The Word of the Buddha Mindfulness of Breathing
The Word of the BuddhaIV. The Path that Leads to the Extinction of Suffering
1. Observing the Body
1.1. Body Contemplation with Breathing
How does a bhikkhu dwell observing the body in and of itself?
Here, a bhikkhu, having gone to the forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, aligns his body upright, and establishes mindfulness as his primary focal point. Mindfully, he breathes in; mindfully, he breathes out.
Breathing in long, he discerns the long in-breath; breathing out long, he discerns the long out-breath.
Breathing in short, he discerns the short in-breath; breathing out short, he discerns the short out-breath.
He trains to experience the whole body while breathing in; he trains to experience the whole body while breathing out.
He trains to settle the bodily constructs while breathing in; he trains to settle the bodily constructs while breathing out.
Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice, when making a long turn discerns the long turn, or making a short turn discerns the short turn; so too, breathing in long, a bhikkhu discerns the long in-breath; breathing out long, he discerns the long out-breath; breathing in short, he discerns the short in-breath; breathing out short, he discerns the short out-breath; he trains to experience the whole body while breathing in; he trains to experience the whole body while breathing out; he trains to settle the bodily constructs while breathing in; he trains to settle the bodily constructs while breathing out.
Thus, he dwells observing the body in and of itself internally, or he dwells observing the body externally, or he dwells observing the body both internally and externally. [1] He dwells observing the arising nature in the body, or he dwells observing the going-away nature in the body, or he dwells observing both the arising and going-away nature in the body. Or else, mindfulness that ‘there is a body’ is simply established in him to the extent necessary for knowledge and remembrance. He dwells independent and does not cling to anything in the world.
In this way, a bhikkhu dwells observing the body in and of itself.
Last updated on October 20, 2026