Buddhist scholar and teacher Bhikkhu Analayo explores the practice of mindfulness of breathing in the sixteen steps of the Anapanasati Sutta. This is an authoritative, practice-orientated elucidation of a foundational Buddhist text, useful to meditators whatever their tradition or background.

In the first six chapters Analayo presents practical instructions comparable to his Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide.

The remaining chapters contain his translations of extracts from the early Chinese canon. With his accompanying commentary, these help the practitioner appreciate the early Buddhist perspective on the breath and the practice of mindfulness of breathing.

Analayo presents his understanding of these early teachings, arising from his own meditation practice and teaching experience. His aim is to inspire all practitioners to use what he has found helpful to build their own practice and become self-reliant.
Mindfulness of Breathing: A Practice Guide and Translations, Bhikkhu Analayo, Windhorse Publications, 2019, Paperback, 278 pages, $28.95

Bhikkhu Analayo completed a PhD on the Satipatthanasutta at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka in 2000, published in 2003 by Windhorse Publications under the title Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization. He has also written Perspectives on Satipatthana (Windhorse Publications, 2014), a comparative study of parallel versions of the Satipatthana Sutta, and Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation (Windhorse Publications, 2015). His other works include a habilitation research through a comparative study of the Majjhimanikaya in the light of its Chinese, Sanskrit and Tibetan parallels at the University of Marburg in 2007, published 2011.

CONTENTS: Mindfulness of Breathing
	ABOUT THE AUTHOR	viii
	ACKNOWLEDGEMENT	ix
	PUBLISHER'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	x
	FOREWORD BY JON KABAT-ZINN	xi
	INTRODUCTION	1
Chapter I	MINDFULNESS AND THE BREATH	5
	Seclusion	6
	The Posture	13
	Mindfulness Established	16
	Summary	25
Chapter II	CONTEMPLATION OF THE BODY	29
	Long and Short Breaths	31
	The Whole Body	37
	Calming Bodily Activity	45
	Summary	52
Chapter III	CONTEMPLATION OF FEELING TONES	55
	Joy and Happiness	56
	Mental Activity	64
	Calming Mental Activity	68
	Summary	73
Chapter IV	CONTEMPLATION OF THE MIND	75
	The Mind	76
	Gladness and Concentration	81
	Liberating the Mind	86
	Summary	95
Chapter V	CONTEMPLATION OF DHARMAS	99
	Impermanence	100
	Dispassion and Cessation	105
	Letting Go	109
	Summary	118
Chapter VI	AWAKENING	121
	The Awakening Factors and the Four Satipatthanas	122
	Arousing the Awakening Factors	125
	Balancing the Awakening Factors	142
	Inclining towards Awakening	146
	Summary	162
Chapter VII	TRANSLATIONS FROM THE DIRGHA-AGAMA	155
	Dying and the Wind Element	156
	The Buddha's Last Breath	157
	Death and Breath	159
	The Fourth Absorption	160
	Summary	171
Chapter VIII	TRANSLATIONS FROM THE MADHYAMA-AGAMA	163
	The Wind Element	163
	Distracting Thoughts	164
	Mindfulness of the Body	165
	Satipatthana	167
	Concentration	170
	Summary	171
Chapter IX	TRANSLATIONS FROM THE SAMYUKTA-AGAMA	173
	Bodily Activity	173
	Central Purpose	175
	Foundations	177
	Tranquility and Insight	179
	The Sixteen Steps	180
	Benefits	185
	A Different Approach	187
	Imperturbability	189
	The Dwelling of a Tathagata	191
	The Dwelling of a Trainee	196
	Stilling Unwholesome States	197
	The Factors of Awakening	202
	The Chariot Simile	211
	Attainments	215
	Accomplished Practitioners	220
	Summary	225
Chapter X	TRANSLATIONS FROM THE EKOTTARIKA-AGAMA	227
	One Thing to Cultivate	227
	Three Steps Only	228
	Instructions to Rahula	233
	Breath Control	239
	Recollection of Death	242
	Summary
	CONCLUSION	245
	QUOTATIONS	249
	INSTRUCTIONS ON MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING	253
	The Sixteen Steps	253
	The Awakening Factors	254
	The Awakening Themes	255
	Chart
	ABBREVIATIONS	258
	REFERENCES	259
	INDEX OF SUBJECTS	265
	INDEX LOCORUM	279