Ānāpāna Sati

Meditation on Breathing

By

Ven. Mahathera Nauyane

Ariyadhamma

Buddhist Publication Society

Kandy • Sri Lanka

Bodhi Leaves No: 115

BPS Online Edition © (2014)
Digital Transcription Source: BPS and Access to
Insight Transcription Project
For free distribution. This work may be republished,
reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any

2
medium. However, any such republication and
redistribution is to be made available to the public on
a free and unrestricted basis, and translations and
other derivative works are to be clearly marked as
such.

3
 Homage to the Blessed One,
Accomplished and Fully Enlightened

Ānāpāna Sati
Meditation on
Breathing
nāpāna sati, the meditation on in-and-out

Ā breathing, is the first subject of meditation

expounded by the Buddha in the Maha-
satipatthana Sutta, the Great Discourse on
the Foundations of Mindfulness. The Buddha laid
special stress on this meditation, for it is the gateway
to enlightenment and Nibbāna adopted by all the
Buddhas of the past as the very basis for their
attainment of Buddhahood. When the Blessed One sat
at the foot of the Bodhi Tree and resolved not to rise
until he had reached enlightenment, he took up
ānāpāna sati as his subject of meditation. On the basis
of this, he attained the four jhanas, recollected his
previous lives, fathomed the nature of samsara,
aroused the succession of great insight knowledges,
and at dawn, while 100,000 world systems trembled,

4
he attained the limitless wisdom of a Fully
Enlightened Buddha.
Let us then offer our veneration to the Blessed One,
who became a peerless world-transcending Buddha
through this meditation of ānāpāna sati. May we
comprehend this subject of meditation fully, with
wisdom resplendent like the sun and moon. Through
its power may we attain the blissful peace of Nibbāna.

The Basic Text

Let us first examine the meaning of the text
expounded by the Buddha on ānāpāna sati. The text
begins:
“Herein, monks, a monk who has gone to the
forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to an empty
place, sits down cross legged, holding his back
erect, arousing mindfulness in front of him.”

This means that any person belonging to the four

types of individuals mentioned in this teaching —
namely, bhikkhu (monk), bhikkhuni (nun), upasaka
(layman) or upasika (laywoman) — desirous of
practicing this meditation, should go either to a forest,
to the foot of a secluded tree, or to a solitary dwelling.
There he should sit down cross-legged, and keeping

5
his body in an erect position, fix his mindfulness at the
tip of his nose, the locus for his object of meditation.
If he breathes in a long breath, he should
comprehend this with full awareness. If he breathes
out a long breath, he should comprehend this with full
awareness. If he breathes in a short breath, he should
comprehend this with full awareness. if he breathes
out a short breath, he should comprehend this with
full awareness.
“He breathes in experiencing the whole body,
he breathes out experiencing the whole body”:

that is, with well-placed mindfulness, he sees the

beginning, the middle and the end of the two phases,
the in-breath and the out-breath. As he practices
watching the in-breath and the out breath with
mindfulness, he calms down and tranquilizes the two
functions of in breathing and out-breathing.
The Buddha illustrates this with a simile. When a
clever turner or his apprentice works an object on his
lathe, he attends to his task with fixed attention: in
making a long turn or a short turn, he knows that he is
making a long turn or a short turn. In the same
manner if the practitioner of meditation breathes in a
long breath he comprehends it as such; and if he
breathes out a long breath, he comprehends it as such;

6
if he breathes in a short breath, he comprehends it as
such; and if he breathes out a short breath, he
comprehends it as such. He exercises his awareness so
as to see the beginning, the middle and the end of
these two functions of breathing in and breathing out.
He comprehends with wisdom the calming down of
these two aspects of in-breathing and out-breathing.
In this way he comprehends the two functions of in-
breathing and out-breathing in himself, and the two
functions of in breathing and out-breathing in other
persons. He also comprehends the two functions of in-
breathing and out-breathing in himself and in others
in rapid alternation. He comprehends as well the
cause for the arising of in-breathing and out-breathing,
and the cause for the cessation of in breathing and out-
breathing, and the moment-by-moment arising and
cessation of in-breathing and out-breathing.
He then realizes that this body which exercises the
two functions of in-breathing and out-breathing is
only a body, not an ego or “I.” This mindfulness and
wisdom become helpful in developing greater and
more profound mindfulness and wisdom, enabling
him to discard the erroneous conceptions of things in
terms of “I” and “mine.” He then becomes skilled in
living with wisdom in respect of this body and he
does not grasp anything in the world with craving,
conceit or false views. Living unattached, the

7
meditator treads the path to Nibbāna by
contemplating the nature of the body.
This is an amplified paraphrase of the passage from
the Maha-Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta on ānāpāna sati. This
meditation has been explained in sixteen different
ways in various suttas. Of these sixteen, the first tetrad
has been explained here. But these four are the
foundation for all the sixteen ways in which ānāpāna
sati can be practiced.

The Preliminaries of Practice

Now we should investigate the preliminary stages to
practicing this meditation. In the first place the
Buddha indicated a suitable dwelling for practicing
ānāpāna sati. In the sutta he has mentioned three
places: the forest, the foot of a tree, or an isolated
empty place. This last can be a quiet restful hut, or a
dwelling place free from the presence of people. We
may even consider a meditation hall an empty place.
Although there may be a large collection of people in
such a hall, if every one remains calm and silent it can
be considered an empty place.
The Buddha recommended such places because in
order to practice ānāpāna sati, silence is an essential
factor. A beginning meditator will find it easier to
develop mental concentration with ānāpāna sati only

8
if there is silence. Even if one cannot find complete
silence, one should choose a quiet place where one
will enjoy privacy.
Next the Buddha explained the sitting posture.
There are four postures which can be adopted for
meditation: standing, sitting, reclining and walking.
Of these the most suitable posture to practice ānāpāna
sati at the beginning is the seated posture.
The person wishing to practice ānāpāna sati should
sit down cross-legged. For bhikkhus and laymen, the
Buddha has recommended the cross-legged Position.
This is not an easy posture for everyone, but it can be
gradually mastered. The half cross-legged position has
been recommended for bhikkhunis and laywomen.
This is the posture of sitting with one leg bent. It
would be greatly beneficial if the cross legged posture
recommended for bhikkhus and laymen could be
adopted in the “lotus” pattern, with the feet turned up
and resting on the opposite thighs. If that is
inconvenient, one should sit with the two feet tucked
underneath the body.
In the practice of ānāpāna sati, it is imperative to
hold the body upright. The torso should be kept erect,
though not strained and rigid. One can cultivate this
meditation properly only if all the bones of the spine
are linked together in an erect position. Therefore, this

9
advice of the Buddha to keep the upper part of the
body erect should be clearly comprehended and
followed.
The hands should be placed gently on the lap, the
back of the right hand over the palm of the left. The
eyes can be closed softly, or left half-closed, whichever
is more comfortable. The head should be held straight,
tilted a slight angle downwards, the nose
perpendicular to the navel
The next factor is the place for fixing the attention.
To cultivate ānāpāna sati one should be clearly
mindful of the place where the incoming and outgoing
breaths enter and leave the nostrils. This will be felt as
a spot beneath the nostrils or on the upper lip,
wherever the impact of the air coming in and out the
nostrils can be felt most distinctly. On that spot the
attention should be fixed, like a sentry watching a
gate.
Then the Buddha has explained the manner in
which ānāpāna sati has to be cultivated. One breathes
in mindfully, breathes out mindfully. From birth to
death this function of in-breathing and out-breathing
continues without a break, without a stop, but since
we do not consciously reflect on it, we do not even
realize the presence of this breath. If we do so, we can
derive much benefit by way of calm and insight. Thus

10
the Buddha has advised us to be aware of the function
of breathing.
The practitioner of meditation who consciously
watches the breath in this manner should never try to
control his breathing or hold back his breath with
effort. For if he controls his breath or holds back his
breath with conscious effort, he will become fatigued
and his mental concentration will be disturbed and
broken. The key to the practice is to set up
mindfulness naturally at the spot where the in-breaths
and the out-breaths are felt entering and leaving the
nostrils. Then the meditator has to maintain his
awareness of the touch sensation of the breath,
keeping the awareness as steady and consistent as
possible.

The Eight Steps

To help practitioners in developing this meditation,
the commentators and meditation masters have
indicated eight graduated steps in the practice. These
eight steps will first be enumerated, and then they will
be explained in relation to the actual meditative
process.
The eight steps are named: counting (ganana);
following (anubandhana); contact (phusana); fixing
(thapana); observing (sallakkhana); turning away

11
(vivattana), purification (parisuddhi); and retrospection
(patipassana). These eight cover the whole course of
meditative development up to the attainment of
arahantship.
(i) Counting
Counting is intended for those who have never before
practiced ānāpāna sati. It is not necessary for those
who have practiced meditation for a considerable
period of time. However, as it is expedient to have a
knowledge of this, counting should be understood in
the following manner.
When the meditator sits down for meditation, he
fixes his attention at the tip of his nose and
consciously attends to the sequence of in-and-out
breathing. He notes the breath as it enters, and notes
the breath as it leaves, touching against the tip of the
nose or the upper lip. At this time he begins to count
these movements.
There are a few methods of counting. The easiest is
explained thus: The first breath felt is counted as “one,
one”; the second as “two, two”; the third as “three,
three”; the fourth as “four, four”; the fifth as “five,
five” and so on up to the tenth breath which is
counted as “ten, ten.” Then he returns to “one, one”
and continues again up to “ten, ten.” This is repeated
over and over from one to ten.

12
 The mere counting is not itself meditation, but the
counting has become an essential aid to meditation. A
person who has not practiced meditation before,
finding it difficult to understand the nature of his
mind, may think he is meditating while his mind runs
helter skelter. Counting is an easy method to control
the wandering mind.
If a person fixes his mind well on his meditation, he
can maintain this counting correctly. If the mind flees
in all directions, and he misses the count, he becomes
confused and thus can realize that his mind has
wandered about. If the mind has lost track of the
count, the meditator should begin the counting over
again. In this way he should start the counting again
from the beginning, even if he has gone wrong a
thousand times.
As the practice develops, there may come a time
when the in-breathing and out breathing take a
shorter course and it is not possible to count the same
number many times. Then the meditator has to count
quickly “one,” “two,” “three,” etc. When he counts in
this manner he can comprehend the difference
between a long in-breath and out-breath and a short
in-breath and out-breath.
(ii) Following
“Following” means following the breath with the

13
mind. When the mind has been subdued by counting
and is fixed on the in-breathing and out-breathing, the
counting is stopped and replaced by mentally keeping
track of the course of the breath. This is explained by
the Buddha in this manner:
“When the meditator breathes in a long breath, he
comprehends that he is breathing in a long breath; and
when he is breathing out a long breath, he
comprehends that he is breathing out a long breath.”
Herein, one does not deliberately take a long in-
breath or a long out-breath. One simply comprehends
what actually takes place.
The Buddha has declared in the next passage that a
meditator trains himself thinking: “I shall breathe in
experiencing the whole body, and I shall breath out
experiencing the whole body.” Here, what is meant as
“the whole body” is the entire cycle of breathing in
and breathing out. The meditator should fix his
attention so as to see the beginning, the middle and
the end of each cycle of in-breathing and out-
breathing. It is this practice that is called “experiencing
the whole body.”
The beginning, middle and end of the breath must
be correctly understood. It is incorrect to consider the
tip of the nose to be the beginning of the breath, the
chest to be the middle, and the navel to be the end. If

14
one attempts to trace the breath from the nose through
the chest to the belly, or to follow it out from the belly
through the chest to the nose, one’s concentration will
be disrupted and one’s mind will become agitated.
The beginning of the in-breath, properly understood,
is the start of the inhalation, the middle is continued
inhalation, and the end is the completion of the
inhalation. Likewise, in regard to the out breath, the
beginning is the start of the exhalation, the middle is
the continued exhalation, and the end is the
completion of the exhalation. To “experience the
whole body” means to be aware of the entire cycle of
each inhalation and exhalation, keeping the mind
fixed at the spot around the nostrils or on the upper
lip where the breath is felt entering and leaving the
nose.
This work of contemplating the breath at the area
around the nostrils, without following it inside and
outside the body, is illustrated by the commentaries
with the similes of the gatekeeper and the saw.
Just as a gatekeeper examines each person entering
and leaving the city only as he passes through the
gate, without following him inside or outside the city,
so the meditator should be aware of each breath only
as it passes through the nostrils, without following it
inside or outside the body.

15
 Just as a man sawing a log will keep his attention
fixed on the spot where the teeth of the saw cut
through the wood, without following the movement
of the teeth back and forth, so the meditator should
contemplate the breath as it swings back and forth
around the nostrils, without letting his mindfulness be
distracted by the breath’s inward and outward
passage through the body.
When a person meditates earnestly in this manner,
seeing the entire process, a joyous thrill pervades his
mind. And since the mind does not wander about, the
whole body becomes calm and composed, cool and
comfortable.
(iii) Contact and (iv) Fixing
These two aspects of the practice indicate the
development of stronger concentration. When the
mindfulness of breathing is maintained, the breathing
becomes more and more subtle and tranquil. As a
result the body becomes calm and ceases to feel
fatigued. Bodily pain and numbness disappear, and
the body begins to feel an exhilarating comfort, as if it
were being fanned with a cool gentle breeze.
At that time, because of the tranquillity of the mind,
the breathing becomes finer and finer until it seems
that it has ceased. At times this condition lasts for
many minutes. This is when breathing ceases to be

16
felt. At this time some be come alarmed thinking the
breathing has ceased, but it is not so. The breathing
exists but in a very delicate and subtle form. No
matter how subtle the breathing becomes, one must
still keep mindful of the contact (phusana) of the breath
in the area of the nostrils, without losing track of it.
The mind then becomes free from the five hindrances
— sensual desire, anger, drowsiness, restlessness and
doubt. As a result one becomes calm and joyful.
It is at this stage that the “signs” or mental images
appear heralding the success of concentration. First
comes the learning sign (uggaha-nimitta), then the
counterpart sign (patibhaga-nimitta). To some the sign
appears like a wad of cotton, like an electric light, a
sliver chain, a mist or a wheel. It appeared to the
Buddha like the clear and bright midday sun.
The learning sign is unsteady, it moves here and
there, up and down. But the counterpart sign
appearing at the end of the nostrils is steady, fixed and
motionless. At this time there are no hindrances, the
mind is most active and extremely tranquil. This stage
is expounded by the Buddha when he states that one
breathes in tranquilizing the activity of the body, one
breathes out tranquilizing the activity of the body.
The arising of the counterpart sign and the
suppression of the five hindrances marks the

17
attainment of access concentration (upacara-samādhi).
As concentration is further developed, the meditator
attains full absorption (appana-samādhi) beginning with
the first jhana. Four stages of absorption can be
attained by the practice of ānāpāna sati, namely, the
first, second, third and fourth jhānas. These stages of
deep concentration are called “fixing” (thapana).
(v) Observing — (viii) Retrospection
A person who has reached jhana should not stop there
but should go on to develop insight meditation
(vipassanā). The stages of insight are called
“observing” (sallakkhana). When insight reaches its
climax, the meditator attains the supramundane paths,
starting with the stage of stream-entry. Because these
paths turn away the fetters that bind one to the cycle
of birth and death, they are called “turning away”
(vivattana).
The paths are followed by their respective fruitions;
this stage is called “purification” (parisuddhi) because
one has been cleansed of defilements. Thereafter one
realizes the final stage, reviewing knowledge, called
retrospection (patipassana) because one looks back
upon one’s entire path of progress and one’s
attainments. This is a brief overview of the main
stages along the path to Nibbāna, based on the
meditation of ānāpāna sati. Now let us examine the

18
course of practice in terms of the seven stages of
purification.

The Seven Stages of Purification

The person who has taken up the practice begins by
establishing himself in a fitting moral code. If he is a
layman, he first establishes himself in the five precepts
or the ten precepts. If he is a bhikkhu, he begins his
meditation while scrupulously maintaining the moral
code prescribed for him. The unbroken observance of
his respective moral code constitutes purification of
morality (sīla-visuddhi).
Next, he applies himself to his topic of meditation,
and as a result, the hindrances become subjugated and
the mind becomes fixed in concentration. This is
purification of mind (citta-visuddhi) — the mind in
which the hindrances have been fully suppressed —
and this includes both access concentration and the
four jhanas.
When the meditator becomes well established in
concentration, he next turns his attention to insight
meditation. To develop insight on the basis of ānāpāna
sati, the meditator first considers that this process of
in-and-out breathing is only form, a series of bodily
events — not a self or ego. The mental factors that
contemplate the breathing are in turn only mind, a

19
series of mental events — not a self or ego. This
discrimination of mind and matter (nama-rāpa) is
called purification of view (diṭṭhi-visuddhi).
One who has reached this stage comprehends the
process of in-and-out breathing by way of the
conditions for the arising and cessation of the bodily
and mental phenomena involved in the process of
breathing. This knowledge, which becomes extended
to all bodily and mental phenomena in terms of their
dependent arising, is called the comprehension of
conditions. As his understanding matures, all doubts
conceived by him in respect of past, future and
present times are dispelled. Thus this stage is called
“purification by the transcending of doubt.”
After having, understood the causal relations of
mind and matter, the meditator proceeds further with
insight meditation, and in time there arises the
wisdom “seeing the rise and fall of things.” When he
breathes in and out, he sees the bodily and mental
states pass in and out of existence moment after
moment. As this wisdom becomes clearer, the mind
becomes illumined and happiness and tranquillity
arise, along with faith, vigor, mindfulness, wisdom
and equanimity.
When these factors appear, he reflects on them,
observing their three characteristics of impermanence,

20
suffering and egolessness. The wisdom that
distinguishes between the exhilarating results of the
practice and the task of detached contemplation is
called “purification by knowledge and vision of the
true path and the false path.” His mind, so purified,
sees very clearly the rise and cessation of mind and
matter.
He sees next, with each in-breath and out-breath,
the breaking up of the concomitant mental and bodily
phenomena, which appears just like the bursting of
the bubbles seen in a pot of boiling rice, or like the
breaking up of bubbles when rain falls on a pool of
water, or like the cracking of sesamum or mustard
seeds as they are put into a red-hot pan. This wisdom
which sees the constant and instantaneous breaking
up of mental and bodily phenomena is called “the
knowledge of dissolution.” Through this wisdom he
acquires the ability to see how all factors of mind and
body throughout the world arise and disappear.
Then there arises in him the wisdom that sees all of
these phenomena as a fearsome spectacle. He sees that
in none of the spheres of existence, not even in the
heavenly planes, is there any genuine pleasure or
happiness, and he comprehends misfortune and
danger.
Then he conceives a revulsion towards all

21
conditioned existence. He arouses an urge to free
himself from the world, an all consuming desire for
deliverance. Then, by considering the means of
releasing himself, there arises in him a state of wisdom
which quickly reflects on impermanence, suffering
and egolessness, and leads to subtle and deep levels of
insight.
Now there appears in him the comprehension that
the aggregates of mind and body appearing in all the
world systems are afflicted by suffering, and he
realizes that the state of Nibbāna, which transcends
the world, is exceedingly peaceful and comforting.
When he comprehends this situation, his mind attains
the knowledge of equanimity about formations. This is
the climax of insight meditation, called “purification
by knowledge and vision of progress.”
As he becomes steadfast, his dexterity in meditation
increases, and when his faculties are fully mature he
enters upon the cognitive process of the path of
stream-entry (sotapatti). With the path of stream-entry
he realizes Nibbāna and comprehends directly the
Four Noble Truths. The path is followed by two or
three moments of the fruit of stream-entry, by which
he enjoys the fruits of his attainment. Thereafter there
arises reviewing knowledge by which he reflects on
his progress and attainment.

22
 If one continues with the meditation with earnest
aspiration, one will develop anew the stages of insight
knowledge and realize the three higher paths and
fruits: those of the once-returner, nonreturner, and
arahant. These attainments, together with stream-
entry, form the seventh stage of purity, purification by
knowledge and vision. With each of these attainments
one realizes in full the Four Noble Truths, which had
eluded one throughout one’s long sojourn in the cycle
of rebirths. As a result, all the defilements contained
within the mind are uprooted and destroyed, and
one’s mind becomes fully pure and cleansed. One then
realizes the state of Nibbāna, wherein one is liberated
from all the suffering of birth, aging and death,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.

Conclusion
Births like ours are rare in saṃsara. We have been
fortunate to encounter the Buddha’s message, to enjoy
the association of good friends, to have the
opportunity to listen to the Dhamma. As we have been
endowed with all these blessings, if our aspirations are
ripe, we can in this very life reach the final goal of
Nibbāna through its graduated stages of stream-entry,
once-returner, nonreturner and arahantship.
Therefore, let us make our life fruitful by developing

23
regularly the meditation of ānāpāna sati. Having
received proper instructions on how to practice this
method of meditation, one should purify one’s moral
virtue by observing the precepts and should surrender
one’s life to the Triple Gem.
One should choose a convenient time for meditation
and practice with utmost regularity, reserving the
same period each day for one’s practice. One may
begin by briefly reflecting on the abundant virtues of
the Buddha, extending loving-kindness towards all
beings, pondering the repulsiveness of the body, and
considering the inevitability of death. Then, arousing
the confidence that one is walking the very road to
Nibbāna walked by all the enlightened ones of the
past, one should proceed forth on the path of
meditation and strive with diligent effort.

24
Table of Contents
Title page 2
Ānāpāna Sati Meditation on Breathing 4
The Basic Text 5
The Preliminaries of Practice 8
The Eight Steps 11
(i) Counting 12
(ii) Following 13
(iii) Contact and (iv) Fixing 16
(v) Observing — (viii) Retrospection 18
The Seven Stages of Purification 19
Conclusion 23

25