The Numerical Discourses
Chapter 17: Breathing
| （一） 羅雲 | 1. Rāhula |
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| 聞如是： 一時，佛在舍衛國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 爾時，世尊到時，著衣持鉢，將羅雲入舍衛城分衛。 爾時，世尊右旋顧謂羅雲： 「汝今當觀色為無常。」 | 2. When he arrived there, the Bhagavān put on his robe, took his bowl, and led Rāhula to the city of Śrāvastī to solicit alms. The Bhagavān then turned to his right and said to Rāhula, “You should contemplate form as impermanent now.” |
| 羅雲對曰： 「如是，世尊。色為無常。」 | Rāhula replied, “Yes, Bhagavān. Form is impermanent.” |
| 世尊告曰： 「羅雲，痛、想、行、識皆悉無常。」 | 3. The Bhagavān told him, “Rāhula, feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are all impermanent.” |
| 羅雲對曰： 「如是，世尊。痛、想、行、識皆為無常。」 | Rāhula replied, “Yes, Bhagavān. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are all impermanent.” |
| 是時，尊者羅雲復作是念： 「此有何因緣？ 今方向城分衛，又在道路。 何故世尊而面告誨我？ 今宜當還歸所在，不應入城乞食。」 | 4. Venerable Rāhula then had this thought, “What’s the reason for this? We’re headed to the city for alms, and we’re on the road. Why has the Bhagavān given me this personal instruction? I ought to turn back now and not solicit alms in the city.” |
| 爾時，尊者羅雲即中道還到祇桓精舍。 持衣鉢，詣一樹下，正身正意，結跏趺坐。 專精一心，念「色無常」，念「痛、想、行、識無常」。 | 5. Then, upon arriving at the Jeta’s Grove monastery from the road, Venerable Rāhula put away his robe and bowl, went to a spot under a tree, and sat there cross-legged with the proper posture and mindfulness. He focused his whole mind on the thought “form is impermanent” and the thought “feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are impermanent.”2 |
| 爾時，世尊於舍衛城乞食已，食後在祇桓精舍而自經行。 漸漸至羅雲所。 到已，告羅雲曰： 「汝當修行安般之法。 修行此法，所有愁憂之想，皆當除盡。 汝今復當修行惡露不淨想，所有貪欲盡當除滅。 汝今，羅雲，當修行慈心。 已行慈心，所有瞋恚，皆當除盡。 汝今，羅雲，當行悲心。 已行悲心，所有害心，悉當除盡。 汝今，羅雲，當行喜心。 已行喜心，所有嫉心，皆當除盡。 汝今，羅雲，當行護心。 已行護心，所有憍慢，悉當除盡。」 | 6. At that point, the Bhagavān went for a walk at the Jeta’s Grove monastery after he had solicited food in Śrāvastī and eaten.3 Eventually, he reached the place where Rāhula was. Having arrived there, he addressed Rāhula, “You should cultivate the teaching on breathing. By cultivating this teaching, whatever notions of grief that you have will be eliminated. You should also cultivate the notions of the foul discharges and impurities, and then whatever cravings you have will be entirely eliminated. Now, Rāhula, you should cultivate the thought of kindness. Having cultivated the thought of kindness, whatever hate you have will be eliminated. Now, Rāhula, you should cultivate the thought of compassion. Having cultivated the thought of compassion, whatever harmful thoughts you have will all be eliminated. Now, Rāhula, you should cultivate the thought of joy. Having cultivated the thought of joy, whatever jealous thoughts you have will be eliminated. Now, Rāhula, you should cultivate the thought of equanimity. Having cultivated the thought of equanimity, whatever pride you have will be entirely eliminated.” |
| 爾時，世尊向羅雲便說此偈： | 7. The Bhagavān then spoke these verses to Rāhula: |
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| 是時，羅雲比丘復以此偈報世尊曰： | 8. The monk Rāhula then replied to the Bhagavān with this verse: |
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| 爾時，世尊作是教勅已，便捨而去，還詣靜室。 | 9. After giving him this instruction, the Bhagavān then got up and returned to his quiet abode.4 |
| 是時，尊者羅雲復作是念： 「今云何修行安般，除去愁憂，無有諸想？」 是時，羅雲即從坐起，便往世尊所。 到已，頭面禮足，在一面坐。 須臾退坐，白世尊曰： 「云何修行安般，除去愁憂，無有諸想。 獲大果報，得甘露味？」 | 10. Venerable Rāhula then had this thought, “Now, how does cultivating breathing eliminate one’s grief and notions?” Rāhula then rose from his seat and went to the Bhagavān. Having arrived there, he bowed his head at the Bhagavān’s feet and sat to one side. A moment after he withdrew to sit, he said to the Bhagavān, “How does cultivating breathing eliminate one’s grief and notions? How does it obtain a great reward and gain the taste of ambrosia?” |
| 世尊告曰： 「善哉！善哉，羅雲！汝乃能於如來前而師子吼，問如此義： 『云何修行安般，除去愁憂，無有諸想？ 獲大果報，得甘露味？』 汝今，羅雲，諦聽！ 諦聽，善思念之。 吾當為汝具分別說。」 | 11. The Bhagavān told Rāhula, “Excellent, Rāhula! Excellent! You were able to come before the Tathāgata and roar the lion’s roar by asking about this topic. ‘How does cultivating breathing eliminate one’s grief and notions? How does it obtain a great reward and gain the taste of ambrosia?’ Now Rāhula, listen closely! Listen closely and consider it well. I will fully discern it for you.” |
| 對曰： 「如是，世尊。」 爾時，尊者羅雲從世尊受教。 | He replied, “Yes, Bhagavān.” Venerable Rāhula then accepted the Bhagavān’s teaching. |
| 世尊告曰： 「於是，羅雲，若有比丘樂於閑靜無人之處。 便正身正意，結跏趺坐。 無他異念，繫意鼻頭。 出息長知息長。 入息長亦知息長。 出息短亦知息短。 入息短亦知息短。 出息冷亦知息冷。 入息冷亦知息冷。 出息暖亦知息暖。 入息暖亦知息暖。 盡觀身體入息、出息，皆悉知之。 有時有息亦復知有， 又時無息亦復知無。 若息從心出，亦復知從心出。 若息從心入，亦復知從心入。 如是，羅雲，能修行安般者，則無愁憂惱亂之想， 獲大果報，得甘露味。」 | 12. The Bhagavān told him, “Here, Rāhula, suppose there is a monk who enjoys being in a quiet and secluded place away from people. He sits cross-legged with the proper posture and mindfulness. Without any other thoughts, he fixes his mind on the tip of his nose. When his exhalation is long, he knows his breath is long. When his inhalation is long, he also knows that his breath is long. When his exhalation is short, he knows his breath is short. When his inhalation is short, he also knows that his breath is short. When his exhalation is cool, he knows his breath is cool. When his inhalation is cool, he also knows his breath is cool. When his exhalation is warm, he knows that his breath is warm. When his inhalation is warm, he also knows that his breath is warm. He fully observes his body as he inhales and exhales, being aware of it all. When there is breathing, he knows that he’s breathing. When there’s no breathing, he also knows that he isn’t breathing. If his breath follows the thought to exhale, he knows that it followed the thought to exhale. If his breath follows the thought to inhale, he also knows that it followed the thought to inhale. Rāhula, one who can cultivate their breathing in this way will have no grief or disturbing notions. They will obtain a great reward and gain the taste of ambrosia.”5 |
| 爾時，世尊具足與羅雲說微妙法已，羅雲即從坐起，禮佛足，遶三匝而去。 往詣安陀園，在一樹下，正身正意，結跏趺坐。 無他餘念，繫心鼻頭。 出息長亦知息長。 入息長亦知息長。 出息短亦知息短。 入息短亦知息短。 出息冷亦知息冷。 入息冷亦知息冷。 出息暖亦知息暖。 入息暖亦知息暖。 盡觀身體入息、出息，皆悉知之。 有時有息亦復知有。 有時無息亦復知無。 若息從心出，亦復知從心出。 若息從心入，亦復知從心入。 | 13. After the Bhagavān had finished giving him this subtle teaching, Rāhula rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circled him three times, and then departed. Arriving in Andha Park, he went to a spot under a tree and sat cross-legged with the proper posture and mindfulness. Without any other thoughts, he fixed his mind on the tip of his nose. When his exhalation was long, he knew his breath was long. When his inhalation was long, he also knew that his breath was long. When his exhalation was short, he knew that his breath was short. When his inhalation was short, he also knew that his breath was short. When his exhalation was cool, he knew his breath was cool. When his inhalation was cool, he also knew his breath was cool. When his exhalation was warm, he knew that his breath was warm. When his inhalation was warm, he also knew that his breath was warm. He fully observed his body as he inhaled and exhaled, being aware of it all. When there was breathing, he knew that he was breathing. When there was no breathing, he also knew that he wasn’t breathing. If his breath followed the thought to exhale, he knew that it followed the thought to exhale. If his breath followed the thought to inhale, he also knew that it followed the thought to inhale. |
| 爾時，羅雲作如是思惟欲心，便得解脫，無復眾惡。 有覺、有觀，念持喜安，遊於初禪。 有覺、有觀息，內自歡喜，專其一心。 無覺、無觀，三昧念喜，遊於二禪。 無復喜念，自守覺知身樂。 諸賢聖常所求護喜念，遊於三禪。 彼苦樂已滅，無復愁憂。 無苦無樂，護念清淨，遊於四禪。 | 14. When Rāhula contemplated thoughts of desire in this way, he became liberated and had no more of the myriad bad [and unskillful things]. While he noticed and examined things, he was mindful and maintained his joy and happiness, and he dwelled in the first meditation. Once noticing and examining things had subsided, he had an inner joy and a focused, unified mind. Without noticing or examining things, his samādhi was mindful and joyous as he dwelled in the second meditation. With no more joyous thoughts, he guarded himself and experienced the personal happiness that’s always sought by noble people and that’s equanimous, joyous, and mindful. He then dwelled in the third meditation. Once his pain and pleasure had ceased, he had no more grief. Without pain or pleasure, his equinimous mindfulness was pure, and he dwelled in the fourth meditation. |
| 彼以此三昧，心清淨無塵穢，身體柔軟。 知所從來，憶本所作。 自識宿命無數劫事。 亦知一生、二生、三生、四生、五生、十生、二十生、三十生、四十生、五十生、百生、千生、萬生、數十萬生。 成劫、敗劫，無數成劫、無數敗劫，億載不可計。 「我曾生彼，名某姓某。 食如此食，受如此苦樂，壽命長短。 彼終生此，此終生彼。」 | 15. “Because of this samādhi, his mind was pure and without defilement, and his body was flexible. He knew where he came from and remembered what he had done in the past. He was aware of the events of his past lives for countless eons. He was aware of one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, and numerous hundreds of thousands of lives. He recalled eons of formation and eons of destruction, countless eons of formation and countless eons of destruction in the millions, billions, and inestimable numbers. “I was once born there with such a given name and such a surname. I ate foods like these, felt pleasures and pains like these, and my life had a certain length. I died there and was born here, and then I died here and was born there.” |
| 彼以此三昧，心清淨無瑕穢，亦無諸結。 亦知眾生所起之心。 彼復以天眼清淨無瑕穢。 觀眾生類。 生者、逝者，善色、惡色，善趣、惡趣，若好、若醜，所行、所造，如實知之。 或有眾生，身行惡、口行惡、意行惡。 誹謗賢聖，行邪見，造邪見行。 身壞命終，入地獄中。 或復眾生，身行善、口行善、意行善。 不誹謗賢聖，恒行正見、造正見行。 身壞命終，生善處天上。 是謂天眼清淨無瑕穢，觀眾生類。 生者、逝者，善色、惡色，善趣、惡趣，若好、若醜，所行、所造，如實知之。 | 16. Because of this samādhi, his mind was pure, without defilement, and without any fetters. He also knew the thoughts produced by sentient beings. Moreover, he observed the kinds of sentient beings there were with the heavenly eye that was pure and without defilement. He truly knew as they were being born and dying their good and bad forms, their good and bad destinations, and whether their actions and works were beautiful or ugly. The physical, mental, and verbal conduct of some sentient beings was bad. They slandered noble people, practiced wrong views, and performed actions of wrong view. When their bodies broke up and their lives ended, they entered hell. The physical, mental, and verbal conduct of some sentient beings was good. They didn’t slander noble people, always practiced right views, and performed actions of right view. When their bodies broke up and their lives ended, they were born in good places up in heaven. This is called the heavenly eye that’s pure and without defilement observing the kinds of sentient beings that there are. It truly knows as they are being born and dying their good and bad forms, their good and bad destinations, and whether their actions and works are beautiful or ugly. |
| 復更施意，成盡漏心。 彼觀「此苦」，如實知之。 復觀苦習，亦知苦盡，亦知苦出要，如實知之。 彼以作是觀，欲漏心得解脫，有漏、無明漏心得解脫。 已得解脫，便得解脫智： 「生死已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦。」 更不復受有，如實知之。 是時，尊者羅雲便成阿羅漢。 | 17. Moreover, he had a generous intent and achieved the thought of ending the contaminants. He truly knew “This is suffering” when he examined it. He truly knew the formation of suffering, the end of suffering, and the escape from suffering when he examined them. Because he performed these contemplations, his mind was liberated from the contaminant of desire, and his mind was liberated from the contaminants of existence and ignorance. Once he was liberated, he then had knowledge that he was liberated: “Birth and death have been ended, the religious practice has been established, and the task has been accomplished.” He truly knew that he would not be subject to another existence. At that point, Venerable Rāhula became an arhat. |
| 是時，尊者羅雲已成羅漢，便從坐起，更整衣服，往至世尊所。 頭面禮足，在一面住。 白世尊曰： 「所求已得。 諸漏除盡。」 | 18. After Venerable Rāhula became an arhat, he rose from his seat, arranged his robes, and went to the Bhagavān. He bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and then stood to one side. He said to the Bhagavān, “I have found what I was seeking. My contaminants have been eliminated.” |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「諸得阿羅漢者，無有與羅雲等也。 論有漏盡，亦是羅雲比丘。 論持禁戒者，亦是羅雲比丘。 所以然者？ 諸過去如來、等正覺，亦有此羅雲比丘。 欲言佛子，亦是羅雲比丘。 親從佛生，法之上者。」 | 19. The Bhagavan then addressed the monks, “Of those who’ve become arhats, none are the equal of Rāhula. They declare the end of contamination, and so has the monk Rāhula. They declare that they keep the precepts, and so does the monk Rāhula. Why is that? The Tathāgatas and Completely Awakened Ones of the past also had this monk Rāhula. This monk Rāhula also wanted to be called the Buddha’s son. Being born as kin to a buddha is the highest state.” |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「我聲聞中，第一弟子能持禁戒，所謂羅雲比丘是。」 | 20. The Bhagavān then told the monks, “Among my disciples, the monk Rāhula is the best at keeping the precepts.” |
| 爾時，世尊便說此偈： | 21. The Bhagavān then spoke this verse: |
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| 爾時，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 22. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
For the source text, cf. T125.2.581c1-2c19. This sūtra is parallel with MN 62. See the notes below for comparisons of these two versions of this sūtra. [back]
This introduction is essentially the same as what we find in MN 62, but there Rāhula doesn’t simply repeat the Buddha’s instructions. The most significant difference is that in MN 62, the Buddha tells Rāhula that the five aggregates are not self rather than impermanent. [back]
At this point, the story in MN 62 diverges from this version. There, it’s Sāriputta who happens upon Rāhula and advises him to practice the mindfulness of breathing. Rāhula then goes to the Buddha later in the day and asks for instruction on how to cultivate that practice. At that point, the Buddha teaches him a series of contemplations like the ones we find here in EĀ 17.1, with the addition of contemplations of five elements of the body (earth, water, fire, air, and space). After that, another set of contemplations are taught designed to develop equinimity.
Here, the Buddha gives Rāhula a program of contemplation subjects designed to counteract a set of unskillful mental qualities: Mindfulness of breathing to eliminate grief, the impurities to eliminate cravings, kindness to eliminate hate, compassion to eliminate harmful thoughts, joy to eliminate jealousy, and equanimity to eliminate pride. In MN 62, these contemplations are placed in a more-or-less reverse order: kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, impurity, impermanence, and mindfulness of breathing. [back]
This exchange of verses is not found in MN 62; however, it would make sense for a teacher to give a student a verse to memorize before leaving him to practice alone during the early oral tradition period of Buddhism. The verse would serve as a mnemonic key to recall the oral teaching that was received. [back]
This version of the mindfulness of breathing is somewhat different in its details than the better known version that’s found in Theravāda and Sarvāstivāda sources. As such, it shows that there were alternative explanations of this particular practice. Here, the entire program of mindfulness is focused on observing the breath, the body, and finally when breathing is intentional (as opposed to autonomic or involuntary).
In the more well-known version, other contemplations and references to the four meditations are collected together that have little to do with breathing. It seems to be a similar situation as we find with the four abodes of mindfulness, where tangential or unrelated practices were added to the mindfulness of body.
MN 62 ends with this instruction given to Rāhula by the Buddha. Here in EĀ 17.1, Rāhula goes on to practice this mindfulness of breathing and the four meditations. He then attains the three knowledges of past lives, the rebirth of sentient beings, and the ending of the contaminants. He then becomes an arhat. The Buddha then declares to the monks that Rāhula is the best disciple at keeping precepts. This indicates that this sūtra belonged to a group of texts that provide back stories for disciples being called the best at certain virtues or skills.
The omission of Rāhula’s awakening in MN 62 might be explained by the fact that an alternative story about Rāhula becoming an arhat is found in MN 147. MN 147 in turn is paralleled by the Sarvāstivāda version found at SĀ 2.57 (200). EĀ 17.1 and MN 62, on the other hand, have no parallel in the extant Sarvāstivāda canon.
Could it be that two contradictory stories about Rāhula’s awakening from EĀ and SĀ found their way into MN, and the Theravāda tradition resolved it by choosing MN 147 as their official version? It certainly would explain the abrupt end to MN 62. The fact that this version involves awakening through the four meditations (MN 147 does not) adds a potential controversy over whether Rāhula was an arhat liberated by wisdom or liberated in both ways. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 25 February 2025
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