Talk Three: Ānāpāna and Sati in Hearing (Step by Step)
Insight meditation (vipassanā) means practising so that knowing-knowledge (ñāṇa) and the reality of the khandhas fit together. To understand this point, mindfulness (sati) must first be established, and samādhi must also be included.
When the in-breath and out-breath enter and touch at the nostrils, beginning yogis should note them as “going in” and “going out.” Now we contemplate reality and knowing together, without letting the mind wander outward.
Sometimes the in-breath is short and the out-breath is long, for example when one sighs; sometimes it is the opposite. At times, the in-breath and out-breath are not equal. Therefore, in the Ānāpānasati practice, the Buddha instructed us to contemplate and know short and long breaths.
Some practitioners contemplate the beginning, the middle, and the end of the breath and note them, but they cannot follow continuously and become tired. To know the beginning, middle, and end means to know the whole breath—from the beginning through the middle to the end. This is knowing the breath exactly as it is, from the start of the in-breath to its end, and from the start of the out-breath to its end.
Only when knowing and reality fit together precisely does the mind not go outward, because it is carefully attending to what is actually happening.
Sayadawgyi often instructed practitioners to practise ānāpāna for fifteen or twenty minutes at the beginning of sitting meditation.
[This was mentioned in many of his daily talks for general listeners. For those practising under his direct guidance at the centre, the instructions might differ. (See Sayadaw’s short biography by U Kyaw Thein, who practised under his guidance at the centre; Sayadaw instructed him to develop samādhi through ānāpāna until it became stable.)]
Even for those who have already discerned anicca at the beginning of sitting, samādhi must still be established.
This is a general principle at other times but not at near death, there is no need to do samādhi, because there is no time for it. (In many suttas when the Buddha visited sick or dying monks he always taught them vipassanā.) (?? OR In many scriptures, when the Buddha visited monks who were ill or dying, he always taught them vipassanā (insight meditation). ??) At times of good health and in ordinary circumstances, however, people should calm the mind and purify it from the hindrances.
It is like a knife: after sharpening it, one can cut things. Even if one has already discerned phenomena before, after re-establishing samādhi one can discern more clearly than before. If the mind moves away, pull it back to the object. If you bind a wild bull to a post, at first it will struggle, but after some time it will calm down. In the same way, with unshakable resolution and effort, sati becomes stable and the mind calms down; thus sati and viriya develop into samādhi.
At the beginning of practice, even the touching of the in-breath and out-breath is not clear. With practice it becomes clearer, and with further development it becomes very refined. Some yogis then think that they are no longer breathing, as if the breath has stopped. Wanting to make it clear again, some breathe strongly. This is like going upward and then coming down again. Yogis should not do this.
When refinement occurs, yogis must have strong sati and not become confused. With strong sati, samādhi also increases. When the breath becomes refined, one should not search for it. The air will naturally appear again at the entrance of the nostrils, where the yogi watches with strong mindfulness. When it appears again, it may arise as a mental sign, like a wisp of smoke or a bar.
Some yogis play with this mental image, moving it in and out of the body; others simply let it remain at the entrance of the nostrils. Playing with the sign externally involves sending it out about an arm’s length, increasing the distance step by step, and then drawing it back again. (See the Kanni ānāpāna system or the teachings of Mye-zin Sayadaw.)
What happens when practising in this way? Interestingly, it dispels sloth and torpor. (The Kanni system is not intended solely for this purpose; it also increases saddhā—confidence in the Dhamma—and supports samādhi and insight.) It strengthens viriya-magga and supports effort, leaving no room for sloth and torpor.
Some practitioners direct the breath internally from the nostrils to the chest and abdomen, feeling the tension of the in-breath and out-breath and the gradual reduction of that tension. This increases the power of sati. Others play with the samādhi-nimitta (mental sign); in such cases, the mind moves and samādhi declines.
Therefore, yogis have to pay close attention at the entrance of the nostrils, just as when cutting a log with a saw one concentrates only on the cutting point. This quickly leads the mind to one-pointedness (ekaggatā). This is the correct way to work with mental signs (nimitta).
When a yogi becomes dull or does not experience pleasure in bhāvanā, it can be helpful to work skillfully with the sign. (This is also mentioned by a Thai Ajahn who developed the skeleton sign.) However, if one wishes to develop strong sati, one should keep the attention internal. For samādhi, the sign should remain at the entrance of the nostrils.
Jhānic factors may arise quickly for some practitioners who have perfected their practice over many lives. With stable samādhi, the mind becomes calm and peaceful, and rapture (pīti) may arise like a shower. At this point, the yogi should not follow rapture, but continue watching only at the nostrils. Rapture is indeed wholesome, but it can pull the mind away and deceive the yogi. Only by not following it does samādhi improve.
According to the Ānāpānasati Sutta, if one practises the sixteen stages, rapture arises many times—this is the gradual path. Developing rapture means that rapture arises with both the in-breath and the out-breath. Some practitioners experience rapture only when breathing in but not when breathing out. This indicates an incompleteness in bhāvanā. The reason is that while breathing in, the mind inclines toward the object, but it does not do so while breathing out. Others experience the reverse.
To avoid this imbalance, do not force the in-breath or the out-breath; simply follow the breath naturally. In this way, gooseflesh and rapture arise with both in-breath and out-breath. If the practice inclines too much to one side, the other side weakens. Therefore, balance is essential.
At this stage, ānāpāna practice is like an art. When rapture arises, gooseflesh appears, the nerves open, and the circulation of blood and air becomes smooth.
[In Ajahn Ṭhānissaro’s breath meditation, he taught the balancing of breath energy throughout the whole body in order to establish samādhi.]
After that stage, there are no aches in the knees or back during contemplation. The yogi takes pleasure in bhāvanā. Sometimes rapture (pīti) becomes coarse and the mind no longer inclines toward it. As rapture subsides, pleasure and coolness arise in the mind. This is happiness (sukha).
At the beginning of practice, pīti and sukha arise together, but as practice continues, only sukha remains. Sometimes sukha arises with the in-breath but not with the out-breath; then one has to balance them. Rapture and happiness can deceive people. Therefore, do not follow them. Instead, collect the mind at the entrance of the nostrils.
Even though pleasure arises through the power of bhāvanā, it is important not to take delight in it and lose the object, that is, the breath. This leads to stable samādhi at the nostrils.
One has to practise in all four postures. In daily life, during free moments, one can practise ānāpāna—for example, while waiting for a bus or riding on a bus. Watching the breath while counting is a skilful use of time.
(Other supports can also be used, such as a mantra (“Buddho”), or simple observation of the breath.)
Counting can be practised as follows: one–one, two–two, three–three, and so on, up to five–five. Then start again from one–one, two–two … up to six–six, seven–seven, and gradually increase up to ten–ten.
During counting from one–one to ten–ten, if the mind stays with the object, the yogi completes one round. If a mistake is made, one should return to one–one and begin again.
[Note: This way of counting the breath is used in the Kanni system to develop a light nimitta (mental sign).]
This method is also suitable when using rosary beads. With more counting rounds, confidence (saddhā) increases. In this way, one not only maintains sati but also applies careful attention to the object.
Some people use very simple counting, such as one to ten, one to ten. This is easy, but because it is easy, they may not take it seriously. The first method emphasizes keeping the object firmly when the mind tends to move away. Concern about losing the object encourages stronger mindfulness. Although it is more difficult, it requires greater care with sati, and as a result mindfulness becomes stronger.
There are three factors involved in this practice. These are:
This method causes the hindrances to fall away quickly. One has to practise with firm resolution (adhiṭṭhāna), deciding in advance how many rounds to complete—for example, five hundred rounds or a thousand rounds. This leads to samādhi quickly. If a yogi misses a round, they cannot continue that count and must begin again from the start. Therefore, they must be very careful.
To fulfil the resolution (the firm standpoint), one must apply great care and mindfulness. In a short period, this develops samādhi.
[Note: Some yogis who have experienced the Kanni system have reported records of this practice, and these seem to support this point.]
If one is skilled in ānāpāna practice, one can use rapture (pīti) according to one’s intention, directing it to any part of the body. It is like an electric current, opening the channels of nerves, blood, and air, and it can be healing. With the discerning of refined pīti and sukha as they arise, confidence in the Buddha and Dhamma increases.
However, with ānāpāna alone one cannot withstand all the impacts of worldly objects from the surroundings. To develop endurance, it is still necessary to contemplate whatever arises at the eye, ear, nose, and other sense doors.
Now we turn to contemplation of the hearing mind (hearing consciousness). We cannot endure sounds themselves, nor can we control the hearing mind. Quarrels and conflicts can arise instantly with stick, knife or gun. Through hearing, mental reaction of lust arises and also leads to other pain and sorrow. Therefore, one needs to contemplate the nature of hearing.
Ānāpāna is the stage of establishing mindfulness (sati). Contemplating phenomena in turn through the six sense doors is the stage of satipaṭṭhāna.
Hearing consciousness arises due to causes. These are sound, the ear, space, and attention. Hearing arises dependent on these four factors. If there is no attention, one does not hear, or the sound is not clear. In an airtight room, one cannot hear sounds; if someone is deaf, there is no hearing. Thus, hearing is a result of conditions.
Therefore, hearing is a phenomenon of cause and effect. It does not happen by itself, nor is it created by a permanent God. It does not exist beforehand.
Sayadawgyi instructed yogis to contemplate where hearing arises—at the ear—and not to follow the sound. If one contemplates by following the sound, one may also discern anicca, but sakkāya-diṭṭhi (personality view) can arise in the mind. The Buddha taught the practice of satipaṭṭhāna by contemplating both internal and external phenomena; however, before becoming a stream-enterer, yogis should emphasize internal contemplation. When practice matures, there is no problem.
Do not take hearing as “me” or “mine,” and do not frame it as “I hear.” This leads to wrong view based on identity. Instead, do not differentiate sounds as praise or blame; simply note hearing as impermanent (anicca), or note it as hearing-consciousness.
With improper attention (ayoniso manasikāra), defilements enter the mind. For example, taking pleasure in a woman’s or a man’s voice can give rise to lust (rāga). If one cannot stop this, return to the nostrils, and then attend to sounds again in turn. This is training in hearing, not yet insight contemplation; it is an exercise of the ear-door. (It is like studying rather than taking an examination.)
When hearing arises, note it until it stops, and after it stops, return to the in-breath and out-breath. The yogi should not try to stop the sound. If one does not know what to do, delusion enters the mind. Sometimes yogis even anticipate sounds to arise, especially music or attractive voices. Here I am correcting common mistakes that often occur among practitioners. This stage is training in mindfulness.
[Note: We should read a sutta in the Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta and contemplate how we use the six sense doors in daily life in the modern world. This is Sutta No. 235 (The Exposition on Burning). From this, we can understand why so many problems and so much suffering arise continuously—from the family level to the international level.]
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