The Related Suttas Collection 54.6

1. One Thing

With Ariṭṭha

At Sāvatthī.

There the Buddha … said:

“Bhikkhus, do you develop mindfulness of breathing?” When he said this, Venerable Ariṭṭha said to him:

“Sir, I develop mindfulness of breathing.”

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Sir, I’ve given up desire for sensual pleasures of the past. I’m rid of desire for sensual pleasures of the future. And I have eliminated perception of repulsion regarding phenomena internally and externally. Just mindful, I will breathe in. Mindful, I will breathe out. That’s how I develop mindfulness of breathing.”

“That is mindfulness of breathing, Ariṭṭha; I don’t deny it. But as to how mindfulness of breathing is fulfilled in detail, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” Ariṭṭha replied. The Buddha said this:

“And how is mindfulness of breathing fulfilled in detail? It’s when a bhikkhu—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 establishes mindfulness around the opening (of the nostrils). Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ … They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in watching, again and again, letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out watching, again and again, letting go.’ This is how mindfulness of breathing is fulfilled in detail.”