사념처 수행과 호흡에 대한 사띠 수행의 관계

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of the relation between mindfulness of in-and-out breathing and mindfulness of four foundations of mindfulness as appeared in Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta and Ānāpānasati Sutta. This problem boils down to the question whether mindfulness of in-and-out breathing is samatha meditation and whether it can be practiced in combination with mindfulness of four foundations of mindfulness. In Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta mindfulness of in-and-out breathing appears in the teachings on the mindfulness of the body(Kāyagatāsati) and in Ānāpānasati Sutta mindfulness of breathing appears in combination with mindfulness of four foundations of mindfulness. I bring out the following points: The practice of jhāna as included in the early Buddhistic meditation system is a modified form of the traditional Indian Yogic dhyāna practice. The implied meaning of "modified form" can be understood with reference to Venerable U Vimalaramsi's commentaries on Ānāpānasati Sutta. The point is that one should not try to concentrate on the breathing, but just be mindful and aware of in-and-out breathing. In Venerable U Vimalaramsi's commentaries on Ānāpānasati Sutta, we can also find the key to the problem how to practice mindfulness of in-and-out breathing in combination with the mindfulness of four foundations of mindfulness. Its gist can be summed up as follows: Whenever the practitioner experiences delusive objects such as physical sensation, thought, sensuous pleasure etc, he practices letting them go, relaxing tension emerged from the clinging to the mundane things, and making the mind wide open before coming back to the breath as the meditation subject. In this paper, the relation between the vital breath(prāna) and the four foundations of mindfulness as meditation subject is interpreted in the light of the metaphor of the hub and the spokes, which stand for the vital breath and eye, ear, language, mind respectively. Furthermore, what is possible through the practice of mindfulness of in-and-out breathing in combination with the practice of mindfulness of four foundations is explained in the light of Cūḷasuññata Sutta as follows: While practicing mindfulness of in-and-out breathing along with mindfulness of delusive objects, the delusive objects become absent(suñña) and there is only present the singleness dependent upon the perception of the in-and-out breathing. The mindfulness of in-and-out breathing included in the early Buddhistic meditation system being different from the traditional Indian Yogic samatha meditation can be practiced in combination with the mindfulness of four foundations of mindfulness and the peaceful abidings attained through such a meditation practice can be described as a holistic state of consciousness in which the delusive objects become absent(suñña) and there is only present the singleness dependent upon the perception of the meditation subject.