Arising & Passing of the Breath (Kaya Sankhara - Bodily fabricator)

Common practice is to watch the flow of breath, its beginning, continuation and passing away and its diverse nature. In essence this practice can be described as watching the flow of breath that exists which is done by 'me'. This technique can help to build calmness and tranquillity and hence can be misunderstood as an insight. For instance, I can feel & note the breath as I breathe in & breathe out, as it passes through the nostrils, sometimes in fragmented form, however, as an occurrence that is experienced by me. There is no difference in this process and where we contemplate on a building as a thing that is constructed with bricks, sand & cement, which is only a means of deconstructing an object, a building that exist, mentally. . 

Buddha’s teaching reaches far beyond that.  

During his time teachers such as Alarakalama and Uddakarama Putta practiced this technique to the highest state and succeeded in subduing sensual pleasures. They experienced the truth of things that exist in the world and were able to keep away from being attached which is plausible in worldly sense. However, the Bodhisathwa (Buddha to be) who trained with them soon realised that it is not the deliverance he was looking for. He eventually gathered that , attention to the origin (Yonisomanasikara) of phenomena  is the way for deliverance.

Therefore, we ought to follow what he has taught by concentrating on the basis for our existence or the world. We need to comprehend the origin of the body of breath as taught by the Buddha, as a phenomenon of dependent origination. We need to contemplate on its occurrence as a bodily feeling (pottabba) and trace back the causes to ignorance (or delusion), as the origin. The aim is to know that the notion of the flow of breath that exists is due to not knowing the causality (which is Avidya or delusion). We need to comprehend that it is not to be felt as a contact made on 'my body' but as a formation that occurred due to conditions where the body (as a sense), body consciousness and touch come together, due to ignorance. 

Also, watching the cessation of breath in the manner discussed in the first paragraph is contrary to the teaching which rather urges contemplation for the complete abandonment of the notion of the breath (taken as a thing that exists) by comprehending it as a formation that is conditioned, one that ceases when conditions cease. When one notes the conditional nature of the formation of the flow of breath, he sees the basis for the origin and notes that it ceases when conditions cease. 

Furthermore, the Buddha did not restrict observing the breath to note their diverse nature, as a long breath short breath and so on. The state of formation of inhalation and exhalation is to be noted even while they occur. We must not ignore the fact that an Arahath has to inhale and exhale too. If insight meditation is to focus on the flow of breath that exists and to see its fragmentation, an Arahath will not be able to breathe. Similarly, an Arahath cannot interact with a visual object (or even an audible object) if it is expected to be seen merely as a thing that undergo fragmentation. Our focus should not be on the physical objects that are considered to be out there but rather on how they originate. The reality is that an Arahath who realised the truth, abandoning ignorance, has transcended a body (or breath). Cessation of the breath is only achieved by comprehending its causality. 

One can note fragmentation, of a body contact as it can be felt grossly by 'his body' which is commonly believed as impermanence. For instance, one who observes body sensation will note its fragmentation, however, only as an occurrence that 'he' experiences through his body rather than as a cause and effect formation. Moreover, we cannot observe such fragmentation of a visual object, say a cup, by observing it unless tunless as amental concept. We need to train ourselves to see from beyond our frame of mind.

If impermanence is in seeing fragmentation we should be able to see it visually when we look at an object such as a cup. Contemplating on impermanence of a breath that seems to exist is similar to one’s attempt to contemplate on the image of a dog, that walks on a foot bridge, in the water. Until the person realises that the image of dog is only a reflection,one that was created due to conditions, he will be deluded. Noting the breath that is taken as existing with mindfulness will bring about calmness and tranquility but the delusion won’t be removed. Being Mindful of how things originate, with clear comprehension is what the Buddha taught.

- Ven Alawwe Anomadassi Thero