Mindfulness Of Breathing

The breath is the meditation object which is used widely in any kind of meditation. The Buddha regarded the breath as the best meditation object as he always said, “Behold monks, focusing your attention, or mind, on the breath brings about concentration and mindfulness. From this practice, your mind and body are neither distracted nor deluded”.

In Samyutta Nikaya Mahavaravagga, he said, “Monks, before I became enlightened, I had, myself, practised a lot of mindfulness of breathing. Even now I have lived a moral, meditative, wise and Dhamma life. You know! If we abide by Dhamma life, especially loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, we can escape from physical and mental suffering more or less. So monks, I can say that the body will be peaceful, the eyes will be peaceful, the mind will be peaceful; they are more or less free of attachment if you, monks, practise mindfulness of breathing”.

He added that after he had become enlightened, he stayed in seclusion in the forest. At that time, he talked to those who followed him about how to reply if they were asked how their teacher spent his time. He advised them, saying, “You should tell those who want to know, that I abide by Dhamma and mindfulness of breathing”.

Mindfulness of breathing is good, isn’t it, in terms of spending life mindfully, here now. The breath maintains this life; without it, we cannot live. Whatever happens, happy or unhappy, small or large, since we breathe in-and-out, it is OK. So don’t worry, just breathe in-and-out, everything is going to pass in-and-out like our breath.