I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's
mother, together with many well-known elder disciples -- with Ven. Sariputta, Ven. Maha Moggallana, Ven. Maha Kassapa,
Ven. Maha Kaccayana, Ven. Maha Kotthita, Ven. Maha Kappina, Ven. Maha Cunda, Ven. Revata, Ven. Ananda, and other
well-known elder disciples. On that occasion the elder monks were teaching & instructing. Some elder monks were teaching &
instructing ten monks, some were teaching & instructing twenty monks, some were teaching & instructing thirty monks, some
were teaching & instructing forty monks. The new monks, being taught & instructed by the elder monks, were discerning grand,
successive distinctions.

Now on that occasion -- the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, the full-moon night of the Pavarana ceremony -- the Blessed One
was seated in the open air surrounded by the community of monks. Surveying the silent community of monks, he addressed
them:

"Monks, I am content with this practice. I am content at heart with this practice. So arouse even more intense persistence for
the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. I will remain
right here at Savatthi [for another month] through the 'White water-lily' month, the fourth month of the rains."

The monks in the countryside heard, "The Blessed One, they say, will remain right there at Savatthi through the White water-lily
month, the fourth month of the rains." So they left for Savatthi to see the Blessed One.

Then the elder monks taught & instructed even more intensely. Some elder monks were teaching & instructing ten monks, some
were teaching & instructing twenty monks, some were teaching & instructing thirty monks, some were teaching & instructing
forty monks. The new monks, being taught & instructed by the elder monks, were discerning grand, successive distinctions.

Now on that occasion -- the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, the full-moon night of the White water-lily month, the fourth month
of the rains -- the Blessed One was seated in the open air surrounded by the community of monks. Surveying the silent
community of monks, he addressed them:

"Monks, this assembly is free from idle chatter, devoid of idle chatter, and is established on pure heartwood: such is this
community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world: such is this community of monks, such is this
assembly. The sort of assembly to which a small gift, when given, becomes great, and a great gift greater: such is this community
of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that it is rare to see in the world: such is this community of monks, such is
this assembly -- the sort of assembly that it would be worth traveling for leagues, taking along provisions, in order to see.

"In this community of monks there are monks who are Arahants, whose mental effluents are ended, who have reached
fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who are
released through right gnosis: such are the monks in this community of monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of the first set of five fetters, are due to be reborn [in
the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world: such are the monks in this community of
monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of
passion, aversion, & delusion, are once-returners, who -- on returning only one more time to this world -- will make an ending
to stress: such are the monks in this community of monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners, steadfast,
never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening: such are the monks in this community of monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to the development of the four frames of reference...the four
right exertions...the four bases of power...the five faculties...the five strengths...the seven factors of awakening...the noble
eightfold path: such are the monks in this community of monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to the development of good
will...compassion...appreciation...equanimity...[the perception of the] foulness [of the body]...the perception of inconstancy:
such are the monks in this community of monks.

"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.

"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out
breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference,
when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors of awakening to their culmination. The seven factors of awakening, when
developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination.
 

(Mindfulness of In-&-Out Breathing)

"Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to bring the four frames of reference to their
culmination?

"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down
folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he
breathes out.

"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. [2]
Or breathing in short, he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns that he is breathing out short.
[3] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [4] He trains
himself to breathe in calming the bodily processes, and to breathe out calming the bodily processes.

"[5] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out sensitive to rapture. [6] He trains himself to breathe in
sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [7] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental processes,
and to breathe out sensitive to mental processes. [8] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental processes, and to breathe
out calming mental processes.

"[9] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out sensitive to the mind. [10] He trains himself to
breathe in satisfying the mind, and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [11] He trains himself to breathe in steadying the mind, and
to breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains himself to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.

"[13] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to breathe out focusing on inconstancy. [14] He trains himself
to breathe in focusing on dispassion [literally, fading], and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [15] He trains himself to
breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing on cessation. [16] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on
relinquishment, and to breathe out focusing on relinquishment.
 

(The Four Frames of Reference)

"[1] Now, on whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns
that he is breathing out long; or breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, discerns that he is
breathing out short; trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe in...&...out calming
the bodily processes: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful --
subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this -- the in-&-out breath -- is classed as a body
among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful --
putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

"[2] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to rapture; trains himself to breathe in...&...out
sensitive to pleasure; trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to mental processes; trains himself to breathe in...&...out
calming mental processes: On that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful
-- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this -- close attention to in-&-out breaths -- is
classed as a feeling among feelings, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on feelings in & of themselves --
ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

"[3] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to the mind; trains himself to breathe
in...&...out satisfying the mind; trains himself to breathe in...&...out steadying the mind; trains himself to breathe in...&...out
releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing
greed & distress with reference to the world. I don't say that there is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in one of confused
mindfulness and no alertness, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the mind in & of itself -- ardent, alert,
& mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

"[4] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on inconstancy; trains himself to breathe
in...&...out focusing on dispassion; trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on cessation; trains himself to breathe
in...&...out focusing on relinquishment: On that occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves --
ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. He who sees clearly with discernment the
abandoning of greed & distress is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused
on mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to bring the four frames of reference to their
culmination.
 

(The Seven Factors Of Awakening)

"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors of awakening to their
culmination?

"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his mindfulness
is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to
the culmination of its development.

"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When
he remains mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then
analysis of qualities as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.

"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, unflagging persistence is
aroused. When unflagging persistence is aroused in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality
with discernment, then persistence as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.

"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose
persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.

"[5] For one who is enraptured, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of an enraptured monk
grow calm, then serenity as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.

"[6] For one who is at ease -- his body calmed -- the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease -- his
body calmed -- becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for
him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[7] He oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity,
equanimity as a factor of awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

[Similarly with the other three frames of reference: feelings, mind, & mental qualities.]

"This is how the four frames of reference are developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors of awakening to their
culmination.
 

(Clear Knowing & Release)

"And how are the seven factors of awakening developed & pursued so as to bring clear knowing & release to their culmination?
There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor of awakening dependent on seclusion...dispassion...cessation,
resulting in relinquishment. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor of awakening...persistence as a factor of
awakening...rapture as a factor of awakening...serenity as a factor of awakening...concentration as a factor of
awakening...equanimity as a factor of awakening dependent on seclusion...dispassion...cessation, resulting in relinquishment.

"This is how the seven factors of awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.

Revised: 10 November 1999
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn118.html