I know I am breathing
I know I am breathing a long breath
I know I am breathing a short breath
I am aware of my whole body
I calm my whole body
I feel joyful
I feel happiness
I am aware of my mental formations (feelings, wanting, attitudes, etc.)
I calm my mental formations
I am aware of my mind's activities (thinking, daydreams, views, etc.)
I make my mind's activities happy
I concentrate my mind (on my breathing)
I liberate my mind
I am aware of the impermant nature of all dharmas (everything changes)
I observe the disappearance of (my) desire(s)
I observe cessation (of my grasping)
I observe letting go (not clinging)
Cliff's Notes
In reading or reciting this paraphrased brief SutraI pace myself at a line per breath,
but may stay for several breaths on one line,
for example, to focus my mind more fully on my breath.
The paraphrase above is limited, for brevity;
In the actual "Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing"
each line above is prefaced by "Breathing in," ...
then the line is repeated, prefaced with "Breathing Out," ....
and then the line ends with "... practices like this";
The entire sutra ends with the statement that
continual practicing like this will be "... rewarding and of great benefit"
See for example the book "Breath, You Are Alive" by Thich Nhat Hahn (TNH),
where the complete sutra is both quoted and interpreted at length.
TNH notes that you need some context for joy and happiness
as for example joy in the prospect of meditation, and happiness in practice.
He also emphasizes, in successive breaths, being aware of right mindfulness in oneself,
focusing deeply on a mental formation, and on fear/liberation,
looking deeply at a specific object of desire, and seeing one's desire disapear
letting go of the idea that this body is me, and that I am caught in this body
and letting go of the idea that I did not exist before birth, or will not exist after death.
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