Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in the Jeta‘s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
Then, the Blessed One, after dressing in the morning, took his alms bowl and outer robe and entered Sāvatthi for alms. Venerable Rāhula also, having dressed in the morning and taken his alms bowl and robe, followed right behind the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One, having looked back, addressed venerable Rāhula: “Whatever form there is, Rāhula—whether past, future, or present; internal or external; gross or subtle; inferior or superior; whether far or near—all form should be seen with right wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“Only form, Blessed One? Only form, Well-Gone One?”
“Form too, Rāhula, feeling too, Rāhula, perception too, Rāhula, intentional constructions too, Rāhula, and consciousness too, Rāhula.”
Then Venerable Rāhula thought, “Who today, having been personally instructed by the Blessed One, would go into the village for alms?” So turning back, he sat down at the foot of a certain tree, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body upright, establishing mindfulness as first priority.
Venerable Sāriputta saw him sitting there in that posture and said, “Rāhula, cultivate the |meditation::intentional and sustained cultivation of mental qualities such as collectedness, clarity, mindfulness, or insight through directed attention on a chosen object or theme. [bhāvanā]| on mindfulness while breathing in and out. When mindfulness of breathing is cultivated and frequently practiced, it is of great fruit and great benefit.”
Then, when it was evening, the venerable Rāhula emerged from seclusion and approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, he said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, how is mindfulness while breathing in and out to be cultivated? How, when frequently practiced, does it bring great fruit and great benefit?”
Five Elements
“Rāhula, whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung to, that is, hair of the head, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, |membranes::pleura [kilomaka]|, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung to — this is called the internal earth element. Both the internal earth element and the external earth element are simply the earth element. It should be seen with proper wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Having seen it thus with proper wisdom, one becomes |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| the earth element, and the mind becomes |dispassionate::detached [virājeti]| towards the earth element.
Rāhula, whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is liquid, fluid, and clung to, that is, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, mucus, |oil of the joints::synovial fluid [lasikā]|, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is liquid, fluid, and clung to — this is called the internal water element. Both the internal water element and the external water element are simply the water element. It should be seen with proper wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Having seen it thus with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the water element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the water element.
Rāhula, whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is heat, hot, and clung to, that is, that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted gets properly digested; or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is heat, hot, and clung to — this is called the internal fire element. Both the internal fire element and the external fire element are simply the fire element. It should be seen with proper wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Having seen it thus with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the fire element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the fire element.
Rāhula, whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, and clung to, that is, upward-moving winds, downward-moving winds, winds in the belly, winds in the bowels, winds that course through the limbs, in-breath and out-breath; or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, and clung to — this is called the internal wind element. Both the internal wind element and the external wind element are simply the wind element. It should be seen with proper wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Having seen it thus with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the wind element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the wind element.
Rāhula, whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is space, |vacuous::hollow [ākāsagata]|, and clung to, that is, the openings of the ears, the openings of the nostrils, the mouth cavity; that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is swallowed; where what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted remains; and that by which it passes downward — or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is space, vacuous, open, not filled, and clung to among flesh and blood — this is called the internal space element. Both the internal space element and the external space element are simply the space element. It should be seen with proper wisdom as it truly is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Having seen it thus with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the space element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the space element.
Meditation on the Elements
Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like the earth. For when you cultivate meditation that is like the earth, arisen |agreeable and disagreeable::pleasant and unpleasant [manāpāmanāpa]| contacts will not |occupy::obsessing, controlling [pariyādāya]| your mind and remain. Just as people throw clean things and dirty things, excrement, urine, spit, pus, and blood on the earth, and the earth is not troubled, humiliated, or disgusted by it, so too, Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like the earth. For when you cultivate meditation that is like the earth, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like water. For when you cultivate meditation that is like water, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain. Just as people wash clean things and dirty things, excrement, urine, spit, pus, and blood in water, and the water is not troubled, humiliated, or disgusted by it, so too, Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like water. For when you cultivate meditation that is like water, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like fire. For when you cultivate meditation that is like fire, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain. Just as people burn clean things and dirty things, excrement, urine, spit, pus, and blood in fire, and the fire is not troubled, humiliated, or disgusted by it, so too, Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like fire. For when you cultivate meditation that is like fire, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like wind. For when you cultivate meditation that is like wind, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain. Just as the wind blows over clean things and dirty things, excrement, urine, spit, pus, and blood, and the wind is not troubled, humiliated, or disgusted by it, so too, Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like wind. For when you cultivate meditation that is like wind, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like space. For when you cultivate meditation that is like space, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain. Just as space is not established anywhere, so too, Rāhula, cultivate meditation that is like space. For when you cultivate meditation that is like space, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not occupy your mind and remain.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on |loving-kindness::goodwill, friendliness, benevolence [mettā]|. For when you cultivate meditation on loving-kindness, any |ill will::hatred, hostility, animosity [byāpāda]| will be abandoned.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on |compassion::mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty [karuṇā]|. For when you cultivate meditation on compassion, any |cruelty::malice, viciousness, brutality [vihesā]| will be abandoned.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on appreciative joy. For when you cultivate meditation on appreciative joy, any |dissatisfaction::discontent, dislike, boredom [arati]| will be abandoned.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on equanimity. For when you cultivate meditation on equanimity, any |aversion::mental resistance, irritation, conflict [paṭigha]| will be abandoned.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on |unattractiveness::disagreeable, not aesthetically pleasing [asubha]|. For when you cultivate meditation on unattractiveness, any |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]| will be abandoned.
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on |recognition of impermanence::perception of instability, inconsistency [aniccasaññā]|. For when you cultivate meditation on recognition of impermanence, the |conceit ‘I am.’::egotism, self-conceit, self comparison [asmimāna]| will be abandoned.
Meditation on Mindfulness while Breathing In and Out
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on mindfulness while breathing in and out. For when you cultivate mindfulness while breathing in and out and frequently practice it, it is of great fruit and great benefit. And how is mindfulness while breathing in and out cultivated and frequently practiced so that it is of great fruit and great benefit?
Here, Rāhula, a bhikkhu, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body upright, establishing mindfulness as first priority. Ever mindful, he breathes in; ever mindful, he breathes out.
1) Breathing in long, he understands: “I am breathing in long”; breathing out long, he understands: “I am breathing out long.”
2) Breathing in short, he understands: “I am breathing in short”; breathing out short, he understands: “I am breathing out short.”
3) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |experience the whole body::be conscious of the whole body, be sensitive to the whole process [sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall experience the whole body.”
4) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |settle::calm, still [passambhayanta]| the |breathing process::(comm) in and out breathing [kāyasaṅkhāra]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall settle the breathing process.”
5) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |experience joy::heartfelt or intense joy, feeling of love, rapture lit. lovely feeling [pītipaṭisaṃvedī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall experience joy.”
6) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |experience ease::contentment, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukhapaṭisaṃvedī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall experience ease.”
7) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |experience mental activity::observe thought formation, be sensitive to the mental processes; (comm) conscious of feeling and perception [cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃvedī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall experience mental activity.”
8) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall settle the mental activity”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall settle the mental activity.”
9) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |experience the mind::be conscious of the psyche, be sensitive to the mind [cittapaṭisaṃvedī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall experience the mind.”
10) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall gladden the mind”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall gladden the mind.”
11) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |stabilize::compose, collect [samādaha]| the mind”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall stabilize the mind.”
12) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |disengage::detach, release [vimocayanta]| the mind”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall disengage the mind.”
13) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |watch instability::observe impermanence [aniccānupassī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall watch instability.”
14) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |watch fading of desire::observe dispassion [virāgānupassī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall watch fading of desire.”
15) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |watch cessation::observe the natural ending of phenomena [nirodhānupassī]|””; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall watch ending.”
16) He trains himself: “While breathing in, I shall |watch relinquishment::observe letting go of craving, attachment, identification with processes [paṭinissagganupassī]|”; he trains himself: “While breathing out, I shall watch relinquishment.”
Rāhula, when mindfulness while breathing in and out is cultivated and frequently practiced in this way, it is of great fruit and great benefit. When mindfulness of breathing is cultivated and frequently practiced in this way, even the final in-breaths and out-breaths are known clearly as they cease, not unknown.”
The Blessed One said this. Satisfied, the venerable Rāhula rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.