Greetings!
Just to share my new understanding of the 16 steps of Ānāpānasati, which appear to be sequential.
MN 118:
“And how, bhikkhus, is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated, so that it is of great fruit and great benefit?
“Here a bhikkhu, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him, ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
Mindfulness of body
“Breathing in long, he understands: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, he understands: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he understands: ‘I breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he understands: ‘I breathe out short.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body of breath’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body of breath.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the bodily formation (breathing)’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the bodily formation.’
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Practicing mindfulness of body (breathing) while not yet reaching jhana, but leading to the first jhanan with piti and sukha]
Mindfulness of feeling
“He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing rapture’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing rapture.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation’ (feeling and perception); he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation. ’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the mental formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the mental formation.’
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After reaching the 1st jhana with vitaka, vicara, piti, and sukha, withdrawing from the 1st jhana and practicing mindfulness of feeling. By the way, to my understanding, the 1st jhana is equivalent to access concentration/Upacara samadhi (if accompanied by piti and sukha).]
Mindfulness of Mind (States)
“He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mind’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the mind.’
[Following the contemplation of feeling in the 2nd tetrad which was done after withdrawing from the 1st jhana, continuing with mindfulness of mind states -- now the mind is not in jhana.]
He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in gladdening the mind’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out gladdening the mind.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in concentrating the mind’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out concentrating the mind.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in releasing the mind’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out releasing the mind.’
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Experiencing the mind (states) could lead to "sluggishness of mind, or the mind is distracted outwardly". In order to practice mindfulness of the Dhamma, the mind needs to enter jhana again by first gladdening the mind. This can be done either through directing the mind towards some pleasurable/inspiring object in the case of sluggish or distracted mind (and then withdrawing and returning to the breath to bring about piti/sukha), or through consistently watching, if possible, in- and out- breath to bring about piti and sukha which gladden the mind. For relevant discussions on how to gladdening the mind, please see "How to gladden the mind - an important part of meditation
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... t=+gladden"). After the mind is gladdened, then concentrating and releasing* the mind via mindfulness of breathing.
*"Releasing the mind" seems to be a better rendering than "liberating the mind", since it's only temporary releasing of the mind from the defilements/hindrances, and probably also vitaka, vicara, piti, sukha in the higher jhanas.]
Mindfulness of the Dhamma
“He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence. ’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating fading away’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating fading away.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating cessation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating cessation.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment. ’
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After reaching at least the 1st jhana, when the mind is free from defilements/hindrances, then contemplating the Dhamma. Only a hindrance free mind can see the Dhamma. Since in access concentration the mind is hindrance free, it should be able to see the Dhamma and realize nibbana.]
“Bhikkhus, that is how mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, so that it is of great fruit and great benefit.
Metta to all!