Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

2. [29l] And how, bhikkhus, does a brother so continue to consider the body ?

1 Herein, O bhikkhus, let a brother, going into the forest, or to the roots of a tree, or to an empty chamber, sit down cross-legged, holding the body erect, and set his mindfulness alert2.

Mindful let him inhale, mindful let him exhale. Whether he inhale a long breath, let him be conscious thereof; or whether he exhale a long breath, let him be conscious thereof. Whether he inhale a short breath, or exhale a short breath, let him be conscious thereof. Let him practise with the thought ' Conscious of my whole body will I inhale ' ; let him practise with the thought 'Conscious of my whole body will I exhale.' Let him practise with the thought ' I will inhale tranquillizing my bodily organism : ; let him practise with the thought ' I will exhale tranquillizing my bodily organism.'

Even as a skilful turner, or turner's apprentice, drawing (his string) out at length, or drawing it out short, is conscious that he is doing one or the other, so let a brother practise inhaling and exhaling.

[292] So does he, as to the body, continue to consider the body, either internally or externally, or both internally and externally. He keeps on considering how the body is something that comes to be, or again he keeps on considering how the body is something that passes away ; or again he keeps on considering the coming to be with the passing away ; or again, conscious that ' There is the body,' mindfulness hereof becomes thereby established, far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-collectedness. And he abides independent, grasping 'after nothing in the world

1 Quoted Pa/isambhida I, 175, and 'Yogavacara Manual/ p. 1.
Each quotation gives a word for word commentary ; and so does
Sum. I, 210.

2 Parimukha/tt satim upa/Mapati, literally, 'set up his memory in face of (the object of his thought). The ultimate object is throughout, as the ' Yogavacara Manual ' says, Nirvana. Examples of the subsidiary, changing, objects of thought are given in what follows.

p. 329

whatever. Thus, bhikkhus, does a brother continue to regard the body.

3. And moreover, bhikkhus, a brother, when he is walking, is aware of it thus : — ' I walk ' ; or when he is standing, or sitting, or lying down, he is aware of it. However he is disposing the body, he is aware thereof.

So does he, as to the body, continue to consider the body, either internally or externally, or both internally and externally. He keeps on considering how the body is something that comes to be, or again he keeps on considering how the body is something that passes away ; or again he keeps on considering the coming to be with the passing away ; or again, conscious that ' There is the body,' mindfulness hereof becomes thereby established, far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-collectedness. And he abides independent, grasping after nothing in the world whatever. Thus, bhikkhus, does a brother continue to regard the body.

4. And moreover, bhikkhus, a brother — whether he departs or returns, whether he looks at or looks away from, whether he has drawn in or stretched out [his limbs], whether he has donned under-robe, over-robe, or bowl, whether he is eating, drinking, chewing, reposing, or whether he is obeying the calls of nature — is aware of what he is about. In going, standing, sitting, sleeping, watching, talking, or keeping silence, he knows what he is doing.