| Summary: | 碩士 === 佛光大學 === 佛教學系 === 100 === The Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta is the main work for the Theravadin practice of four foundations of mindfulness. According to this sutta, one can relieve suffering and attain nirvana through practicing the four foundations of mindfulness. In the world, there are Chan masters who teach the practice of four foundations of mindfulness, such as S. N. Goenka (Satya Narayan Goenka), Pa Auk Sayadaw and so on. Most of them base the teaching of mindfulness of breathing which is part of the four foundations of mindfulness on the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta. As to the Thai master, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and one of his works called Ānāpānasati: Mindfulness of Breathing (in Chinese Guan Hu Xi) is chiefly referred to the Majjhima Nikāya Sutta No. 118, the Ānāpānasati Sutta, as the analysis of breathing meditation. The thesis mainly focuses on the study of breathing meditation in the four foundations of mindfulness, and the study has three purposes: (1) To investigate on the practice of mindfulness of breathing; (2) To realize the relationship among mindfulness of breathing, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path; (3) To provide the guide of meditation practice for those who practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness of breathing is also called “An Na Ban Na Nian” (Ānāpānasati)
In the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, there are four stages of mindfulness of breathing: (1) Be mindful when breathing in long, be mindful when breathing out long; (2) Be mindful when breathing in short, be mindful when breathing out short; (3) Be mindful when breathing in and experiencing the whole breath body, be mindful when breathing out and experiencing the whole breath body; (4) Be mindful when breathing in and quieting, calming the activity of the in-and-out -breathing body. In addition to the four stages of mindfulness of breathing recorded in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta,, there are the other twelve stages of mindfulness of breathing in the Majjhima Nikāya, the Ānāpānasati Sutta. Aside from the study on the four stages of mindfulness of breathing stated in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the content of the study in this thesis would also include the part of contemplating which is after the practice of mindfulness of breathing. With respect of the source of the references in the thesis, the quotes of the content in Theravadin sutta piṭaka are adapted from Han Yi Nan Chuan Da Cang Jing (The Chinese translation of Pāli sutta piṭaka) which was published by Yuan Heng Temple in Kaohsiung. However, the text of the four stages of mindfulness of breathing in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta is based on Bhikkhu Metta’s edition, the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (A cpmparison version among Pāli, Chinese, and English) and combines some related suttas, sastras, and the works of Chan masters about observing the rūpa-kāya and nāma-kāya when practicing mindfulness of breathing.
Furthermore, in Chapter Four, the researcher makes a general investigation on the relationship among mindfulness of breathing, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path through the statements of what makes suffering is the attachment to the Five Skandha, then through the expositions of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination The Fifth Chapter is a conclusion of the thesis which deals with a further explanation of the relations between the three studies (sīla, dhyāna, prajñā) and the practice of mindfulness of breathing, and the merit that can be obtained through practicing mindfulness of breathing.
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