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 in doubt.

SN 54.12 In Doubt

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā lomasakaṁbhiyo sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yenāyasmā lomasakaṁbhiyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṁbhiyaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṁbhiyaṁ etadavoca: “so eva nu kho, bhante, sekho vihāro so tathāgatavihāro, udāhu aññova sekho vihāro añño tathāgatavihāro”ti?

“Na kho, āvuso mahānāma, sveva sekho vihāro, so tathāgatavihāro. Añño kho, āvuso mahānāma, sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro. Ye te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, te pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya viharanti. Katame pañca? Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ pahāya viharanti, byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ …pe… thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁuddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁvicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ pahāya viharanti.

Yepi te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, te ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya viharanti.

Ye ca kho te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ pañca nīvaraṇā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Katame pañca? Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ; byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ …pe… thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁuddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁvicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ.

Ye te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ ime pañca nīvaraṇā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Tadamināpetaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā aññova sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro.

Ekamidaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, samayaṁ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe. Tatra kho, āvuso mahānāma, bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: ‘icchāmahaṁ, bhikkhave, temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ. Nāmhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakenā’ti.

‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, āvuso mahānāma, te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.

Atha kho, āvuso, bhagavā tassa temāsassa accayena paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bhikkhū āmantesi:

‘sace kho, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: “katamenāvuso, vihārena samaṇo gotamo vassāvāsaṁ bahulaṁ vihāsī”ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: “ānāpānassatisamādhinā kho, āvuso, bhagavā vassāvāsaṁ bahulaṁ vihāsī”’ti.

Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sato assasāmi, sato passasāmi.

Dīghaṁ assasanto dīghaṁ assasāmīti pajānāmi, dīghaṁ passasanto dīghaṁ passasāmīti pajānāmi …pe…

paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmīti pajānāmi, paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmīti pajānāmi.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi. Ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi.

Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, tesaṁ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato āsavānaṁ khayāya saṁvattati.

Ye ca kho te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārāya ceva saṁvattati satisampajaññāya ca.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi. Ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipīti.

Iminā kho etaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ, yathā aññova sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā lomasakaṁbhiyo sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At one time Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yenāyasmā lomasakaṁbhiyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṁbhiyaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṁbhiyaṁ etadavoca:

Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“so eva nu kho, bhante, sekho vihāro so tathāgatavihāro, udāhu aññova sekho vihāro añño tathāgatavihāro”ti?

“Sir, is the meditation of a trainee just the same as the meditation of a realized one? Or is the meditation of a trainee different from the meditation of a realized one?”

“Na kho, āvuso mahānāma, sveva sekho vihāro, so tathāgatavihāro.

“Reverend Mahānāma, the meditation of a trainee and a realized one are not the same;

Añño kho, āvuso mahānāma, sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro.

they are different.

Ye te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, te pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya viharanti.

Those mendicants who are trainees haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring for the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. They meditate after giving up the five hindrances.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ pahāya viharanti, byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ …pe…

The hindrances of sensual desire, ill will,

thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ

dullness and drowsiness,

uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ

restlessness and remorse,

vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ pahāya viharanti.

and doubt.

Yepi te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, te ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya viharanti.

Those who are trainee mendicants … meditate after giving up the five hindrances.

Ye ca kho te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ pañca nīvaraṇā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

Those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—for them, the five hindrances are cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ;

The hindrances of sensual desire,

byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ …pe…

ill will,

thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ

dullness and drowsiness,

uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ

restlessness and remorse,

vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ.

and doubt.

Ye te, āvuso mahānāma, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ ime pañca nīvaraṇā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

Those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements … for them, the five hindrances are cut off at the root … and unable to arise in the future.

Tadamināpetaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā

And here’s another way to understand how

aññova sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro.

the meditation of a trainee and a realized one are different.

Ekamidaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, samayaṁ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe.

At one time the Buddha was staying in a forest near Icchānaṅgala.

Tatra kho, āvuso mahānāma, bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There he addressed the mendicants,

‘icchāmahaṁ, bhikkhave, temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.

‘Mendicants, I wish to go on retreat for three months.

Nāmhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakenā’ti.

No-one should approach me, except for the one who brings my almsfood.’

‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, āvuso mahānāma, te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.

‘Yes, sir,’ replied those mendicants. And no-one approached him, except for the one who brought the almsfood.

Atha kho, āvuso, bhagavā tassa temāsassa accayena paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then after three months had passed, the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed the mendicants:

‘sace kho, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:

‘Mendicants, if wanderers who follow another religion were to ask you:

“katamenāvuso, vihārena samaṇo gotamo vassāvāsaṁ bahulaṁ vihāsī”ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:

“Reverends, what was the ascetic Gotama’s usual meditation during the rainy season residence?” You should answer them like this:

“ānāpānassatisamādhinā kho, āvuso, bhagavā vassāvāsaṁ bahulaṁ vihāsī”’ti.

“Reverends, the ascetic Gotama’s usual meditation during the rainy season residence was immersion due to mindfulness of breathing.”

Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sato assasāmi, sato passasāmi.

In this regard: mindful, I breathe in. Mindful, I breathe out.

Dīghaṁ assasanto dīghaṁ assasāmīti pajānāmi, dīghaṁ passasanto dīghaṁ passasāmīti pajānāmi …pe…

Breathing in heavily I know: “I’m breathing in heavily.” Breathing out heavily I know: “I’m breathing out heavily.” …

paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmīti pajānāmi, paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmīti pajānāmi.

I know: “I’ll breathe in observing letting go.” I know: “I’ll breathe out observing letting go.”

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya

For if anything should be rightly called

ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi.

“noble meditation”, or else “divine meditation”, or else “a realized one’s meditation”,

Ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya

it’s immersion due to mindfulness of breathing.

ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi.

Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, tesaṁ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato āsavānaṁ khayāya saṁvattati.

For those mendicants who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring for the supreme sanctuary from the yoke—the development and cultivation of immersion due to mindfulness of breathing leads to the ending of defilements.

Ye ca kho te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesaṁ ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārāya ceva saṁvattati satisampajaññāya ca.

For those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—the development and cultivation of immersion due to mindfulness of breathing leads to blissful meditation in this very life, and to mindfulness and awareness.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya

For if anything should be rightly called

ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipi.

“noble meditation”, or else “divine meditation”, or else “a realized one’s meditation”,

Ānāpānassatisamādhiṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya

it’s immersion due to mindfulness of breathing.’

ariyavihāro itipi, brahmavihāro itipi, tathāgatavihāro itipīti.

Iminā kho etaṁ, āvuso mahānāma, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ, yathā

This is another way to understand how

aññova sekho vihāro, añño tathāgatavihāro”ti.

the meditation of a trainee and a realized one are different.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
View all discourses →
Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026