Mindfulness Meditation as a “dwelling”. As one experiences the Jhānas and more deeply moves into the Stages of Enlightenment, the mind becomes so stable and steady that one might have the thought that they can “dwell” or “reside" there permanently with a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy because the mind is at ease, tranquil, and unbothered by anything at all.

The goal is to then bring this same tranquility of mind into one’s daily life where the mind can reside or “dwell” in this peaceful dwelling at all times - permanently.

A mind that resides permanently peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy experiencing complete liberation or Enlightenment, then “neither my body nor my eyes became fatigued and my mind, by not clinging, was liberated from the taints”. The body nor the mind will ever become fatigued. An Enlightened being will experience sleepiness and need sleep but they will not experience fatigue.

If you have ever had a long day and felt that the feet were carrying around a ton of bricks or that there were a ton of bricks on the shoulders, this is because the mind is carrying the burden of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality). This is very tiresome for the mind and, thus, the body experiences a great amount of fatigue in the unEnlightened state.

But, as the mind becomes more and more Enlightened laying down the burden of carrying around the fetters/taints/pollution of the mind, it is liberated from craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) and never again experiences fatigue. This is just one of many benefits associated with training the mind to attain Enlightenment and The Buddha is making that clear in this Teaching.

He shares, “if a Monk aspires: May neither my body nor my eyes become fatigued and may my mind, by not clinging, be liberated from the taints, this same concentration by Mindfulness of Breathing (Breathing Mindfulness Meditation) should be closely attended to”.

A Practitioner will need to develop a well established practice of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation to train the mind and liberate it from all unwholesome mental qualities that are keeping it trapped in the unEnlightened state. You can seek guidance from the author of this book to assist you in developing your life practice.