Mindfulness of Breathing - The Four Frames of Reference

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...and... out sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe in-and-out calming the bodily processes: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the body in and of itself - ardent, alert, and mindful - subduing greed and distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this - the in-and-out breath - is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in and of itself - ardent, alert, and mindful - putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world."
2. " On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in-and-out sensitive to rapture; trains himself to breathe in-and-out sensitive to pleasure; trains himself to breathe in-and-out sensitive to mental processes; trains himself to breathe in-and-out calming mental processes: On that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in and of themselves - ardent, alert, and mindful - subduing greed and distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this - close attention to in-and-out breaths - is classed as a feeling among feelings, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on feelings in and of themselves - ardent, alert, and mindful - putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world."
3. "On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in-and-out sensitive to the mind; trains himself to breathe in-and-out satisfying the mind; trains himself to breathe in-and-out steadying the mind; trains himself to breathe in-and-out releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the mind in and of itself - ardent, alert, and mindful - subduing greed and distress with reference to the world. I don't say that there is mindfulness of in-and-out breathing in one of confused mindfulness and no alertness, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the mind in and of itself - ardent, alert, and mindful - putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world."
4. "On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in-and-out focusing on inconstancy; trains himself to breathe in-and-out focusing on dispassion; trains himself to breathe in-and-out focusing on cessation; trains himself to breathe in-and-out focusing on relinquishment: On that occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves - ardent, alert, and mindful - subduing greed and distress with reference to the world. He who sees clearly with discernment the abandoning of greed and distress is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves - ardent, alert, and mindful - putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world."

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