The Buddha teaches how mindfulness of breathing is developed through sixteen steps—from knowing long and short breaths through experiencing the whole body, stilling bodily and mental processes, gladdening and liberating the mind, to contemplating impermanence, fading away, cessation, and letting go—regarding with kimbila.

SN 54.10 With Kimbila

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kimilāyaṁ viharati veḷuvane. Tatra kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ kimilaṁ āmantesi: “kathaṁ bhāvito nu kho, kimila, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso”ti?

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā kimilo tuṇhī ahosi.

Dutiyampi kho bhagavā …pe…

tatiyampi kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ kimilaṁ āmantesi: “kathaṁ bhāvito nu kho, kimila, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso”ti? Tatiyampi kho āyasmā kimilo tuṇhī ahosi.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “etassa, bhagavā, kālo; etassa, sugata, kālo. Yaṁ bhagavā ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ bhāseyya, bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Tenahānanda, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“kathaṁ bhāvito ca, ānanda, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato rukkhamūlagato suññāgāragato nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

So satova assasati, satova passasati …pe…

‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. Evaṁ bhāvito kho, ānanda, ānāpānassatisamādhi evaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu dīghaṁ assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; rassaṁ assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, rassaṁ passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti; ‘sabbakāyappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati kāye kāyānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Kāyaññatarāhaṁ, ānanda, etaṁ vadāmi yadidaṁassāsapassāsaṁ. Tasmātihānanda, kāye kāyānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘pītippaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘pītippaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘sukhappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sukhappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘cittasaṅkhārappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittasaṅkhārappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; ‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati vedanāsu vedanānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Vedanāññatarāhaṁ, ānanda, etaṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁassāsapassāsānaṁ sādhukaṁ manasikāraṁ. Tasmātihānanda, vedanāsu vedanānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘cittappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati; abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ …pe… samādahaṁ cittaṁ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati citte cittānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nāhaṁ, ānanda, muṭṭhassatissa asampajānassa ānāpānassatisamādhibhāvanaṁ vadāmi. Tasmātihānanda, citte cittānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘aniccānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati …pe… virāgānupassīnirodhānupassī‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati dhammesu dhammānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. So yaṁ taṁ hoti abhijjhādomanassānaṁ pahānaṁ taṁ paññāya disvā sādhukaṁ ajjhupekkhitā hoti. Tasmātihānanda, dhammesu dhammānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, catumahāpathe mahāpaṁsupuñjo. Puratthimāya cepi disāyaṁ āgaccheyya sakaṭaṁ ratho vā, upahanateva taṁ paṁsupuñjaṁ; pacchimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyyauttarāya cepi disāyadakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya sakaṭaṁ ratho vā, upahanateva taṁ paṁsupuñjaṁ.

Evameva kho, ānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharantopi upahanateva pāpake akusale dhamme; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharantopi upahanateva pāpake akusale dhamme”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Ekadhammavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ekadhammo ca bojjhaṅgo,
suddhikañca duve phalā;
Ariṭṭho kappino dīpo,
vesālī kimilena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kimilāyaṁ viharati veḷuvane.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kimbilā in the Freshwater Mangrove Wood.

Tatra kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ kimilaṁ āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Kimbila,

“kathaṁ bhāvito nu kho, kimila, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso”ti?

“Kimbila, how is immersion due to mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is very fruitful and beneficial?”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā kimilo tuṇhī ahosi.

When he said this, Kimbila kept silent.

Dutiyampi kho bhagavā …pe…

For a second time …

tatiyampi kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ kimilaṁ āmantesi:

And for a third time, the Buddha said to him,

“kathaṁ bhāvito nu kho, kimila, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso”ti?

“How is immersion due to mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is very fruitful and beneficial?”

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā kimilo tuṇhī ahosi.

And a second time and a third time Kimbila kept silent.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

“etassa, bhagavā, kālo; etassa, sugata, kālo.

“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!

Yaṁ bhagavā ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ bhāseyya, bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

Let the Buddha speak on immersion due to mindfulness of breathing. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Tenahānanda, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Well then, Ānanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“kathaṁ bhāvito ca, ānanda, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso?

“Ānanda, how is immersion due to mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is very fruitful and beneficial?

Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato rukkhamūlagato suññāgāragato nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and brings mindfulness to the present.

So satova assasati, satova passasati …pe…

Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. …

‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati.

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’

Evaṁ bhāvito kho, ānanda, ānāpānassatisamādhi evaṁ bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso.

That’s how immersion due to mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is very fruitful and beneficial.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu dīghaṁ assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti;

There’s a time when a mendicant is breathing in heavily, and they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’

rassaṁ assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, rassaṁ passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti;

When breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’

‘sabbakāyappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’

‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’

kāye kāyānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

At such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Kāyaññatarāhaṁ, ānanda, etaṁ vadāmi yadidaṁassāsapassāsaṁ.

Because the breath is a certain aspect of the body, I say.

Tasmātihānanda, kāye kāyānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Therefore, at such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘pītippaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘pītippaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;

There’s a time when a mendicant practices like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing rapture.’

‘sukhappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sukhappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing bliss.’

‘cittasaṅkhārappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittasaṅkhārappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the the mental process.’

‘passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the mental process.’

vedanāsu vedanānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

At such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Vedanāññatarāhaṁ, ānanda, etaṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁassāsapassāsānaṁ sādhukaṁ manasikāraṁ.

Because careful application of mind to the in-breaths and out-breaths is a certain aspect of feelings, I say.

Tasmātihānanda, vedanāsu vedanānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Therefore, at such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘cittappaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘cittappaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;

There’s a time when a mendicant practices like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mind.’

abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ …pe…

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out gladdening the mind.’

samādahaṁ cittaṁ

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out immersing the mind in samādhi.’

‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘vimocayaṁ cittaṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out freeing the mind.’

citte cittānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

At such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Nāhaṁ, ānanda, muṭṭhassatissa asampajānassa ānāpānassatisamādhibhāvanaṁ vadāmi.

Because there is no development of immersion due to mindfulness of breathing for someone who is unmindful and lacks awareness, I say.

Tasmātihānanda, citte cittānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Therefore, at such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Yasmiṁ samaye, ānanda, bhikkhu ‘aniccānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati …pe…

There’s a time when a mendicant practices like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing impermanence.’

virāgānupassī

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing fading away.’

nirodhānupassī

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing cessation.’

‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’

dhammesu dhammānupassī, ānanda, bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

At such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

So yaṁ taṁ hoti abhijjhādomanassānaṁ pahānaṁ taṁ paññāya disvā sādhukaṁ ajjhupekkhitā hoti.

Having seen with wisdom the giving up of covetousness and displeasure, they watch closely over with equanimity.

Tasmātihānanda, dhammesu dhammānupassī bhikkhu tasmiṁ samaye viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Therefore, at such a time a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, catumahāpathe mahāpaṁsupuñjo.

Suppose there was a large heap of sand at the crossroads.

Puratthimāya cepi disāyaṁ āgaccheyya sakaṭaṁ ratho vā, upahanateva taṁ paṁsupuñjaṁ;

And a cart or chariot were to come by from the east,

pacchimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya

west,

uttarāya cepi disāya

north,

dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya sakaṭaṁ ratho vā, upahanateva taṁ paṁsupuñjaṁ.

or south and destroy that heap of sand.

Evameva kho, ānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharantopi upahanateva pāpake akusale dhamme;

In the same way, when a mendicant is meditating by observing an aspect of the body,

vedanāsu …pe…

feelings,

citte …pe…

mind,

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharantopi upahanateva pāpake akusale dhamme”ti.

or principles, they destroy bad, unskillful qualities.”

Dasamaṁ.

Ekadhammavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ekadhammo ca bojjhaṅgo,

suddhikañca duve phalā;

Ariṭṭho kappino dīpo,

vesālī kimilena cāti.

Qualities:

Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Jealousy

Jealousy

A painful mental state that arises when seeing the good fortune or qualities of others. It begrudges what others have and resents their happiness, closing the heart to appreciative joy.

Also known as: covetousness, envy, possessiveness, protective of, unwilling to part with
Pāli: issā
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026