..续本文上一页er sort of common breath is that which is beneficial — the breath mixed with pure air. When it mixes with the blood in the heart, it”s beneficial to the body.

　　2. The refined breath is gentle and soft. It”s the delicate breath sensations derived from the in-and-out breath that permeate between the blood vessels and nerves. This breath is what gives rise to our sense of feeling throughout the body.

　　3. The profound breath lies deeper than the refined breath. It”s cool, spacious, empty, and white.

　　The refined breath that spreads to nourish the body is the important level of breath to use as a basis for observing all three levels of the breath. When this refined breath is spread fully throughout every part of the body, the body will feel light, empty, and quiet — but we”re still mindful and alert. The mind is stable and so is the sense of the body. When this is the case, we”re constantly mindful and alert. At this point, a bright light will appear in our sensation of the breath. Even though our eyes are closed, it”s as if they were open. We”ll feel as if the breath in our body had a white glow, like the mantle of a Coleman lantern bathed with light. This is the profound breath. The mind becomes serene and still; the body becomes serene and still.

　　The mind at this point is said to be in Right Concentration, which can lead to liberating insight. Liberating insight can cut away all concepts dealing with past and future. In other words, the mind is content to stay with the profound breath, the spacious and empty breath. As long as the mind hasn”t penetrated to this level of the breath, it isn”t free from Hindrances. It doesn”t give rise to discernment; it has no true awareness. But when the awareness that comes from stillness gains power, it gives rise to strength and light. The mind and breath are both bright. When every aspect of the breath is equally strong, the profound breath becomes apparent: quiet and smooth; free from waves; motionless and resilient. The breath at this point isn”t affected by the in-and-out breath. The body is quiet, with no feelings of pain. It feels buoyant, saturated and full, like the mantle of a Coleman lantern: There”s no need to pump, there”s no sound, the air inside seems still, and yet the light is dazzling. All that”s needed is the vapor of the kerosene, and the lantern will give off light.

　　The body is quiet, with no ups or downs, highs or lows. When the breath is smooth and level in this way, it makes the body feel light, empty, and quiet. This is called kaya-passaddhi: physical serenity. The mind, which stays with the quiet body, is termed citta-passaddhi: a serene mind. When the mind stays with this stillness, it becomes bright. This brightness comes from the mind”s being firmly centered. When the mind is firmly centered, it leads to insight.

　　When insight arises, we can be aware on the level of physical sensations (rupa) and mental acts (nama) that arise from the in-and-out breath. We”re aware of the common breath, the refined breath, and the profound breath. We can keep tabs on all three levels of the breath. When our awareness reaches this point, we can be said to know the breath, or to know sensation. Then we observe how these things affect the mind. This is called knowing mental acts. Once we can know both sensation and mental acts, we”ll know: ”This is true awareness. This is how true awareness goes about knowing.” As long as we can”t make the mind behave in this way, we can”t know. And when we can”t know, that”s avijja, unawareness.

　　Unawareness is darkness. The common breath is dark, the refined breath is dark, the profound breath is dark. How harmful this darkness is for the body and mind, we don”t know: more darkness. Unawareness. Unawareness is like putting tar oil in a Coleman lantern.…

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