Guide to Meditation part 3

The Scientific principle behind long and short breath

Question: Ven. Sir, what is the principle applicable to long and short breath?
How could we watch in-breath and out-breath when we listen to a sermon?
Answer: The Supreme Buddha, in this sutta, described the right way for us,
who are constantly going through distasteful, depressed lives, to have a
satisfying, cheerful life. For this purpose, the Buddha assigned the sense object
of in & out breath. There is a special reason for this. We know that the body
is the sheath in which the mind functions. So, there is a mutual relationship
between mind and body for existence. Different types of Air move through our
body, including the pores of our outer skin. The Buddha classified these
different types of internal bodily air with specific names. Those are
i. Uddhangama Wind that moves upward, (e.g. causing bleaching,
coughing, sneezing and related illness)
ii. Adhogama Wind that moves downward causing bowel movement and
frequent motion.
iii. Kucchittha

Wind that moves about in the visceral cavity.

iv. Kotthasaya Wind that moves about inside the large and small
intestines. (e.g. pushing digestible food from the stomach into the rectum)
v. Anggamanganusari
vi. Assasapassasa
anapana.

Wind that moves within the limbs.

Wind inhaled and exhaled by us. It is also known as

Our body needs in-breath and out-breath for existence. We should understand at
this stage that we cannot attain Nibbana by merely watching in-breath and outbreath. What needs to be done here is to watch ones mind with the aid of in & out
breath and dispose of all defilements from ones mind for the purpose of attaining
Nibbana. The Supreme Buddha assigned the meditation object of in & out breath
as a technique to restrain the mind of sentient beings, which is analogous to a wild
buffalo. Once it is restrained, we are able to observe different types of mental
factors in the mind. These mental factors are known as defilements.

The Supreme Buddha elucidated that one is able to attain Nibbana if one could
identify these defilements, abandon them in three ways (pahana). The first one,
Tadanga Pahana ,means partial removal or abandonment of Kilesa. The second
one is Vikkhambhana Pahana which means temporary removal or abandonment of
Kilesa. The third one is Samuccheda Pahanaya which means complete removal or
abandonment of Kilesa. Based on this understanding, I will answer your original
question.
So, in meditation, we keep watching our mind. At beginning, we do not see our
breath, as the mind is on fire; on a heated state, like a fire stone. This is due to the
existence of unwholesome mental factors such as jealousy, hate, and conceit in
mind constantly. A long out-breath (air) is released as a result of the heated nature
of the mind at this stage. In response to a long out-breath, similar amount of air is
drawn in as an in-breath to fill the vacuum created by a long out-breath. When a
meditator becomes aware of this and observe the mind for some time, in-breaths
and out-breaths become shorter, as the heated nature of mind begins to cool off.
Gradual calming down of mind makes lesser air moving in and out, which results
in shorter in-breaths and out-breaths. The meditator would find these short in and
out breaths to be pleasant too. What conclusion could we make at this stage?
We need to know that our mind, primarily, arises in association with breath. When
extraneous matters are added to the thought process, mind tends to generate heat,
making in-breath and out-breath longer. What is the scientific principle associated
with this process? When air becomes heated, air leaves its occupying place and
then, air is drawn in to this place where there is a vacuum left by air leaving that
place. This is the basic principle applicable to the functioning of air. In conclusion,
we need to understand that long inhalations and exhalations are caused by a heated
mind associated with defilements and gradually, this nature would change to
shorter inhalations and exhalations when minds heat subside during meditation.
In replying to your second question, how could we watch in-breath and outbreath when we listen to a sermon? It deals with a sound perceived with the
aid of your mind. When an individual has mastered the technique of watching
in-breath and out- breath, this individuals mind is devoid of greed (lobha) and
hatred (dosa), and therefore mind always remains in a tranquil state. So, when
this individual listens to a sermon (sound) based on the tranquil mental state,
developed through watching the breath, listening would take place without
greed and hatred interfering the mind. Then, he realizes that he is capable of
maintaining the tranquil mental state, developed through meditation on breath,

when listening to sounds as well. When this is possible, it is a considerable

improved mental stage in ones meditation practice.
When one listens to a dhamma sermon and if aversion (dosa) arises in him, due
to a controversy regarding the teachings of a dhamma teacher, then, one should
understand that the improved mental stage, he developed through in-breath and
out-breath meditation, has been disrupted. Similarly, when we engage in our
day to day activities, we need to observe our improved mental state, developed
from practicing anapana meditation, and the impact these activities have on
this mental state. The Supreme Buddha assigned the meditation object of
breath as an effective technique to observe respective mental states and keep
the mind devoid of greed and aversion. So, we can conclude that if one can
develop concentration (samadi), which has in-breath and out-breath as the only
sense object, then, one is able to apply this samadi state in respect of all other
objects, perceived through five sense faculties, and deal with them without
greed and aversion.