Kimilasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 54.10

Linked Discourses 54.10

1. Ekadhammavagga

1. One Thing

Kimilasutta

With Kimbila

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 vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā 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 vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ vā 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 vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti, rassaṁ vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti;

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 yadidaṁ—assāsapassāsaṁ.

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, yadidaṁ—assāsapassāsānaṁ 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 vā 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 vā 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.