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Anapana Sati, meaning mindfulness of breathing ("sati" means mindfulness, "ānāpāna" refers to breathing) is a basic form of meditation taught by the Buddha. According to the Buddha's teaching in the anapanasati Sutra, practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation as a part of the Noble Eightfold Path leads to the removal of all defilements (kleśas) and finally the attainment of Nibbana. Buddha's teaching was based on his own experience in using anapanasati as part of his means of achieving his own enlightenment. However, mindfulness of breath must be practiced along with mettā bhāvanā so one does not withdraw from the world and lose emotional attachment and compassion. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived between approximately 566 and 486 BCE. Originating in India, Buddhism gradually spread throughout Asia to Central Asia... The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include: Buddhist cuisine Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhism Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist music Buddhist chant Shomyo Categories: Buddhism-related stubs ... The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddharta Gautama. ... Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel Amara Sinha B... Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region. ... The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ... An image of Gautama Buddha with a swastika, traditionally a Buddhist symbol of good luck, on his chest. ... The Buddhist temple Wat Chiang Man, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which dates from the late 13th century Buddhist temples and monasteries, sorted by location. ... Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... There is great variety in Buddhist texts. ... // Before Common Era Trad. ... Mindfulness is the practice whereby a person is intentionally aware of his or her thoughts and actions in the present moment, non-judgmentally. ... Breath is one of the few bodily functions which can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously. ... Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... The following article is about the term Nirvana in the context of Buddhism. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Bodhi (Pali and Sanskrit. ... Mettā (मेटा in Devanagari) is a Pali word meaning unconditional loving-kindness. ...

The anapanasati Sutra is specifically about the mindfulness of in-and-out breathing. It recommends the practice of ānāpānasati meditation as a means of cultivating the seven factors of awakening: mindfulness, discernment, and persistence, which leads to rapture (pīti), then to calm (sukha), which in turn leads to concentration and then to equanimity (ṣanti). Finally, the Buddha taught that with these factors developed in this progression, that the practice of ānāpānasati would lead to release or nirvana. The following article is about the term Nirvana in the context of Buddhism. ...

Anapanasati meditation is normally practiced either in conjunction with vipassanā meditation, with zazen, or zen meditation in the soto Zen tradition (shikantaza). However, before the meditator can use vipassana, the meditator must first develop enough concentration using anapanasati meditation to be able undertake vipassana meditation. Vipassanā (Sanskrit: vipasyanā) is the Buddhist meditation practice of Insight Meditation. ... Insert non-formatted text here Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen In Zen Buddhism, sitting meditation or zazen (Japanese: 座禅; literally seated concentration. Chinese: 打坐) is a meditative discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind and experience insight into the nature of existence. ... Zen is the Japanese name of a well known branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism, practiced originally in China as Chan, and subsequently in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. ... For the vegetable, see Celosia. ... Shikantaza (只管打座) is literally translated as only focused on doing sitting. More often it is called: just sitting or silent illumination. It is the main meditation technique of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. ...

The practice

To begin, one needs to sit in a comfortable position, with the back and neck straight. It is also helpful if one can find a comfortable and peaceful environment.

Breathe naturally, without attempting to change the length or the depth of the breath. If the breath is short, then observe that the breathe is short. If the breath is long, then observe that the breath is long.

While breathing, the meditator trains the mind to be sensitive to or focused on various things, and calming or steadying various things. The meditator trains in breathing in sensitive one or more of: the entire body, rapture, pleasure, the mind, or mental processes, and then breathing out sensitive to this thing. The meditator trains in breathing in focusing on one or more of inconstancy, dispassion, cessation and relinquishment, and then breathing out focusing on this thing. The meditator trains in breathing in steadying, satisfying or releasing the mind, and then breathing out steadying, satisfying or releasing the mind.

Tutors will explain that an untrained mind constantly has thoughts interrupting one's focus. Like the waves in the ocean, thoughts arise, and they slowly fall away. If one disregards the thoughts, they slowly wither and disappear. On the other hand, if one pays attention, then soon one is lost in a web of thoughts.

In this tradition there are two types of thoughts: thoughts from the past and thoughts about the future. It is said that when left unattended, the mind will flit from one thought to another, wandering aimlessly. There are thoughts which brings happiness, and there are thoughts which bring sadness.

Practitioners are tutored to avoid being disrupted by passing thoughts and to nudge themselves into concentrating on the breathing once again.

Stages of anapanasati

Formally, there are sixteen stages — or lessons — of anapanasati which are divided into four tetrads. The first four steps involve focusing the mind on breathing, which is the body-conditioner (kāya-sankhāra in Pali). The second tetrad involves focusing on the feelings (vedanā), which are the mind-conditioner (citta-sankhāra). The third tetrad involves focusing on the mind itself (citta), and the fourth tetrad focuses on "the truth" (dhamma). (Compare right mindfulness.) . Pāli (ISO 639-1: pi; ISO 639-2: pli) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Dharma (sanskrit, roughly law or way) is a concept of eastern religions. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

Any meditative session using anapanasati should start at the first stage, continue with the second state, and so on, in sequence. If the session ends at a given stage, then at the next meditative session one should start again at the first stage.

References

• Mindfulness with Breathing by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu. Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1996. ISBN 0-86171-111-4.
• Breath by Breath by Larry Rosenberg. Shambhala Classics, Boston, 1998. ISBN 1-59030-136-6.

The International Standard Book Number, or ISBN (sometimes pronounced is-ben), is a unique1 identifier for books, intended to be used commercially. ... The International Standard Book Number, or ISBN (sometimes pronounced is-ben), is a unique1 identifier for books, intended to be used commercially. ...

External links

• Anapanasati Sutta
• Analysis of the Anapanasati Sutta
• A free e-book by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu on Anapanasati