WHEN the day of the last autumnal full moon had come, Buddha took his seat in the midst of the assembly of monks under the star-spangled canopy of heaven. Looking out over the calm, silent assembly of monks, Buddha addressed the congregation, saying: "Not even a whisper disturbs this assembly, silent and pure is this assembly. Verily, 0 monks, such an assembly as this, such a Sangha as this, is an unsurpassed field in the world for merit, worthy of offerings and gifts, of adoration and worship. This is the noblest community in all the world, I declare: its like cannot anywhere be found.
"Among you, 0 monks, are some who persevere assiduously in gaining mastery of mindful respiration. Mindful respiration, practiced and cultivated — peaceful, sublime, pure, bestowing happiness — suppresses all ill and every immoral state which is apt to arise.
"But how, monks, is this concentration of mindfulness as to respiration developed? How, being repeated, can it suppress all ill and every immoral state which is apt to arise?
the mountains and there sits down cross-legged, holding his body straight, and fixes his attention in front of him. Then:
"Attentively he breathes in, attentively he breathes out. And then:
1. "Breathing in a long breath, he knows, 'I am breathing in a long breath. 'Breathing out a long breath, he knows, 'I am breathing out a long breath.'
2. "Breathing in a short breath, he knows, 'I am breathing in a short breath. 'Breathing out a short breath, he knows, 'I am breathing out a short breath. ' Thus trains himself. Continuing:
3. " 'Conscious of the passage of breath, I breathe in. Conscious of the passage of breath, I breathe out.
4. "Calming the passage of breath, I breathe in. Calming the passage of breath, I breathe out.
5. 'Feeling serenity, I breathe in. Feeling serenity, I breathe out.
6. 'Feeling happiness, I breathe in. Feeling happiness, I breathe out.
7. "Conscious of the sequence of thoughts, I breathe in. Conscious of the sequence of thoughts, I breathe out.
8. "'Calming the sequence of thoughts, I breathe in. Calming the sequence of thoughts, I breathe out.
9. "Perceiving the mind, I breathe in. Perceiving the mind, I breathe out.
10. " Elevating the mind, I breathe in. Elevating the mind, I breathe out.
11. "Concentrating the mind, I breathe in. Concentrating the mind, I breathe out.
12. " Liberating the mind, I breathe in. Liberating the mind, I breathe out.
13. "Discerning the impermanence of all composite things, I breathe in. Discerning the impermanence of all composite things, I breathe out.
14. "Conscious of the absence of passion, I breathe in. Conscious of the absence of passion, I breathe out
15. "Conscious of the extinction of craving desires, I breathe in. Conscious of the extinction of craving desires, I breathe out.
16. "Conscious of the otherness of craving desires, I breathe in . Conscious of the otherness of craving desires, I breathe out. `
"'In this way, 0 monks, must mindful respiration be practiced and cultivated — peaceful, sublime, pure, bestowing happiness — that it suppress all and every immoral state which is apt to arise. In this nay, 0 monks, must a monk train himself.
Thus spoke the Enlightened One, and well content were the monks with his instruction. And on the morrow Buddha left Sravasti with several hundred monks to go to Rajagrha.