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e unpleasant thoughts which arise from desire, anger, and jealousy.
“The ninth breath: ‘I am breathing in and am aware of my mind. I am breathing out and am aware of my mind.’
“The tenth breath: ‘I am breathing in and making my mind happy and at peace. I am breathing out and making my mind happy and at
peace.’
“The eleventh breath: ‘I am breathing in and concentrating my mind. I am breathing out and concentrating my mind.’
“The twelfth breath: ‘I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.’
“With these four breaths you cross into the third domain, which is the mind. The ninth breath enables you to recognize all the states of the
mind, such as perceptions, thinking, discrimination, happiness, sadness, and doubt. You observe and recognize these states in order to see
deeply into the mind’s activities. When the mind’s activities are observed and recognized, you are able to concentrate your mind, making it
quiet and at peace. This is brought about by the tenth and eleventh breaths. The twelfth breath enables you to release all obstacles of the
mind. Thanks to illuminating your mind, you can see the roots of all mental formations, and thus overcome all obstacles.
“The thirteenth breath: ‘I am breathing in and observing the impermanent nature of all dharmas. I am breathing out and observing the
impermanent nature of all dharmas.’
“The fourteenth breath: ‘I am breathing in and observing the fading of all dharmas. I am breathing out and observing the fading of all
dharmas.’
“The fifteenth breath: ‘I am breathing in and contemplating liberation. I am breathing out and contemplating liberation.’
“The sixteenth breath: ‘I am breathing in and contemplating letting go. I am breathing out and contemplating letting go.’
“With these four breaths, the practitioner passes into the domain of objects of the mind, and concentrates the mind in order to observe
the true nature of all dharmas. First is the observation of the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Because all dharmas are impermanent, they
must all fade. When you clearly understand the impermanent and fading nature of all dharmas, you are no longer bound by the endless cycle
of birth and death. Thanks to that, you can let go and attain liberation. Letting go does not mean to disdain or run away from life. Letting go
means letting go of craving and clinging so you do not suffer from the endless cycle of birth and death to which all dharmas are subject.
Once you have let go and attained liberation, you can live in peace and joy in the very midst of life. There is no longer anything which can
bind you.”
So taught the Buddha how to observe deeply the body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind through the sixteen methods of conscious
breathing. He also applied the sixteen exercises to the practice of the Seven Factors of Awakening, which are full attention, investigating
dharmas, energy, joy, ease, concentration, and letting go.
Venerable Svasti had already heard the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. He now felt that, thanks to this Sutra on
the Full Awareness of Breathing, he could more deeply penetrate the Four Establishments. He saw how these two sutras complemented
one another and how fundamental they both were to the practice of meditation.
Three thousand bhikkhus and bhikkhunis joyously received the Buddha’s teaching that night beneath the light of the full moon. Svasti’s
heart filled with gratitude to Venerable Sariputta for having made this night possible.
One day Venerable Ahimsaka returned from begging covered with blood and barely able to walk. Svasti ran to help him. Ahimsaka
asked to be taken to the Buddha. He explained that while he was out begging in the city, some people recognized him as the former
Angulimala. They cornered him and began to beat him. Ahimsaka did not resist their blows, but joined his hands to form a lotus bud while
allowing them to vent their anger and hatred. They battered him until he was vomiting blood.
When the Buddha saw that Ahimsaka was hurt, he called to Ananda to get a basin of water and a towel to wash away the blood. He
asked Svasti to gather medicinal leaves to make into poultices to place on Ahimsaka’s wounds.
Although he was in great pain, Venerable Ahimsaka did not cry out. The Buddha said, “Your sufferings today can rinse away all the
sufferings of the past. Enduring suffering in love and awareness can erase the bitter hatred of a thousand lifetimes. Ahimsaka, your robe has
been torn to shreds. Where is your bowl?”
“Lord, they shattered it.”
“I will ask Ananda to find you a new robe and bowl.”
As Svasti applied poultices to Ahimsaka’s wounds, he realized what an example of nonviolence Ahimsaka was. Venerable Ahimsaka
told Svasti a story that had taken place only the day before when he was out begging.
Beneath a tree in the forest, Ahimsaka encountered a woman in labor. She was in extreme pain and unable to give birth to the child.
Ahimsaka cried out, “Such terrible pain!” and ran to ask the Buddha what could be done.
The Buddha said, “Run back to her and tell her, ‘Madam, from the day I was born I have never intentionally harmed any living being. By