Assāsapassāsanirodhapañha

Milindapañha

Milinda’s Questions

Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga

Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter

11. Assāsapassāsanirodhapañha

11. Question on the Cessation of In and Out Breathing

Rājā āha—

The king asked,

“bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha—

“Venerable Nāgasena, do you say thus,

‘sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun’”ti?

‘It is possible to cease in and out breathing’?”

“Āma, mahārāja, sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun”ti.

“Yes, your majesty, it is possible to cease in and out breathing.”

“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun”ti.

“How, Venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to cease in and out breathing?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, sutapubbo te koci kākacchamāno”ti.

“What do you think, your majesty, have you heard before of someone snoring?”

“Āma, bhante, sutapubbo”ti.

“Yes, venerable sir, I have heard of it.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so saddo kāye namite virameyyā”ti.

“Would that sound be stopped, your majesty, if the body were bent?”

“Āma, bhante, virameyyā”ti.

“Yes, venerable sir, it would be.”

“So hi nāma, mahārāja, saddo abhāvitakāyassa abhāvitasīlassa abhāvitacittassa abhāvitapaññassa kāye namite viramissati, kiṁ pana bhāvitakāyassa bhāvitasīlassa bhāvitacittassa bhāvitapaññassa catutthajjhānaṁ samāpannassa assāsapassāsā na nirujjhissantī”ti.

“Since, your majesty, that sound would be stopped if the body were bent by someone undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and wisdom, why could not the breathing in and the breathing out be ceased for someone developed in body, virtue, mind, and wisdom, and who has attained the fourth jhāna?”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Assāsapassāsanirodhapañho ekādasamo.

Question on the Cessation of In and Out Breathing eleventh