This teaching is from the section Mastering the Mind of the book “In the Buddha’s Words” by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
With Ānanda
At Sāvatthī.
Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, after paying respects to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“Is there, Venerable Sir, one quality developed and frequently practiced that fulfills four qualities, the four qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill seven qualities, the seven qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill two qualities?”
“There is, Ānanda, one quality developed and frequently practiced that fulfills four qualities, the four qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill seven qualities, the seven qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill two qualities.”
“And what, Venerable Sir, is the one quality developed and frequently practiced that fulfills four qualities, the four qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill seven qualities, the seven qualities developed and frequently practiced fulfill two qualities?”
“Ānanda, mindfulness of breathing when developed and frequently practiced fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness, the four establishments of mindfulness when developed and cultivated fulfill the seven factors of awakening, the seven factors of awakening when developed and cultivated, bring clear knowing and release to completion.
How is mindfulness of breathing developed, Ānanda, how is it frequently practiced to fulfill the four establishments of mindfulness? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him. Mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
“When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, breathing in long, knows ‘I breathe in long’, and breathing out long, knows ‘I breathe out long’; breathing in short, knows ‘I breathe in short’, and breathing out short, knows ‘I breathe out short’; he practices calming the bodily formations while breathing in, practices calming the bodily formations while breathing out — at that time, Ānanda, observing the body in the body, the bhikkhu resides with ardency, full awareness, and mindfulness, having relinquished greed (desire, attachment) and dissatisfaction (aversion, ill-will, resentment) with regard to the world. For what reason? Because of the in-and-out breaths. Therefore, Ānanda, in the (domain of) body, the bhikkhu at that time dwells observing the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed greed and dissatisfaction with regard to the world.”
“When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu trains in breathing in feeling rapture (intense joy), and in breathing out feeling rapture; trains in breathing in feeling ease, and in breathing out feeling ease; he trains in to calm mental formations while breathing in, and he trains in to calms mental formations while breathing out — at that time, Ānanda, dwelling in observing the feelings in feelings, the bhikkhu resides with ardency, full awareness, and mindfulness, having relinquished greed and dissatisfaction with regard to the world. For what reason? Because, Ānanda, I declare among feelings, this is crucial—careful attention to the in-and-out breaths. Therefore, Ānanda, in the (domain of) feelings, a bhikkhu at that time dwells observing feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed greed and dissatisfaction with the world.”
“When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu trains ‘I will breathe in experiencing the mind’, and ‘I will breathe out experiencing the mind’; ‘I will breathe in gladdening the mind’, ‘I will breathe out gladdening the mind’; ‘I will breathe in concentrating the mind’, ‘I will breathe out concentrating the mind’; ‘I will breathe in freeing the mind’, ‘I will breathe out freeing the mind’ — at that time, Ānanda, observing the mind in the mind, the bhikkhu resides with ardency, full awareness, and mindfulness, having relinquished greed and dissatisfaction with regard to the world. For what reason? Ānanda, I do not speak of the cultivation of mindfulness of breathing for one forgetful and not fully aware. Therefore, Ānanda, in the (domain of) mind, a bhikkhu at that time dwells observing the mind in the mind, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed greed and dissatisfaction with the world.”
“When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu observes impermanence while breathing in, and observes impermanence while breathing out; observes dispassion while breathing in, and observes dispassion while breathing out; observes cessation while breathing in, and observes cessation while breathing out; he trains to observe relinquishment while breathing in, and trains to observe relinquishment while breathing out — at that time, Ānanda, observing mental qualities within mental qualities, the bhikkhu resides with ardency, full awareness, and mindfulness, having relinquished greed and dissatisfaction with regard to the world. For what reason? Because of careful attention to the in-and-out breaths. Therefore, Ānanda, in the (domain of) mental qualities, the bhikkhu at that time dwells observing mental qualities in and of themselves, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed greed and dissatisfaction with regard to the world.”
Thus Ānanda, mindfulness of breathing when frequently practiced fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness.
“How, Ānanda, do the four foundations of mindfulness when frequently practiced fulfill the seven factors of awakening? When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu dwells observing the body in the body, mindfulness is established in him at that time, unconfused. When, Ānanda, mindfulness is established in the bhikkhu, unconfused (clear), at that time the awakening factor of mindfulness is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, and the awakening factor of mindfulness in the bhikkhu reaches the culmination of its development.”
“While dwelling thus mindful, he investigates, explores, and fully examines that state. When, Ānanda, the bhikkhu, being thus mindful, investigates, explores, and fully examines that state, at that time the awakening factor of investigation of phenomena (dhamma) is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of investigation of phenomena, and the awakening factor of investigation of phenomena reaches the culmination of its development in the bhikkhu.”
“When a bhikkhu with wisdom investigates, explores, and fully examines that state, persistence is aroused unflaggingly. When, Ānanda, for the bhikkhu, his examination of that state with wisdom leads to persistence, unfaltering, at that time, the awakening factor of persistence is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of persistence, and the awakening factor of persistence reaches the culmination of its development in the bhikkhu.”
"When, for a bhikkhu in whom persistence has aroused, an unworldly joy (rapture) arises, at that time, Ānanda, as the bhikkhu experiences unworldly joy from the persistence that has been aroused — the awakening factor of joy is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of joy, and the awakening factor of joy in the bhikkhu reaches the culmination of its development.
“With joy in the mind, both the body and the mind relaxes. When, Ānanda, for the bhikkhu filled with joy, the body and the mind relaxes — the awakening factor of tranquility is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of tranquility, and the awakening factor of tranquility in the bhikkhu reaches the culmination of its development.”
“With the body tranquil (at ease) and the mind content, the mind becomes concentrated. When, Ānanda, for the bhikkhu, with a tranquil body and a content mind, the mind becomes concentrated — the awakening factor of concentration is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of concentration, and the awakening factor of concentration in the bhikkhu reaches the culmination of its development.”"
“With the mind well-concentrated, he closely observes. When, Ānanda, the bhikkhu, with his mind well-concentrated, closely observes — at that time, the awakening factor of equanimity is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of equanimity, and the awakening factor of equanimity in the bhikkhu reaches the culmination of its development.”
“At that time, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu dwells observing feelings in feelings, the mind in the mind, mental qualities in mental qualities — mindfulness is established in him at that time, unconfused. At that time, Ānanda, when mindfulness is established in the bhikkhu, unconfused, at that time the awakening factor of mindfulness is aroused in the bhikkhu, he develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, and the awakening factor of mindfulness reaches the culmination of its development in the bhikkhu.”
[Similarly with the other three establishments of mindfulness: in feelings, mind, and mental qualities.]
“This is how Ānanda, when the four foundations of mindfulness are developed and cultivated, lead to fulfillment of the seven factors of awakening.”
“And how are the seven factors of awakening developed and cultivated to lead to clear knowing and complete release? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, maturing in release; the awakening factor of investigation of phenomena is developed … the awakening factor of persistence is developed … the awakening factor of joy is developed … the awakening factor of tranquility is developed … the awakening factor of concentration is developed … the awakening factor of equanimity is developed, dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, maturing in release. This is how the seven factors of awakening, when developed and cultivated, lead to clear knowing and complete release.”
The Buddha is a sharing a teaching on the mindfulness of breathing fulfilling the four foundations of mindfulness:
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Mindfulness of body in and of itself
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Mindfulness of feeling in and of itself
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Mindfulness of mind in and of itself
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Mindfulness of mental qualities in and of itself
leading to fulfilling the seven factors of awakening. This is a brief version of the teaching on The Four Establishments of Mindfulness (MN 10).
Related Teachings:
Four practices that lead to non-decline (AN 4.37) - The Buddha shares four practices that support cultivation of mindfulness of the body.
The characteristic of Not-self (SN 22.59) - The Buddha shares the way to reflect on not-self. This is not a belief, but rather a reflection to be cultivated by observing where one is seeing attachment arise, where one is seeing a self, where one is seeing themselves as part of something. This should be done whenever the discontent feelings are observed for.
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