in which in the sutra there are 16 awarenesses of breathing. And they can be classified in various ways or applied to various methods like the four foundations of mindfulness or the seven factors of enlightenment. or any of the meditation practices of Buddhism. So I want to talk about the mindfulness of breathing according to the four foundations of mindfulness. This is Sutra, maybe the oldest meditation Sutra called the Satipatthana Sutra, which I'm sure you're all familiar with.

[01:07]

And this Sutra, Pali Sutra, is concerned with Awareness of the body, in the body. Awareness of feelings, in the feelings. Awareness of mind, in the mind. And awareness of mind objects, in mind objects. These are the four awarenesses, which are the basis, actually, of all meditation practices. So, and the 16 awarenesses of breathing are divided into four in this, according to, to be consistent with the sutra.

[02:21]

So according to the sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha says, what is the way to develop and practice continuously the method of full awareness of breathing so that the practice will be rewarding and offer great benefit? It is like this, bhikkhus. The practitioner goes into the forest or to the foot of a tree or to any deserted place and sits stably in the lotus position, holding the body quite straight. Breathing in, one knows that one is breathing in. And breathing out, one knows that one is breathing out. This is the basic awareness. to know when is breathing in and to know when is breathing out. Of course, we don't go into the forest, we don't sit at the foot of a tree, we lead a busy life in the city, and we're not bhikkhus exactly, but this applies to anyone in any place who wants to develop awareness of breathing.

[03:47]

In Zen practice. Some people in Soto Zen, there's some teachers who don't put much emphasis on breathing. And some teachers who put a lot of emphasis on breathing. And some teachers will say there are three practices. There's the practice of breathing, the practice of shikantaza, and the practice of koan study. They divide those into three categories, but Suzuki Roshi didn't use those categories. There is shikantaza, and there is koan study, but no matter what you do, there's breathing practice.

[04:52]

Breathing is not a separate practice. Breathing is just what happens regardless of whether you like it or not. It's not a matter of choice. But concentration on breath is a practice that goes on no matter what you're doing. And this is apparent in the Sutra that In every activity, there should be awareness of breathing. So, if you're... Of course, it goes without saying that if you're sitting Zazen, there's awareness of breathing. Although, some teachers would say that you just kind of let the breath go, follow the breath, and then forget it. There is something to that. Some people say, Well, you should be aware of breath at the beginning of sitting and then just gradually forget it.

[06:03]

And some people say you should be aware of breath continuously through zazen, throughout zazen. So there are different emphasis. I like the emphasis of breathing, being aware of breathing as much as you can, as much as possible to be aware of breath, not just in certain special circumstances. So, I like this sutra. I like the emphasis on breathing, not just in zazen, but in every activity, to do it with awareness of breath.

[07:05]

And, of course, our breath should be deep. Dogen says, if the breath is Short, let it be short. If the breath is long, let it be long. And this is what Shakyamuni also says. He says, if the breath is short, just let it be short. If the breath is long, let it be long. Be aware this is a short breath. Be aware this is a long breath, or a deep breath, or a shallow breath, or whatever it is. The main thing is the awareness. awareness of carrying the pot, awareness of walking with the pot and with, along with the breath, to be aware of the breath in the footstep, to be aware of the breath in the ladling, to be aware of the breath in the bowing,

[08:14]

to do everything with awareness of breath. This is mindfulness of breathing. And when you forget, that you recall. If you really put some emphasis on being aware of breath, and especially in tight circumstances, then you won't forget so much. And you, you will develop an awareness, a constant awareness of breathing. So the first four awarenesses are according to the body, the body, awareness of the body within the body with the breath.

[09:25]

So the Sutra says, breathing in a long breath, one knows, I am breathing in a long breath. Breathing out a long breath, one knows, I am breathing out a long breath. Long, I would say deep. I don't know if breaths are long or short. I guess they're long. It can be either long or short or deep or shallow. This is a deep breath or this is a shallow breath. This is a long breath. This is a short breath. One should know that. Then the second one is Breathing in a short breath, one knows I am breathing in a short breath. Breathing out a short breath, one knows I am breathing out a short breath. So one is long, one is short, one is deep, one is shallow.

[10:29]

But to be aware of this, this is initial concentration on breath. But I would say also, to be aware, more than long or short, I would say deep or shallow. As we know, breath is controlled a lot by our disposition, by our state of mind, state of body-mind. When we're feeling happy, we tend to have a fullness of breath.

[11:32]

When we're feeling depressed or angry or frightened, then we tend to have a kind of pinched breath, not so full, more tied up, a knotted breath. And the meditation is to untie the knots in your breathing so that breathing becomes easy and fluid and free. When breathing is fluid and free and without knots, then the whole body becomes more enjoyable and the mind frees itself. So it's interesting that the body can help the mind. We tend to think that the mind is the leader, which it is, but the body also

[12:40]

by working with the body, the mind becomes free. So, the third method, the third awareness is, I am breathing in and am aware of my whole body. I am breathing out and aware of my whole body. So this is like taking, inhaling, and filling the whole body with breath. And exhaling, being aware of the whole body letting go of breath. This solar plexus, or I don't know, I think of the solar plexus as below the navel, but it's probably a little higher. But this center below the navel is, when we fill the center with breath, then the whole body is filled with breath.

[13:54]

if we breathe in a shallow way, up in our chest, then this is more local, and it doesn't reach everywhere, and there's no freeing quality. So, when you breathe deeply, the whole body becomes full of breath, and the whole body is breath, And then the fourth one is, I am breathing in and making the whole body calm and at peace. I am breathing out and making the whole body calm and at peace. This is how one practices. Well, you know, this is a kind of stereotype of practice, breathing practice.

[14:58]

So he says, I'm making my body. I don't know if you can make your body at peace, but by doing this, the body becomes peaceful. Actually, peaceful. And this is why I'm, when people, you know, say to me, how can I control my anger? I say, take a deep breath before you do anything. Suzuki Roshi used to say, count to 10. When you're counting, you're no longer angry. Because you can only do one thing at a time well. But when you take a deep breath, you do become peaceful. You do become calm. The mind becomes calm. The body becomes peaceful. That's why if you do this continuously, then you maintain an even temper.

[16:02]

You don't get angry so easily, and you become more settled in the body. The body-mind becomes much more settled and at ease just through deep breathing. because one's center is anchored, deeply anchored. Also, when the breathing is deep, the blood circulates better. and that also creates a calming effect. So this is taking care of the body, within the body, through breathing. We know that it's a short breath or a long breath or a deep breath or a shallow breath.

[17:12]

And when this breath is established, breathing deep, breathing is established, then there's calmness and peacefulness. And then the next four are about feeling, concerned with feelings. I am breathing in and feeling joyful. I am breathing out and feeling joyful. This is how one practices. The sixth one is I am breathing in and feeling happy. I am breathing out and feeling happy. If we have a lot of difficulty in our life and unhappiness and things that are bothering us, how can breathing in and out make us feel joyful and happy?

[18:18]

It only happens if you can let go of what's bothering you and enjoy the breath. Joy and happiness. Joy is The difference between joy and happiness is if you're very thirsty and you see the Coke machine, you feel joyful. And then when you actually put your 50 cents in, I don't know how much, 75? 75, it keeps going up. It makes you feel unhappy. Then when you actually drink it, it makes you feel So joy is the thought, and happiness is the consummation. So breathing in, I'm feeling joyful.

[19:26]

Breathing out, I'm feeling joyful. Breathing in, I'm feeling happy. Breathing out, I'm feeling happy. This is very nice. How do we do this, you know, through our pain and difficulty? It's easy to feel joyful and happy when there's no problem, but when you have a lot of problems... But, say in Sashin, where you have pain in the legs and maybe some emotional tape that's being played over and over again that you can't get out of your head, or some difficulty, whatever it is, to stay with the breath, to breathe deeply, will produce joy and happiness underneath that difficulty.

[20:30]

If you Really stay with the breath. The breath will become a dominant, the joy and happiness of deep breathing will balance the difficulty that you're having. And become as predominant as the difficulty. This is why breathing is the only thing that will really help you. Concentration on breath is the only thing that will help you, except for posture. We say posture is first, and then breathing, and then awareness of breath. But posture is first, because posture is the structure of your meditation. to really put the effort into posture.

[21:32]

That's the building block. And then to concentrate on following the breath, letting the mind follow the breath without controlling it. You don't control your breathing. But it's hard. When the mind starts to follow the breath, then the mind picks up the rhythm of the breathing and you don't know, am I controlling my breath or not? It's very subtle. One, two, am I setting up my rhythm by counting or am I just really following the breath? It's very subtle. But if you continue to let the mind follow the breath, then you will be able to actually follow it rather than control it. Counting is a good thing to learn to do, but you don't have to count all the time.

[22:44]

Counting helps us to establish awareness. And then you can let go of counting and just follow the breath. Inhaling, you come to life. Exhaling, you let it go. And then, I am breathing in and I'm aware of the activities of the mind in me. I am breathing out and aware of the activities of the mind in me. Activities of the mind goes with feelings. And it's the arising of feelings in the mind and perceptions. This goes with feelings. I'm aware of the various feelings that are going on in the body and in the mind.

[23:50]

So, I'm aware of the pleasure, I'm aware of the pain, I'm aware of the neutral feelings, I'm aware of the way the mind is affected by the feelings, which causes feelings, and to breathe with those feelings. to breathe into the pain in your legs, to breathe into the pain in your back. And when you exhale, to breathe into and open everything up, opening and just You know, air, breathing is air, which is space, which is ether, which is euphoria.

[25:05]

So there is a way of breathing which, called a unshu, which, where when you exhale, you breathe, you put some effort here and just breathe into your feeling, whatever the feeling is. Silent grunt, a silent mm. You can say ohm or mm, into it. Especially if you're having trouble, you know. If you're having a lot of pain, breathe right into the pain. I am breathing in and making the activities of the mind in me calm and at peace.

[26:11]

I am breathing out and making the activities of the mind in me calm and at peace. So just the breath becomes more important than the difficulties. Becomes more of a focus. Because the breath fills the whole body. and calms and pacifies so that it allows the mind to remain calm and stable and not get upset. This goes for not only Zazen, but daily life. It doesn't let anything get upset. Then the third category is the mind.

[27:16]

I am breathing in and am aware of my mind. I am breathing out and aware of my mind. One practice is like this. I am breathing in and making my mind happy and at peace. I am breathing out and making my mind happy and at peace. One practices like this. So the mind is citta or consciousness. The conscious mind becomes happy and at peace. In zazen, The mind is always at work bringing things up, bringing up the objects of mind. But the mind can be upset by thoughts, or it can be turned around by thoughts, or it can be carried off by thoughts.

[28:26]

So to always be aware of what's happening in the mind. Breathing in, I'm aware of what's happening in the mind. Breathing out, I'm aware that, oh, as soon as your mind starts to run off with a thought, oh, I'm aware, and you bring it back. This is called waking up, continuously waking up. And this is what Zazen is. the mind gets carried out by a thought and then you remember the practice of recollection. Breathing in, I'm aware that the mind is running off. Breathing out, I'm aware that the mind is running off, chasing after something. I am breathing in and concentrating my mind.

[29:36]

I am breathing out and concentrating my mind. So it reestablishes on each breath, concentration again. I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind. which means that you're letting go of attachment to actually to anything that comes into the mind. You're giving the mind a rest. You're giving the emotions a rest. You're giving the feelings a rest. We are so used to clinging or needing something for the mind to rest on, for the mind to hold on to.

[30:56]

But actually liberating the mind is not what we usually are intending to do. So liberating the mind means letting go of everything. Just letting go. Thoughts come into the mind, and the mind wants to be entertained. But to allow that to be there, that entertainment to be there, and then let it go. Oh, I see. That's very nice. Goodbye. Whenever it comes up, oh, okay, goodbye. Oh, this is very nice. Oh, this is awful. I can't stand this. Both grasping and rejection. For a moment you can grasp, for a moment you can reject, but you let it go.

[31:59]

Letting everything go by. and simply being with the breath, simply resting in the breath and the posture. And then the fourth has to do with mind objects, being awareness of mind objects in the mind objects. Mind objects are whatever the mind attaches to or focuses on. Concentration is like a beam of light. And in Zazen especially, we become very focused, very concentrated. This beam of light becomes really focused and strong and concentrated. So whatever it lights on, or focuses on, becomes very lit up. Sometimes in a long sashim, our mind gets so focused that every little thing becomes a big thing, right?

[33:11]

The smallest thing becomes huge. So, if somebody scratches their nose the wrong way, we don't like it, or we can't stand the way somebody's opening their orioke, something like that, right? Or snoring or breathing. But this intensity of perception, concentration, is very important. When something comes up, to just notice it, to just be aware of it, So this is also the way things become transformed. Without trying to do anything special, just shining that light on them will eventually transform things.

[34:16]

So this is why awareness is so important. Awareness itself will transform difficulty into ease will transform our difficulties into virtues. I am breathing in and observing the impermanent nature of all dharmas. I am breathing out and observing the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Dharmas here means, in this case, means all things. But it means whatever comes up, actually. Observing the impermanent nature means this too will pass.

[35:22]

Everything will pass. and realizing that interdependent nature of everything, that no state of mind ever lasts for more than a moment. Everything is momentary. and to have that awareness that everything is momentary. Breathing in, I observe that this is momentary. I observe this moment as momentary, and I observe this moment as momentary. Suzuki Roshi used to say, Zen practice is just living your life a little bit at a time. I am breathing in and observing the fading of all dharmas.

[36:26]

I am breathing out and observing the fading of all dharmas. Meaning, when something comes up, I observe it arising. And when it goes, I observe it falling away. Moment after moment, this arises, this falls away. Breathing in, I realize that. Breathing out, I realize that. As a matter of fact, breathing in, I realize this breath arising. Breathing out, I realize it passing away. It's enough. Breathing in and contemplating liberation, I am breathing out and contemplating liberation. Liberation, meaning this moment, there's nothing to stand on. This moment, there's nothing to stand on.

[37:29]

Totally free from everything. I am breathing in and contemplating letting go. I am breathing out and contemplating letting go. So, breathing in, one lets go. Letting go of attachment to anything. So, this is full release. Therefore, one can sit still and realizing that everything is passing and arising and passing and arising, one is not disturbed by that. One is settled in the passing and the arising by

[38:32]

When a rising goes, comes, one arises. When passing goes, one passes. It's like the waves in the ocean. When the swell goes up, you go up with the swell. When the swell goes down, you go down with the swell. This is zazen. To ride the wave of Surging and retreating. Feelings surge, feelings retreat. Emotions surge, emotions retreat. Pain surges, pain retreats. To just flow with that surging and retreating.

[39:37]

like an empty vessel. Dogen, there's a little poem which I can't remember, but something like an empty boat at midnight, the moon lighting the water, The moon lighting the water at midnight, the empty vessel floating, riding the swells.

[40:18]

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