100 (Day) Ānāpānapabba — Breathing In and Out (Exercise 1 in Satipaṭṭhāna Practice) | Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10) | Study Notes from BMV Monday Sutta Study with Bhante Dr. G. Chandima
1.1. Kāyānupassanā Ānāpānapabba
(Section on Contemplation of Breath as Mindfulness of the Body)
When practicing mindfulness of breathing, the Buddha advised going to a quiet place—such as a forest, the root of a tree, or an empty hut. There, one should sit cross-legged, set the body upright, and establish mindfulness clearly in front of oneself. This posture combines steadiness of the body with alertness of the mind: the straight back prevents dullness, the stable sitting grounds attention, and mindfulness placed “in front” directs awareness to the breath as the central focus.
From a layperson’s perspective, a “quiet place” can be one’s own home or any calm corner where disturbances are minimal. The “empty hut” may be understood as any spot where one spends private, uninterrupted time. In this way, the posture and environment together provide the ideal foundation for calmness and insight.
2. Mindful Breathing – So satova assasati, satova passasati
The Buddha emphasized that breathing should happen with mindfulness: so satova assasati, satova passasati — “breathing in mindfully, he breathes in; breathing out mindfully, he breathes out.” This means that the practitioner does not merely breathe mechanically, but attends fully to the natural rhythm of inhalation and exhalation (arising/presence/fading away). The breath becomes the anchor for present-moment awareness. In this way, mindfulness infuses a simple, universal act with clarity, steadiness, and the basis for deeper concentration and insight.
3. Experiencing the Whole Body in Breathing
The Buddha taught that one should train by being aware of the entire process of breathing: ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati — “They train: ‘I will breathe in, experiencing the whole body’; they train: ‘I will breathe out, experiencing the whole body.’”
(“whole body”) refers to the entire duration and cycle of the in-breath and out-breath, rather than the anatomical body. That is, the meditator is fully aware of the beginning, middle, and end of each breath.
Here, “whole body” (sabbakāya) can be understood in two ways:
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The full span of the breath itself—from its beginning, through its middle, to its end.
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The awareness of the breath as it connects with and influences the entire physical body is felt as a unified field of sensation.
4. Calming the Bodily Formations through Breathing
The Buddha instructed: ‘passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati — “They train: ‘I will breathe in, calming the bodily process’; they train: ‘I will breathe out, calming the bodily process.’”
Here, kāya-saṅkhāra refers to the bodily formation of breathing itself—assāsa (in-breath) and passāsa (out-breath). As mindfulness deepens, the breath, which may begin coarse and effortful, naturally becomes finer, smoother, and more tranquil. By attending to the breath in this way, one gradually calms the physical processes connected with breathing.
This stage not only soothes bodily agitation but also quiets the mind, creating the foundation for samādhi (concentration). The calming of the breath is therefore both a physical and mental settling, harmonizing body and mind in preparation for deeper meditative absorption.
5. The Carpenter’s Analogy for Mindfulness of Breathing
The Buddha gave an analogy to illustrate mindfulness of breathing: “Just as, monks, a skilled carpenter or carpenter’s apprentice, making a long stroke, knows: ‘I make a long stroke’; and making a short stroke, knows: ‘I make a short stroke’ …” (MN 10).
Here, the carpenter represents the meditator, and the strokes represent the breath. A skilled carpenter works with awareness, knowing clearly when each stroke is long or short. In the same way, a meditator develops mindfulness by knowing directly whether the breath is long or short, coarse or subtle, without confusion or distraction.
The analogy highlights two key points:
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Clarity of Awareness – Just as the carpenter’s success depends on attentiveness, the meditator’s progress relies on mindfulness of each breath.
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Skill through Training – As a carpenter’s skill grows through repeated practice, so too mindfulness of breathing becomes refined through steady cultivation.
Thus, the practice of knowing long and short breaths is not only about watching the breath, but about recognizing it with the same precision and presence as a craftsman at work. This careful awareness forms the foundation for deeper calm and insight.
6. Observing the Body in the Body – Internally and Externally
The Buddha taught: “iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati” — “Thus they dwell observing the body in the body internally, externally, or both internally and externally.”
In the context of ānāpāna (mindfulness of breathing), observing internally (ajjhattaṃ) means watching one’s own in-breath and out-breath directly as the object of mindfulness. This establishes a clear awareness of how the body is sustained by the process of breathing.
Observing externally (bahiddhā) means extending this awareness beyond oneself, recognizing that in-breaths and out-breaths are not unique to “me” but are universal bodily processes shared by all beings. In this way, the meditator sees breathing as a natural phenomenon, not as a possession of the self.
Observing both internally and externally (ajjhattabahiddhā) brings together these perspectives: the breath as personally experienced and as a universal process of life. This dual perspective deepens insight, dissolves self-centred attachment, and cultivates compassion, as one realizes that just as “I breathe in and out,” so too do all others depend on the same bodily formations.
7. Observing the Origination and Vanishing of the Breath
The Buddha instructed: “samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati, vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati, samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati” — “They dwell observing the body as subject to origination, as subject to vanishing, or as subject to both origination and vanishing.”
In the context of ānāpāna (mindfulness of breathing), this means:
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Observing origination (samudaya): The meditator understands that the in-breath and out-breath arise and continue only so long as the body exists. Breath is conditioned by life itself.
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Observing vanishing (vaya): The meditator also understands that when the body no longer exists—when life comes to an end—there will be no experience of in-breath and out-breath. Breath ceases along with the body.
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Observing both origination and vanishing (samudayavaya): By directly watching the arising and passing of each breath in the present moment, the meditator sees that breathing itself is impermanent, conditioned, and not under one’s control.
This reflection deepens insight into anicca (impermanence), loosens attachment to the body, and leads toward wisdom that transcends clinging to the notion of a permanent self.
8. The Benefits of Mindfulness of Breathing – Freedom from Grasping
The Buddha taught: “‘atthi kāyo’ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti. yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.” — “Or mindfulness that ‘there is a body’ is established to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness. And they dwell unassociating, not grasping at anything in the world.”
This passage shows the benefits of the ānāpāna-satipaṭṭhāna exercise:
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“yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya” – As a consequence of cultivating mindfulness of in-breath and out-breath, the meditator gains just enough knowledge and clarity to deal directly with the process of breathing. Awareness matures without excess speculation.
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“paṭissatimattāya” – Mindfulness becomes stable and continuous, guarding the mind without distraction.
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“anissito ca viharati” – As a result of this practice, the meditator does not rely on craving (taṇhā) or on wrong views (micchādiṭṭhi). Awareness is independent and free from attachment.
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“na ca kiñci loke upādiyati” – The meditator does not grasp at anything in the world, particularly not the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha) as “mine,” “myself,” or “in myself.”
In this way, the practice of ānāpānasati matures beyond watching the breath: it becomes a training in freedom, enabling one to live in the world without clinging, and preparing the ground for liberation.
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