Meditation Q&A 66–70: The Hidden Secrets of Breath Meditation and Mindfulness

MEDITATION Q&A 66–70: THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF BREATH MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS

QUESTION 66: EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING MY BREATH, BREATHING IN AND OUT FOR MANY YEARS, MY MIND IS STILL NOT TRANQUIL. IS THERE SOMETHING HIDDEN HERE?

ANSWER: In many sutras of the Nikaya system, the Buddha repeatedly emphasized the importance of breath in meditation. Based on these noble teachings, many people have spread and practiced the method of breath meditation. However, the number of people who truly attain a peaceful mind is not many. Even those who achieve meditative states and certain results can regress without understanding the reason.

In some meditation schools, despite not having achieved any results, they often self-suggest to their minds that they are pure, peaceful, and happy. When the mind is still full of ignorance, conceit, jealousy, and agitation, but one considers oneself pure, it means they are misjudging the truth. This only leads to a depletion of merit and further disturbance of the mind. Recognizing one's own shortcomings and flaws is a contemplation that leads to mindfulness, helping the mind become calmer; on the contrary, self-satisfaction and the illusion of being superior only harm merit, making the path to enlightenment distant and obscure.

Why do we maintain mindfulness of the breath, follow the breath, but the mind is not in tranquility? We are only slightly mindful but have not yet been able to focus the mind, and sometimes when wandering thoughts arise, we forget again because our breath and mind are not yet connected. Breath in meditation has many different levels: From knowing that we are breathing, to knowing the breath without controlling it, to the third step of slow, little and gentle breathing, and finally to the breath that clings to the mind. It is this final breath that "clings" to the mind that is the gateway to the world of meditation. The previous techniques are stepping stones to get closer to the gate, but not yet to set foot in the castle of meditation. This is a secret, an extremely valuable secret. Only those who truly have good fortune and have sown good roots from many lifetimes can know this final technique.

QUESTION 67: CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE PRECIOUS FINAL TECHNIQUE OF THE MEDITATIVE BREATH?

ANSWER: The human mind system is very complex, consisting of many layers and components, in which attention is an important part of the mind. It can also be understood that attention is the mind.

In this life, we also have many "frivolous" concerns and attention. The practice of contemplating and applying the doctrine subjects will wash away those meaningless concerns, leaving only attention to the breath. This breath will bind our minds. So the core issue is the things that the mind pays attention to: What do we pay attention to that makes the mind agitated? What do we pay attention to that helps the mind settle?

In meditation, anchoring the mind to a meditative theme25 is a technique. There are many anchoring techniques that help calm the mind. We can anchor the whole body, anchor the chest, abdomen, or follow the in-and-out breath to increase mindfulness. When we pay attention to the breath, the mind will be "tied" down. But in reality, "anchoring" the mind is not easy. Our mind is like a wild buffalo, and the breath is like a rope. When the rope has not yet been tied to the buffalo, it still struggles, thrashes, and wanders around eating grass, trampling on other people's rice. Similarly, when the mind and breath are not connected, the wandering mind still roams everywhere like an untamed wild buffalo.

When we talk about the fourth level of breath, we are talking about a secret of heaven and earth. It is The Volume of the Breath.

The volume of the breath means whether the breath is deep or shallow, strong or weak, slow or fast. When the breath reaches the right volume, the breath immediately clings to the mind, the mind is held, and is not led by wandering thoughts. When we find the right volume, we stand right at the gate, ready to enter the world of Right Mindfulness and Right Meditative Ecstasy26.

The journey to this gate is not easy. Through many contemplations and applications of principles, practicing many techniques, accumulating merit and cultivating virtue, step by step, the path gradually appears, until the day we find the appropriate volume of breath.

QUESTION 68: MOST OF THE TIME THE VOLUME OF THE BREATH PASSES BY THE MIND, UNABLE TO "TOUCH" IT. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO FINDING THE RIGHT VOLUME OF BREATH THAT STICKS TO THE MIND AND ENTERS THE WORLD OF MEDITATION?

ANSWER: Meditating in silence, after going through the steps, we begin to be aware of the in-breath and out-breath; the breath gradually calms down, becoming slow, little, and gentle; at this point, we search for the appropriate volume of breath that sticks to our mind. Generally, the breath is slow, little and calm, but the actual intensity varies from person to person. For some, the breath might still be slightly strong but can touch the mind, because their mind is still somewhat agitated. For those whose minds are already very peaceful, the intensity of the breath is very subtle and can touch the mind, entering meditation like passing through a city gate.

Which volume of breath can stick to the mind (deep or shallow, fast or slow, strong or weak) depends on the wisdom, perception, as well as the morality and merit that each person accumulates in their life.

What is morality? It is loving everyone deeply and kindly. It is putting oneself in others' shoes with great sensitivity. It is detecting and correcting even the smallest and most subtle mistakes. And what is merit? It is helping others with both small and big tasks, doing whatever one can without hesitation or holding back, and doing it without seeking recognition, attachment, or boasting. The combination of many virtues and merits throughout life crystallizes into subtle and profound wisdom, allowing us to find the appropriate volume of breath that sticks to the mind. Our mind is held, and there are no more wandering thoughts.

QUESTION 69: WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT A PRACTITIONER HAS FOUND THE RIGHT VOLUME OF BREATH THAT STICKS TO THE MIND?

ANSWER: If we find the right volume of breath that sticks to the mind, we will notice:

Firstly, the mind naturally resides at a very low point. Even without intentional effort, the mind automatically stays low.

Secondly, the mind naturally rests at a secret, suspended point in the lower abdomen. This point forms a triangle with the dantian point and the perineum point. Even if we don't intentionally focus on the dantian, perineum, or the suspended point in the lower abdomen, when we find the right volume of breath, the mind naturally rests at that suspended point. It is the connecting point between the dantian and the perineum.

Thirdly, when we find the breath that sticks to the mind, potential and hidden illnesses in our body and mind are healed.

And especially, it helps us eliminate the instinct of desire, leading to a profoundly pure inner self.

However, these are the signs when we practice and have found the right volume of breath. At this point, language cannot fully describe it, as it depends on the merit, morality, wisdom, and perception of each individual.

QUESTION 70: FINDING THE BREATH THAT STICKS TO THE MIND IS LIKE HAVING A STAKE TO HOLD ONTO, NO LONGER BEING CARRIED AWAY BY THE ISSUES OF WANDERING THOUGHTS, AND PREPARING TO ENTER RIGHT MINDFULNESS. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THIS?

ANSWER: When we find the breath that sticks to the mind, it's like finding a stake to hold our mind in place. Before, when we hadn't found the stake, the wind blew us in whatever direction it went. Now, the wind still blows, but we are no longer carried away by it, just as wandering thoughts still arise, but we no longer follow them. We have found the breath that sticks to the mind, meaning we have a place to anchor ourselves. When wandering thoughts come, we look at them but don't chase after them, we don't chase after their issues or content anymore.

When we don't pay attention to wandering thoughts, they gradually weaken because they are no longer fueled. Wandering thoughts only have power because we pay attention to their content. But now, wandering thoughts still arise, but we don't follow their content anymore. We hold onto our "stake," maintaining our anchor in the breath that sticks to the mind, and the wandering thoughts weaken, allowing us to enter the depths of Right Mindfulness.

Written by:
Janna

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